In short
Consig automates scheduling outreach with live, conversational outbound calls for appointment reminders, rebooking, recall and no-show follow-up. Calls display with branded caller ID, the patient is verified, and the conversation confirms, reschedules or hands off to staff. Consent and state calling rules are enforced on every call, and results return to your platform.
- 86%
- Of unidentified calls now go unansweredSource: Hiya, State of the Call 2026
- $10.5M
- Kaiser Permanente class settlement over texts sent after recipients replied "stop"Source: Fried v. Kaiser, Dec 2025
Why do reminder and recall programs underperform?
Most of the effort goes into the message, and most of the failure happens before it is heard. Carrier analytics label and block calls before they ring, and 86% of unidentified calls now go unanswered. A blocked reminder becomes a no-show. A recall call that never rings becomes a patient who drifts out of care.
The organization usually cannot see this happening. It knows how many calls it dialed, not how they displayed on a patient's screen this week. Consig manages caller ID and number reputation through carrier relationships so scheduling calls show up as your practice. The Call Was Compliant. It Still Never Rang. explains the mechanics.
What can a conversational call do that a reminder message cannot?
A one-way reminder can only inform. A conversation can confirm the appointment, find out the patient cannot make it, and offer a new time that actually works. Finding that time is a good use of generative AI, while disclosures, identity checks and opt-outs run as scripted stages that behave the same way on every call.
The channel matters too. Texting a patient a link to click can feel more like a scam, not less. A branded call from a verified number, followed by a real conversation, earns trust in a way a link cannot.
How does Consig handle rebooking, recall and no-show recovery?
These are the same workflow pointed at different lists. Platform partners use Consig for exactly this: Elevare Group added Consig's live outbound calls for reminders, recall, no-show follow-ups and care-gap campaigns, and Intelibly uses Consig to follow up with patients who requested a dental appointment and schedule them with in-network providers.
When the patient needs a person, such as a complicated reschedule or a billing question, Consig transfers through major call center and UC systems with call-attached data, or schedules the callback for later.
Are appointment reminder calls exempt from TCPA rules?
Not as broadly as many teams assume. The healthcare exemption is narrow, an AI-generated voice is treated as an "artificial or prerecorded" voice under the FCC's February 2024 ruling, and consent can now be revoked through any reasonable means. Healthcare names have joined the TCPA defendant list, including a settlement over texts sent after patients replied "stop." Consig's compliance engine enforces the relevant federal and state rules on each call. See TCPA Lawsuits Doubled.
How a Consig call works
- Pull the list. Upcoming appointments, open recall and recent no-shows come from your platform through the API or are set up as campaigns in the Consig portal.
- Ring with trust. Branded caller ID and reputation-managed numbers make the call recognizable, and dialing is paced to stay within carrier tolerances.
- Confirm identity. The patient is verified before appointment details are discussed, using passkeys, device biometrics or one-time passcodes.
- Confirm, move or rebook. The conversation confirms the visit or finds a new time, with scripted stages for disclosures and opt-outs.
- Hand off or close the loop. Calls that need a scheduler transfer with context or are scheduled for later; outcomes return to your platform as structured data.
Frequently asked questions
Can Consig book directly into our scheduling system?
Consig returns structured results to the platform it runs on, and pre-built integrations cover common EHR and practice-management workflows. How a rebooked appointment lands in your system depends on which platform you use and how it connects. A solutions architect can map the exact flow for your scheduling setup.
Should we just send texts instead of calling?
Text has its place, but it cannot hold a conversation about a new appointment time, and a text with a link can feel like a scam to patients who have learned to be wary. A branded call from a verified number that can confirm or rebook on the spot closes more loops. Consent rules apply to both channels.
Does Consig handle inbound calls and IVR replacement?
Inbound call routing, replacing aging IVR systems, is listed on the Consig solutions page as coming soon. Today, Consig's scheduling workflows are outbound: reminders, rebooking, recall and no-show follow-up, with handoff to staff or scheduled callbacks when a patient needs a person.
What if a patient says "stop calling me" during a reminder?
Opt-out handling runs as a deterministic step so it is recognized and honored rather than left to a model's interpretation. Under current FCC rules, a revocation made through any reasonable means must be honored within 10 business days and should reach every campaign, not just the one that received it. Consig's compliance engine enforces consent on every call.