WhatsApp Template for Clinics: New Patient Welcome

When a new patient schedules their first appointment, the first impression defines trust. A clear and warm welcome message via WhatsApp helps them arrive with all the information and feel accompanied from minute one. Here we leave you a ready-to-copy template, with variables for personalization.

• {{1}}: patient's name (e.g., 'Maria').
• {{2}}: name of the clinic or professional (e.g., 'Clinica San Martin').
• {{3}}: appointment date (e.g., 'Monday, May 12').
• {{4}}: appointment time (e.g., '10:30').

1. 1Copy the template and replace the variables {{1}}, {{2}}, {{3}}, and {{4}} with the patient's details.
2. 2Send the message from WhatsApp Business (or from the Wando inbox, where the AI suggests it automatically when a new patient arrives).
3. 3If you use Wando, upload the template to the panel and the AI will use it on its own when appropriate, always with your prior approval.

Message variations

Important about WhatsApp templates

When to send this message (and when not to)

The ideal time is as soon as the appointment is confirmed, within the first 5 minutes. This way the patient registers it and the likelihood of them forgetting or not showing up decreases. If the appointment is for the next day, send it on the same day of confirmation; if it's further out, a reminder 24 hours before helps, but that's already another message.

Do not send it if the patient has not given their explicit consent (opt-in) to receive messages via WhatsApp. Do not use it to sell services either: it's a transactional notification message, not marketing. And if the patient has already canceled or rescheduled, don't send it: it only creates noise and can lead to them reporting you as spam.

• Send: recent confirmation, upcoming appointment, patient who has already opted in.
• Don't send: no opt-in, canceled appointment, for promoting services.

The three most likely patient responses (and how to answer them)

When the patient responds, they commonly do one of these three things. Here you have a model message for each one, ready to copy and adapt.

1. Confirms attendance: 'Hi! Yes, I'll go.' → 'Perfect {{1}}! We'll see you on {{2}} at {{3}}. If anything comes up, write to us here.'

2. Ask to reschedule: 'Can the time be changed?' → 'Hi {{1}}! Of course, we'll reassign you. What day and time works for you? We'll confirm right away if there's availability.'

3. Ask about requirements: 'Do I need to bring anything?' → 'Hi {{1}}, just your ID, and if you have previous studies, bring them so the professional can review them. If you have questions, feel free to ask us.'

How to know if the message worked

The clearest sign is the response: if the patient confirms, asks, or reschedules, the message did its job. But there are also metrics that help you measure it without relying on intuition.

In Wando, message statistics show you how many were delivered and how many were replied to. If the response rate is low, try changing the tone or the sending time. And if many patients don't show up, the problem may be the reminder, not the welcome. Compare attendance before and after using the template: if it improves, it works.

Why Meta may reject the template (and how to fix it)

Meta reviews each template against its policies. The most common reasons for rejection: requesting sensitive information (such as medical data), promising something that is not fulfilled, or using a marketing tone in a utility template. They also reject if the message does not make clear who is sending it or if the opt-in is not verified.

To fix it: make sure the message is only informational, without offers or promises. Use the clinic's name in the text ({{2}}) to make the sender clear. And make sure the opt-in is registered. If Meta requests changes, adjust the text and resubmit it: it usually gets approved on the second pass.

Formal variant and close variant: when to use each one

The formal variant is for patients you don't know or who prefer a more distant treatment: first consultation, patients referred by another health insurance, or if the clinic has an institutional profile. Use it whenever the relationship tone is 'usted'.

The close variant is for patients who already have trust, like those who have been coming for a long time or those who write informally. If the patient uses 'tú' in their first message, it's a sign that the close version will go over better. If in doubt, start with the formal: it's easier to go from formal to close than the other way around.

When to send this message and when NOT to send it

The ideal moment is as soon as the appointment is confirmed, within the first 5 minutes. This way the patient registers it and the probability of them forgetting or not showing up decreases. If the appointment is for the next day, send it on the same day of confirmation; if it's further ahead, a reminder 24 hours before helps, but that's another message.

Don't send it if the patient hasn't given their explicit consent (opt-in) to receive WhatsApp messages. Also don't use it to sell services: it's a transactional notification message, not marketing. And if the patient has already canceled or rescheduled, don't send it: it only creates noise and can lead to being reported as spam.

• Send: recent confirmation, upcoming appointment, patient who has already opted in.
• Don't send: without opt-in, canceled appointment, to promote services.

The three most likely patient responses (and how to answer them)

When the patient responds, they typically do one of three things. Here's a model message for each, ready to copy and adapt.

1. Confirms attendance: 'Hi! Yes, I'll go.' → 'Perfect, {{1}}! We'll see you on {{2}} at {{3}}. If anything comes up, write to us here.'

2. Requests to reschedule: 'Can we change the time?' → 'Hi {{1}}! Of course, we'll reassign you. What day and time works for you? We'll confirm right away if there's availability.'

3. Asks about requirements: 'Do I need to bring anything?' → 'Hi {{1}}, just your ID, and if you have previous studies, bring them so the professional can review them. If you have questions, feel free to ask.'

How to know if the message worked

The clearest signal is the response: if the patient confirms, asks, or reschedules, the message did its job. But there are also metrics that help you measure it without relying on intuition.

In Wando, message statistics show you how many were delivered and how many were answered. If the response rate is low, try changing the tone or the sending time. And if many patients don't show up, the problem might be the reminder, not the welcome. Compare attendance before and after using the template: if it improves, it works.

Why Meta may reject the template (and how to fix it)

Meta reviews each template against its policies. The most common reasons for rejection: requesting sensitive information (such as medical data), promising something that is not fulfilled, or using a marketing tone in a utility template. They also reject if the message does not make clear who is sending it or if the opt-in is not verified.

To correct it: make sure the message is purely informative, without offers or promises. Use the clinic's name in the text ({{2}}) to make the sender clear. And ensure the opt-in is registered. If Meta requests changes, adjust the text and resubmit: it usually gets approved on the second pass.

Formal variant and casual variant: when to use each

The formal variant is for patients you don't know or who prefer a more distant treatment: first consultation, patients referred by another insurance, or if the clinic has an institutional profile. Use it whenever the tone of the relationship is 'usted' (formal 'you').

The casual variant is for patients who already have trust, such as those who have been coming for a while or those who write informally. If the patient uses the informal 'tú' in their first message, it's a sign that the casual version will go over better. If in doubt, start with the formal: it's easier to go from formal to casual than the other way around.