WhatsApp Message Templates

The WhatsApp Business API requires that proactive messages (initiated by the clinic) use approved templates. This article explains how templates work in ProTerapia.

What are message templates?

When the clinic initiates contact with the patient (reminders, rescheduling, follow-ups), WhatsApp requires that the message use a pre-approved template. When the patient initiates the conversation, Tera can respond freely for 24 hours.

Templates used by ProTerapia

ProTerapia uses the following standard templates for automated communications:

Appointment Confirmation

Sent when an appointment is created (by the platform or by Tera):

“Hello {name}! Your {therapy} session with {therapist} is confirmed for {date} at {time}. Address: {address}. Reply to this message if you have any questions!“

24-Hour Reminder

Automatically sent 24 hours before the appointment:

“Hello {name}! Just a reminder that tomorrow, {date} at {time}, you have a {therapy} session with {therapist}. We look forward to seeing you! Need to reschedule? Reply here.”

1-Hour Reminder

Sent 1 hour before the appointment:

“Hello {name}! Your {therapy} session starts in 1 hour ({time}). See you soon!”

Rescheduling Request

Sent when the therapist needs to reschedule:

“Hello {name}! {therapist} needs to reschedule your {therapy} session on {date}. Available times: {time list}. Which do you prefer? Reply with the option number.”

No-Show Follow-Up

Sent when the patient does not show up:

“Hello {name}! We missed you at today’s session. Would you like to reschedule? Reply here and I’ll find the best time for you.”

Template Approval

Templates are submitted for approval to Meta during the initial setup of the WhatsApp integration. The approval process usually takes a few hours to 1-2 business days.

ProTerapia manages the submission and approval of templates automatically. You do not need to set anything up manually.

Customization

Templates use dynamic variables (patient name, date, time, therapist, etc.) that are automatically filled in by the system. The fixed content of the templates follows best practices for communication with patients.

If you need custom templates for your clinic, please contact our support.

Language of Templates

Templates are available in:

• Portuguese (Brazil) — default language
• English — for clinics serving international patients

The language is automatically selected based on the preferences of the patient and the clinic.

Limits and Costs

• Customer-initiated conversations — 1,000 free per month (Meta)
• Clinic-initiated conversations (using templates) — charged by Meta according to the pricing table
• Automatic reminders (24h and 1h) count as clinic-initiated conversations
• ProTerapia does not charge additional fees for messages