Sending Announcements in the NimbleRx Dashboard
Keep your patients informed with Pharmacy Announcements, available at no additional cost.
Use Announcements to quickly reach your patient base about things like:
- Holiday hours or planned closures
- Vaccine availability and health campaigns
- Unexpected closures or operational updates
- Pharmacy events, services, or other important news
What's New with Announcements
Holiday closures are usually known well in advance. You can now prepare your holiday closure message ahead of time, choose when it sends, and let NimbleRx take care of the rest, including multiple holidays in one session.
Choose the SMS Patients Receive
When you create an announcement, you'll choose a category that best matches your message. Patients receive an SMS notification letting them know they have an announcement from your pharmacy, and they can tap the link to view your full message.
The category you select makes that SMS clearer, so patients understand what your announcement is about before opening it. It does not replace the announcement you write. Your full announcement still appears when the patient opens the link.
How to Send an Announcement
- Go to Pharmacy Dashboard → Announcements.
- Write the announcement you want patients to see.
- Select the category that best matches your announcement. This determines the SMS patients receive.
- Review the number of eligible recipients.
- If applicable, use Age Suppression to exclude patients under 5 or over 65.
- Review your announcement before confirming.
Once an announcement is sent, it cannot be edited or recalled.
Schedule a Holiday Closure Announcement
Scheduling lets you prepare your patient communication at the same time you're planning your pharmacy's holiday hours. You can:
- Prepare holiday closure messages ahead of time
- Choose the date and time each announcement sends
- Schedule multiple upcoming holiday announcements in one session
- Edit or cancel an announcement before it sends
- Track scheduled, sent, and canceled announcements in one place
How to Schedule
- Open the Pharmacy Dashboard and go to Announcements.
- Write the holiday closure announcement you want patients to receive.
- Choose to schedule the announcement for later.
- Select the future date and time you want it to send.
- Review and confirm your announcement.
Have more than one upcoming holiday? Continue scheduling additional announcements in the same session, with a different message and send date for each. After you confirm, the announcement appears as Scheduled until it sends.
What Happens When It Sends
When the scheduled date and time arrive, NimbleRx sends your announcement automatically. You don't need to return to the Pharmacy Dashboard or take any action. Patients receive it the same way they receive an announcement sent immediately.
NimbleRx also checks which patients are eligible when the announcement sends. For example, if a patient opts out after you schedule the announcement, they will not receive it. If you chose to exclude patients under 5 or over 65, that setting is applied at send time too.
View Scheduled Announcements
Announcement History shows your announcements that are Scheduled, Sent, or Canceled. Scheduled announcements display their planned send date.
Edit a Scheduled Announcement
Before a scheduled announcement begins sending, you can update the message or the scheduled date or time. After you save, it stays scheduled with the updated information. Once it begins sending, it can no longer be edited.
Cancel a Scheduled Announcement
You can cancel an announcement anytime while it is still marked as Scheduled. Canceled announcements remain visible in Announcement History, but the message will not be sent. Once it begins sending, it can no longer be canceled.
Important Things to Know
- Announcements can only be scheduled for a future date and time.
- Your pharmacy can send up to three announcements on the same day. Scheduled announcements count toward the date they are set to send.
- Canceling a scheduled announcement frees that slot for the selected date.
- Scheduling does not change which patients can receive your announcement.
Writing a Great Announcement
Make it easy to scan
Keep your announcement short and put the most important information first.
Instead of:
"We wanted to let everyone know that because of the upcoming Independence Day holiday, our pharmacy will not be operating during our regularly scheduled business hours..."
Try:
"[Pharmacy Name] will be closed July 4 and reopen July 5 at 9 AM. Please plan refill pickups accordingly."
Tell patients what to do next
When appropriate, include a clear next step:
- Call the pharmacy
- Visit before a closure
- Walk in for a vaccine
- Plan refill pickups ahead of time
Don't include Protected Health Information
Announcements are broadcast messages. Do not include patient names, medications, dosages, or other Protected Health Information (PHI).
Announcement Ideas
Holiday Closure
"[Pharmacy Name] will be closed Thursday, November 26 for Thanksgiving and will reopen Friday, November 27 at 9 AM. Please plan refill pickups accordingly."
Vaccines
"[Pharmacy Name]: Flu vaccines are now available. Walk in Monday–Friday between 9 AM and 5 PM."
Unexpected Closure
"[Pharmacy Name]: Due to severe weather, we are closing today at 1 PM. We expect to reopen tomorrow at 8 AM."
Pharmacy Services
"[Pharmacy Name]: Did you know we offer [service]? Call us at [phone number] to learn more."
Frequently Asked Questions
Does it cost anything to send an announcement?
No. Pharmacy Announcements are available at no additional cost.
Does the patient receive the exact announcement I write as an SMS?
No. The patient receives an SMS notification with a link to your announcement. When they tap the link, they see the full message you created. The category you select determines how the SMS is framed so patients have context about the type of message.
Who can receive announcements?
Eligible patients with a verified mobile number. Eligibility is checked at the time the announcement sends.
Can I still send an announcement immediately?
Yes. You can send announcements immediately whenever you need to reach patients right away.
Can I schedule an announcement instead of sending it immediately?
Yes, for Holiday Closure announcements. You can prepare them in advance for a future date and time.
Can I schedule more than one holiday announcement at once?
Yes. You can prepare multiple Holiday Closure announcements in the same session, each with its own message and send date.
Can I edit or cancel a scheduled announcement?
Yes. While it is still marked as Scheduled, you can update the message or send time, or cancel it. Once it begins sending, it can no longer be edited or canceled.
Can I edit an announcement after it has been sent?
No. Sent announcements cannot be edited or recalled, so always review before confirming.
Who receives a scheduled announcement?
The same patient audience as an immediately sent announcement. Age Suppression settings and opt-outs are applied when it sends.
Will patients know the announcement was scheduled?
No. The patient experience is the same either way.
Why can't I send my announcement?
You may have reached the daily limit of three announcements (scheduled announcements count toward their send date), or your announcement may be missing required information.