Chiropractic Reactivation Campaign: Text, Email and Call Templates

Reactivation is the first campaign we run with almost every clinic, because it is the fastest new revenue that costs nothing in ad spend. Your past patients already know where you are, what you do and whether it worked. Many of them stopped for ordinary reasons and have the same problem again. Below is the full campaign, every template written out, with timing and the list rules. How many come back depends on two things: how recently they were seen, and whether the message sounds like the doctor or like a mass blast.

What is a chiropractic reactivation campaign?

A reactivation campaign is a planned sequence of texts, emails and calls to past patients who finished care or dropped out of a care plan, inviting them to come back. For a chiropractic office it is usually the cheapest source of booked visits available, because the trust is already built and the only cost is staff time and a few cents per text. The campaign below has seven touches over about 14 days: three texts, two emails, one phone call and one voicemail if the call is not answered. It is written to sound like a person, because patients reply to people and ignore "SPECIAL OFFER" blasts. Run it once or twice a year as a full campaign, and monthly in a smaller automated form for patients who just crossed 90 days since their last visit.

Who should you include in a reactivation list?

Include past patients last seen between 90 days and three years ago who agreed to be contacted, and remove anyone who asked not to be, anyone with an open balance dispute, and anyone deceased. Split the list so the message fits. A patient who completed a care plan and felt great is a different conversation from one who dropped out after three visits. Pull the list from your EMR by last visit date, export name, mobile number, email, original complaint category and last visit date, and clean it before anyone hits send. Wrong numbers and old landlines waste the first text and drive opt-outs.

What are the rules for texting and emailing past patients?

The rules come from two places: the TCPA for texts and calls, and HIPAA for how you use patient information in marketing. Under the TCPA, Manatt's 2020 healthcare analysis explains that automated texts to mobile phones generally need prior express consent, and that texts that count as advertising or telemarketing need prior express written consent; it also notes a called party may revoke consent at any time and through any reasonable means (Manatt, 2020). Under HIPAA, HHS guidance says a communication describing a health-related product or service that the covered entity itself provides, or made for the patient's treatment, is not "marketing" (HHS). In practice: check what your intake consent says, text only patients who agreed to texts, include an opt-out, honor it immediately, and keep the original diagnosis vague in the message.

What is the timing of a reactivation campaign?

A reactivation campaign runs over about 14 days, with the first text on a Tuesday or Wednesday and the call on day 6, after the patient has had two chances to reply. Spacing matters more than the exact day. Too close together and it feels like pressure; too far apart and the patient forgets the first message. Send texts between 10am and 7pm local time, not during the dinner hour, and stop the sequence the moment someone replies or books, so nobody gets "just checking in again" after they already scheduled. In a CRM like GoHighLevel the whole sequence runs as one workflow that removes people when they reply.

What should the three reactivation texts say?

The three reactivation texts should come from the doctor by first name, mention the reason the patient came in without naming a diagnosis, and ask one easy question each. Keep each one short enough to read on a lock screen. The first text checks in, the second asks a yes or no question, and the third closes the loop politely so the patient does not feel chased. Replace the bracketed fields from your list.

Text 1 (day 1): "Hi [First name], it's Dr. [Last name] at [Clinic name]. You popped into my head today and I wanted to check in. How's your [back / neck / shoulder] been holding up? Reply STOP to opt out."

Text 2 (day 4): "Hi [First name], Dr. [Last name] again. Quick one: has the [back / neck / shoulder] been bothering you at all lately? Just reply yes or no and I'll take it from there."

Text 3 (day 14): "[First name], last note from me. If anything flares up, reply here and we'll find you a time this week. Glad to help whenever you need it. Dr. [Last name]"

When someone replies "yes," a person (or an AI setter trained on your calendar) answers within five minutes with two specific times: "Want to come in Thursday at 4:15 or Friday at 9?" When someone replies "no, I'm doing great," thank them and ask for a review while they are happy.

What should the two reactivation emails say?

The two reactivation emails should read like a note from the doctor, not a newsletter: one short personal check-in, then one email with something new at the clinic and one clear offer. Emails can carry more than a text, so use them for the reason to come back. Send from the doctor's name, use a plain-text layout, and write a subject line a friend would send.

Email 1 (day 2) Subject: "Checking in, [First name]"

"Hi [First name],

It's been a while since your last visit, and I wanted to check in personally.

When you came in, we were working on your [back / neck / shoulder]. I'm hoping that's still behind you. If it has started creeping back, even a little, it's usually easier to deal with early than after it has been nagging you for months.

If you'd like to come in for a quick re-check, just reply to this email with a couple of days that work, and our front desk will get you set up.

Either way, I hope you're doing well.

Dr. [Last name] [Clinic name] | [Phone]"

Email 2 (day 9) Subject: "Something new at [Clinic name]"

"Hi [First name],

A quick update from the clinic. Since you were last in, we've [added evening hours on Tuesdays and Thursdays / added shockwave therapy / started a monthly wellness plan].

For past patients, we're offering a re-evaluation visit for [price] this month. We'll check how things are moving, compare it with your last visit, and tell you honestly whether you need anything more.

You can book here: [booking link]. Or reply with a good day and we'll find you a time.

Dr. [Last name]"

What should the front desk say on the reactivation phone call?

The front desk should open with the patient's name and a reason for calling that is about them, ask how they are doing, and offer a specific time only if the patient says the problem is back. A reactivation call is not a sales call. It is a check-in that happens to have a calendar attached. Call on day 6, between texts, and only call patients who have not replied.

Phone script (day 6):

"Hi, is this [First name]? Hi [First name], it's [Your name] from [Clinic name], Dr. [Last name]'s office. Do you have a quick minute?

Dr. [Last name] asked me to give you a call. We noticed it's been a while since your last visit and wanted to see how you're doing. How's your [back / neck / shoulder] been?"

If it is bothering them: "I'm sorry to hear that. Dr. [Last name] would want to see you before it gets worse. I have [day] at [time] or [day] at [time]. Which works better?"

If they are fine: "That's great to hear. If anything changes, just text us at this number. And if you have a minute, a quick Google review would mean a lot to Dr. [Last name]. Can I text you the link?"

If they went elsewhere or moved: "Thanks for letting me know. We'll update your file. Take care."

For the new-patient version of this call, see the new patient phone script.

What voicemail should you leave on a reactivation call?

Leave a voicemail under 30 seconds that says who you are, says the doctor asked you to call, gives a reason that is about the patient, and tells them they can just text back. Patients rarely return voicemails by calling, but many will reply to the text that follows. Do not mention their diagnosis in the voicemail, since someone else may hear it.

Voicemail (day 6):

"Hi [First name], it's [Your name] from Dr. [Last name]'s office at [Clinic name]. Dr. [Last name] asked me to check in and see how you've been doing since your last visit. No need to call back. If you'd like to come in, just reply to the text we sent, or call us at [phone]. Have a great day."

What response rate should a reactivation campaign get?

We do not publish a response rate because we could not find one from a source we trust, and the number swings with list age, consent quality and how personal the message is. Measure your own instead, segment by segment, so the next run is better. The five numbers below tell you whether the campaign worked and where it leaked. The one that matters most is revenue per contacted patient, because it lets you compare reactivation with ads on the same terms: divide revenue from reactivated patients in the following 60 days by the number of patients you contacted.

Does this reactivation campaign work for physical therapy?

Yes. The same campaign works for physical therapy clinics with three small changes. PT patients usually finished a defined plan of care, so the check-in should reference the goal they had ("getting back to running," "lifting your grandkids") rather than a body part alone. Cash PT plans are higher-ticket, so the re-evaluation offer should lead to a conversation about a new plan, not a single visit. And PT clinics often have patients who reached their goal and would benefit from a performance or maintenance program, which gives you a reason to reach out that is not "are you hurt again?" Everything else, the list rules, timing, consent, measuring, stays the same. Keeping patients longer also reduces how many new ones you need; see patient visit average.

How often should a clinic run reactivation?

Run a full reactivation campaign once or twice a year, and an automated monthly version for patients who just passed 90 days since their last visit. The full campaign catches the backlog; the monthly one stops the backlog from building again. In a CRM such as GoHighLevel, the monthly version is one workflow: a smart list of patients whose last visit date is 90 days ago, a two-text sequence, and a task for the front desk to call anyone who does not reply. The best time for the full run is a slow stretch on your schedule, such as late summer or early January, when an extra 10 or 20 visits a week matters most and the front desk has time to make the calls.

This is general information, not legal or billing advice; check your state board and a healthcare attorney before you change how you bill.