This resource is designed to help administrators create or refine workflows for engaging patients through Pathways. It brings together best practices for clinician- and coordinator-led outreach across the patient journey. Each section corresponds to a distinct part of the engagement process and can be used to guide SOP development, training, and role clarity.
Table of Contents
- Framing Effective Communication
- Inviting Patients to Pathways
- Supporting Engagement After Invitation
- Message Management and Templates
Framing Effective Communication
While the sections that follow focus on workflows, it’s equally important to understand what effective communication (especially asynchronous communication) looks like across all roles. If providers are not used to digital care and communication, it may be helpful to ensure they’re familiar with these best practices.
Best Practices for Clinicians and Care Coordinators
- Use patient-friendly, accessible language
- Acknowledge patient experiences and emotions
- Avoid clinical jargon unless it’s explained
- Be clear and specific about what the patient should do next
- Keep messages short and focused
- Personalize with the patient’s name and activity history
- Use spacing or bullets to avoid walls of text
- Reassure and provide a clear next step
Pro Tip: Clinicians and care coordinators should still sound like themselves. The goal isn’t to script every message but to ensure communication stays brief, kind, and helpful without losing authenticity.
Example:
“Hi, [Name]. I noticed you haven’t been back in Pathways for a few days.
Anything not working for you so far? I’m happy to adjust the plan or walk through anything that felt off.”
Inviting Patients to Pathways
Outreach workflows should reflect your team model. If clinicians introduce Pathways but don’t manage follow-up, ensure care coordinators are set up to take over. Your SOP should clarify who handles each step.
When to Introduce Pathways
It’s usually most helpful to introduce Pathways during the patient’s initial evaluation or plan-of-care discussion. It can be best to frame it as actually part of their clinical care plan, not as an add-on.
Example:
“We’re going to use Pathways as part of your care. It gives you your exercises, education, and tracking tools all in one place. It also helps us stay connected between visits.”
“Based on your assessment, you’re a great fit for our fully virtual care program using Pathways. This means you’ll manage your recovery entirely from home, using the Pathways app for step-by-step exercises, educational materials, and progress tracking. We’ll monitor your progress remotely, and you can message me directly through the app anytime you need support.”
That being said, some organizations find Pathways fits well into other patient care plans—not just at the beginning of straightforward cases. For example, a patient whose case may have been too complicated to use Pathways initially may benefit from Pathways once they’ve reached a certain point in their treatment or at discharge. If you intend for clinicians to use Pathways this way, make sure to include invitation guidance for these use cases as well.
Invitation Methods
Pathways utilizes multiple methods of patient invites, with certain options being a better fit for different care environments and situations.
| Setting | Recommendation |
| In Person | Use a QR code, help patients complete setup during the appointment, and walk them through navigating the platform. |
| Virtual Visit | Send invite via secure email or text through Pathways, along with encouragement for completing certain tasks. |
Setting Expectations
Setting clear expectations helps patients better understand their care plan and also provides opportunities for them to raise any concerns or questions. Make sure initial conversations set expectations like
- Encouraging patients to engage consistently for the best results. Some clinicians encourage daily engagement, while others prefer to work with patients to come up with a goal for engagement.
Note: We’ve found that patients who exercise at least three days of their first week are 160% more likely to stay on track through their program (66% engagement vs. 25% engagement at week 4).
- Reinforcing that their provider will monitor progress.
- Reassuring them they can reach out if something feels off.
It can be helpful to include this guidance with example or templated scripts so clinicians can see how this looks in practice.
Example:
“This program includes your exercises and education. To make real progress, it helps to do it regularly. What do you think is a realistic number of times per week? Let’s aim for that, and you can reach out if anything changes or comes up.”
Common Concerns and Suggested Responses
It can be beneficial to outline suggested responses to common concerns that clinicians and care coordinators may hear while interacting with patients. Here are some example concerns and responses.
| Concern | How to Address |
| “I’ll forget to log in.” | Show how to enable text/email reminders and how to add the shortcut to their device’s home screen. |
| “I’m not great with technology.” | Reassure them it’s simple. Offer support and show them how to log in and create the shortcut on their home screen. |
| “What if I have questions?” | Provide a phone number, email, or portal contact method, and point them to additional FAQ or support resources. |
| “Why do I need this?” | Explain that it supports recovery between visits, offers self-management tools, and tracks progress toward goals. Tie this back to their goals. |
To see how this might come together in an SOP, check out our SOP Template for Pathways Invitations.
Supporting Engagement After Invitation
Like the invitation process, engagement workflows should reflect your team model. Your SOP should clarify not only who handles what engagement but also all relevant processes, such as cadence, managing disengagement, and any relevant documentation policies.
Encouraging Early Action
Ensure that your engagement processes encourage patients to complete one small task like logging in or opening the first educational video in the first 1 to 2 business days (ideally 24 to 48 hours). Patients who take one small step early are more likely to stick with the program.
Pro Tip: Ask the patient to complete a small task while you’re still with them, such as logging in, opening the first video, or viewing exercises. This early win can go a long way toward helping them become more comfortable with their Pathways program.
Follow-Up Cadence Examples
A consistent messaging cadence helps teams deliver timely, intentional support throughout the patient journey. Proactive outreach makes it easier to identify patients who need help, reinforce expectations, and prevent disengagement before it starts.
| Business Days Since Invite | Goal | Recommendation |
| Day 1 | Confirm engagement | Send a welcome or check-in message |
| Day 3 | Check for any questions, or nudge if not active | Offer help or address common barriers, and if patients have not yet accepted the enrollment invite, remind them that it expires soon |
| Day 6–7 | Reinforce program benefits | Ask what’s going well or needs adjustment |
| Week 2 and beyond | Maintain momentum | Perform weekly check-ins, adjust based on patient status, and resend invitation if it expired but patient is interested in engaging |
Proactive vs. Reactive Messaging
Understanding the difference between proactive and reactive messaging helps organizations build outreach workflows that balance efficiency and patient needs. Consider mapping which roles are responsible for each type of outreach and how messaging cadence and alert reviews tie into that structure. The best practice is to have policies and cadences that include both proactive and reactive strategies.
| Type | Description | Example Use Case |
| Proactive | Outreach to drive ongoing engagement | Consistent check-ins, progress encouragement |
| Reactive | Based on patient behavior or symptoms | Responses to no logins, increase in pain, stalled engagement |
Using the Pathways Dashboard and Alerts Tab
It can be helpful to check the Clinician Dashboard and Alerts tab on a regular cadence (usually at least once per day) to identify patients who need outreach.
It’s recommended to establish workflows that prioritize patients who
- Haven’t enrolled within 48 hours
- Haven’t logged in recently (3 or more days)
- Report increased pain (e.g., 2/10 higher than baseline) or falls
Pro Tip: Check the Alerts tab at least once per business day. If a patient hasn’t engaged within 49+ hours, an Engagement alert will appear. This is especially helpful for identifying new patients who may need assistance. Remember: Early interaction and engagement in the first week are tied to long-term engagement and improved outcomes.
Troubleshooting Common Issues
As care coordinators reach out to patients, they may encounter common issues. As with the invitation SOP, it can be helpful to outline issues and suggest approaches or responses, like the examples below.
| Issue | Suggested Approach |
| Not enough time | Help build a realistic routine; identify small windows to engage |
| Too hard or too painful | Ask which exercises are challenging, and modify as needed |
| Too easy | Validate their effort; adjust if needed |
| Trouble finding website | Help them create a shortcut or bookmark |
| Forgot password | Walk them through password reset or refer to Pathways support |
Managing Disengagement or Hesitancy
Some patients may seem uninterested or reluctant to engage. Instead of assuming disengagement, teams can follow a progressive outreach strategy like the example strategy below.
Example: Engagement Attempts
- Initial Contact: Introduce Pathways and ask for feedback.
- Follow-Up 1 (if disengaged): Provide gentle encouragement and troubleshoot barriers.
- Follow-Up 2 (if still disengaged): Offer alternatives or modifications.
- Follow-Up 3 (if still disengaged): Perform final check-in and document disengagement.
If a patient states they are not interested, end outreach and mark as disengaged based on internal documentation protocol.
If the care coordinator is not the referring provider, it can be helpful to also have clear escalation criteria for when they should and should not notify the referring provider, especially regarding disengagement.
For example, you may decide they should not notify the referring provider for each disengaged patient but they should notify the referring provider if the patient is disengaged and
- The patient is high-risk and disengagement may affect outcomes
- The provider explicitly requested updates
- The patient shared something that may impact clinical care
Having this clearly outlined in an SOP or other documentation can help remove confusion for care coordinators and clinicians.
Documentation
When teams document why patients disengage or never enroll, that insight can drive real improvements. Patterns in the data often highlight workflow gaps, training needs, or patient barriers that can be addressed system-wide. Making sure the documentation can be easily analyzed or reported on can make it easier to gain these insights.
This may include guidance for care coordination like the following:
- Mark the patient as “Not Engaged” or “Disengaged” in the appropriate record (such as EMR or a spreadsheet) when relevant.
- Keep notes on outreach attempts and responses.
- If the patient reengages, update their status accordingly.
Message Management and Templates
Multimodal Communication
There are some general best practices to keep in mind when considering how multimodal communication can fit into workflows.
- Respect and use the patient’s preferred communication method when possible (e.g., email, phone call, portal message).
- If no preference is given, consider text or email first, then follow up by phone if needed.
- For difficult-to-reach patients, try alternating methods over multiple days.
Pro Tip: Outreach via multiple channels (especially in the first week) can increase the likelihood of long-term engagement.
Preparing Reusable Messaging
It can be beneficial to create reusable messages (snippets, templates, etc.) for both consistency and ease. However, there are some key best practices to keep in mind when preparing reusable messages.
- Prepare frequently used messages and save them in a shared document, folder, or system note (if templates aren’t supported natively).
- If using an EHR, you may be able to create macros (dot phrases, SmartText, etc.) to reduce repetitive writing.
- Use these for
- Day 1 activation
- Day 3 follow-up
- Ongoing check-ins
- Low engagement alerts
- Positive reinforcement
- Ensure care coordinators are trained on what messages can or should be used as is and which messages are expected to be modified based on the patient or use case.
Sample Messaging Templates
Day 1: Patient Not Activated
Subject: Get Started With Your Digital Physical Therapy Program
“Hi, [Name]. I noticed you haven’t started your digital pathway program yet. We’re here to support you—can I help you get logged in or answer any questions?”
Day 3: Still Not Activated
Subject: Need Help Getting Started?
“Hi, [Name]. Just checking in to see if you’ve had a chance to access your pathway program. Even taking one small step can help. Let me know how I can support you.”
Lack of Engagement
Subject: Let’s Get Back on Track
“Hi, [Name]. I saw you haven’t logged in recently. If anything is getting in the way (like pain, time, or the technology), I’m happy to help. Let’s get back on track together.”
Subject: Is Your Pathways Program Working For You?
“Hi, [Name]. I saw you haven’t logged in recently. How are you feeling? If you’d like to stop the program or move to a different phase, let me know.”
Increase in Pain
Subject: Checking In on Pain
“Hi, [Name]. I noticed you reported an increase in pain. That can be frustrating, and I’d like to see how I can help. Do you think one of the exercises made it worse? We can adjust.”
Positive Reinforcement: Patient Engaged
Subject: Great Job Getting Started!
“Hi, [Name]. It’s great to see you’ve started your pathway program. Keep up the great work! Let me know if you have questions or need any adjustments.”
To see how these tips can all come together in an SOP, check out our SOP Template for Care Coordination.