š„ļø For providers using the Oasys web app. Messaging must be turned on for your account and for each client you want to message.
This article shows you how to use Oasys's built-in, HIPAA-compliant messaging to talk securely with your clients, their guardians, and your practice colleagues, without a separate messaging app. It covers sending and starting conversations, message features, turning messaging on or off, notifications, and who can message whom.
In this article
1. Sending a message
You can message a client from the Messages tab or straight from their chart.
Go to Messages in the left sidebar. The page is titled Secure Messaging.
Select a client from your conversation list, or click New Message to start one.
Type your message and press Enter to send, or click the send (paper plane) button.
Shift+Enter adds a line break without sending.
On a phone or small screen, Enter adds a line break. Tap the send button to send.
To message from the chart, open My clients, select the client, and click Chat. A red dot on the Chat button means there are unread messages.
2. Starting a conversation
The New Message picker lets you choose which client to message.
Click New Message.
Search for the client by their name or, for a minor, their guardian's name. Accents don't matter, and every word you type must match.
Click the client, or use the arrow keys to highlight them and press Enter.
The list shows active clients you're directly responsible for. Demo (sample) clients never appear.
A minor appears under their own name, with "Minor Ā· Guardian:" and the guardian's name underneath.
If you already have a conversation with that client, Oasys opens it instead of starting another one.
If the list can't load, you'll see a message with a Try again button.
If you're a member of a practice and don't have Practice HQ access, New Message opens a small menu: Message a client or Message a practice member (see Messaging practice members).
3. Conversation list
Your Messages tab lists all your client conversations.
Each conversation shows the client's name, a preview of the last message, and its date. Messages you sent start with You:.
Unread counts appear next to conversations with unread messages, and the Messages item in the sidebar shows the total (for example, 3 unread).
A red Disabled badge marks conversations where messaging is turned off.
Use the search box to find a conversation by client name.
A minor's conversation is titled with the minor's name (see Minors and guardians).
Archived chats
When you archive a client, their conversation is archived too.
An archive button appears next to the search box once you have any archived conversations. Click it to Show archived chats, and again to Show active chats.
Restoring the client brings the conversation back. Starting a message with a client whose conversation is archived un-archives it.
4. Message features
Messages are text only, with a few helpful extras.
Formatting: there's no formatting toolbar. Bold, italic, and bulleted or numbered lists are kept if you paste formatted text in; headings aren't supported. Links in messages are clickable.
Long messages: messages over about 3,000 characters are shortened in the thread with a Show more link.
Delivery and read status: under your latest message you'll see Sendingā¦, then Delivered, then Read once the client has opened the conversation.
Online and last seen: under the client's name, Online means the client sent you a message in the last 5 minutes. Otherwise you'll see Last seen: with the time of their last message.
Drafts: if you start typing and switch to another conversation or tab, your draft is kept for that conversation. Drafts aren't saved if you refresh the page, close the tab, or sign out.
Auto-scroll: incoming messages scroll into view automatically unless you've scrolled up to read history.
Visit profile: the button at the top of a conversation opens the client's chart.
ā ļø Important: Messages can't be edited or deleted after sending, and you can't attach files or images. Share files through the client's Documents instead. A message that fails to send stays in the thread marked Not delivered (in red). There's no automatic retry, so copy the text and send it again. Failed messages aren't saved and disappear if you refresh the page or sign out.
5. Turning messaging on or off
Messaging is controlled per client, from either of two places.
From the client's chart: open My clients, select the client, click the settings (gear) icon ā Preferences, and turn the Messaging switch on or off. You'll be asked to confirm.
From the Messages tab: open the conversation, click the ā® menu in the top right, and choose Disable Messaging or Enable Messaging.
When messaging is off for a client
The client can't send you messages, and you can't send them any. Oasys enforces this on its servers, not just on screen.
Your composer shows Messaging disabled with an Enable button, so you can turn it back on from the conversation.
The client keeps their message history. They see "Your therapist has turned off messaging for this conversation. You can still read past messages."
6. Clients who haven't signed up yet
You can message a client before they've finished signing up.
Until they sign up, you'll see a notice under their name: "Client hasn't signed up yet. They will receive your messages once they create their account."
Messages you send are waiting for them when they log in for the first time.
For a minor, the notice clears once someone who can read the minor's thread (usually the guardian) has signed up.
7. Minors and guardians
A minor has one message thread, titled with the minor's name, that's read and answered by the logins on the minor's account.
Each login on a minor's account (each guardian, and the minor's own login if they have one) can use messaging only if you've given that login the Messaging permission on the minor's Access tab.
A login without that permission can't read or send messages, even if messaging is enabled for the client.
The conversation header, on the Messages tab and in the chart's chat panel, shows "Messages go to:" followed by each person who reads the thread, marked (guardian) or (own login).
If no login has messaging access yet, the header says so. Set it on the minor's Access tab.
For more on guardians and portal areas, see Portal access for minors.
8. Messaging practice members
If you're a member of a practice and don't have Practice HQ access, your Messages tab also holds direct messages with your practice colleagues.
Click New Message ā Message a practice member.
Search for and choose a colleague. Each person shows their role.
Send your first message. The conversation is only created when you do.
Use the filters at the top of the list, All, Clients, and Practice, to switch between client and colleague conversations.
You can't message someone who has left the practice.
If you do have Practice HQ access, staff messaging lives in Practice HQ instead.
ā Good to know: Practice HQ staff can also message a client in a separate thread from Practice HQ. Those threads aren't shown in your Messages tab.
9. Notifications
Oasys lets people know they have a message waiting, without revealing what it says.
When a client messages you and it's still unread about a minute later, Oasys sends you a notification. You get one per conversation until you read it; further messages in the same unread batch don't send more.
When you message a client, the client gets the same kind of notification.
When a practice colleague messages you, you get a notification too.
Notifications never include the message text, only "You have a new secure message" (and, where shown, who it's from). The recipient has to log in to read it.
Where notifications go (email, text, or app) depends on the recipient's own notification settings.
10. Who can and can't message a client
Only the client's assigned provider can message them from the provider side.
You (the client's provider): yes, while messaging is enabled for that client.
A co-treating provider with shared access to the chart: no. Their Chat button is greyed out with "Messaging is only available to the assigned owner right now."
The client: yes, once they've signed up and messaging is enabled. They can start the conversation themselves from Messages in their portal.
A former provider: a client can still read the history with a provider they've stopped seeing, but can't send messages there.
Frequently asked questions
Is messaging HIPAA-compliant?
Yes. All messages are encrypted. Messages are delivered in real time, with an automatic fallback to regular checking if the live connection drops.
Can clients message me first?
Yes, once they've signed up and messaging is enabled for them.
Can I send attachments?
No. Messaging is text only (with basic formatting). Share files through the client's Documents instead.
Can I edit or delete a message I sent?
No. Once sent, a message stays in the conversation.
Can I turn off messaging for all clients at once?
No. Messaging is turned on or off one client at a time.
Can clients see when I've read their message?
Yes. Clients see Delivered and Read on their own latest message, just as you do.
Why does a client show as Online when they're not?
Online only means they sent a message in the last 5 minutes. It isn't live presence, so a client can be reading without showing as Online.
Why does my message to a minor go to the guardian?
A minor's thread is read by every login on their account that holds Messaging, which is usually the guardian. Check "Messages go to:" in the conversation header, and change access on the minor's Access tab.