1. Help Centre
  2. Resources for Managers
  3. The aTouchAway app- Setup and Permissions

How to Set Up Patient Messaging

How to set up and select messaging/chat features for the users you manage. You must be a patient contact in order to chat/message directly with them.

aTouchAway provides the option to send text messages to users that have aTouchAway tablets. This is set up with a few easy steps on the aTouchAway app, and you can also choose which setting you would like to use for patients. 

Only contacts are able to message patients. You will need to start by setting yourself up as a patient contact.

How to add yourself as a Contact:

1. Under the Your Managed Users list, go to the patient profile for whom you would like to set up messaging. 


2. In the Utilities section, click on Contacts.  Click +Invite a new contact and enter your email address.  Click on your name or +Send Request.

managed users contacts

3. Go back to the Home page and scroll up to Your Contacts. A banner should appear with the invitation. Click Accept.

contact request accept deny

4. Go back to the patient profile from Your Managed Users list. You should now see the Messaging icon under the patient’s profile photo. 


Messaging icon visible

Levels of Permission - Messaging

There are three levels of permission that can be granted for messaging:

  • Beginner: The patient will see the message displayed in your contact photo on their tablet screen. They can’t respond.
  • Intermediate: The patient will see there’s a new message in your contact photo on their tablet. They can click on that notification and have options to “Acknowledge” or “Cancel” the message. When they click "Acknowledge", you will see a “read” indicator in your message to them.
  • Advanced: The patient will see the “Messaging” menu on the left-hand side and will be able to respond and initiate a message to their contacts. This option is recommended for more tech-savvy users.

Advanced messaging icon

Any users on their own personal devices (BYOD) will automatically have Advanced settings.  This cannot be changed.

How to Choose the Messaging Level

To configure the messaging level setting, under the Managed User's account in your app, scroll down to Utilities and select aTouchAway settings. 

aTouchAway settings managed user 

Select the messaging setting you prefer for this user.  Click Save.

Messaging settings managed user