SMS Policy & Messaging Terms

Who sends these messages

Text messages are sent by physician practices and ACOs using the Vector platform, operated by Cartara Health Inc., a Delaware C-Corporation. Each practice configures its own staff, care plans, and outreach schedules; Cartara provides the underlying messaging infrastructure.

Every message identifies the sending practice by name (for example: "This is Cascade Primary Care"), so patients always know who is contacting them.

How patients opt in

Patients enroll in their physician practice's Advanced Primary Care Management (APCM) program in person or via a digital intake form. As part of enrollment, patients review and check a TCPA consent box that reads, in substance:

"By providing my phone number and checking this box, I agree to receive SMS messages from [Practice Name] regarding my care, including check-ins, reminders, education, and clinical follow-up. Message frequency varies. Msg & data rates may apply. Reply HELP for help, STOP to opt out at any time."

SMS consent is not a condition of receiving care, treatment, or any service. Patients can opt out at any time without affecting their relationship with their physician.

The Vector platform records the date, time, IP address (when applicable), and exact consent text shown for every patient who opts in. This record is retained for the life of the patient relationship plus seven years.

What we send

Patients enrolled in APCM may receive the following types of messages:

• Care check-ins — periodic outreach from the patient's care team asking how the patient is feeling, whether their conditions are stable, and whether anything has changed.
• Self-management reminders — reminders to take measurements (blood pressure, glucose), refill medications, or complete tasks from their care plan.
• Educational information — short, plain-language information about the patient's chronic conditions and how to manage them.
• Care coordination — follow-ups after appointments, lab results, hospital discharges, or specialist referrals.
• Safety responses — automated acknowledgements when a patient reports an urgent symptom, directing them to call 911 or their doctor while their care team is alerted.

We do not send marketing or promotional messages, third-party advertisements, or messages unrelated to the patient's care.

How patients opt out and get help

Patients can manage their SMS preferences at any time:

• Reply STOP (or STOPALL, UNSUBSCRIBE, CANCEL, END, QUIT) to immediately opt out. The platform sets the patient's status to opted-out within seconds and stops all subsequent SMS.
• Reply HELP (or INFO) to receive a brief reply with the practice's name, contact information, and a link back to this page.
• Reply START (or UNSTOP, YES) to re-enroll after a previous opt-out.

Patients can also opt out by calling their practice directly, by emailing support@cartarahealth.com, or by asking any staff member at their next visit. Opt-outs are honored regardless of how they are received.

Frequency, fees, and supported carriers

Message frequency varies by patient and care plan. Some clinical scenarios (post-hospital follow-up, new medication titration) produce more messages than routine check-ins.

Standard message and data rates may apply per the patient's mobile plan. Cartara does not charge patients to send or receive these messages.

SMS is supported on all major U.S. mobile carriers. Carriers are not liable for delayed or undelivered messages.

Privacy & HIPAA

Messages may contain protected health information (PHI) under HIPAA. Cartara Health is a Business Associate of every practice using Vector and operates under a signed Business Associate Agreement with each one. Patients consent to receive PHI via SMS as part of their enrollment.

Vector encrypts all messages in transit and at rest, retains a tamper-evident audit log of every send and receive, and never sells or shares patient phone numbers or message content with third parties for marketing purposes.

For full details on data handling, see our Privacy Policy.

Contact

Questions about this policy? Reach us at support@cartarahealth.com or by mail at: