Australian healthcare providers urged to register SMS IDs

Australian healthcare organisations that send branded text messages must now register with the ACMA's SMS Sender ID Register. The change has raised concerns that some patient messages could be overlooked if providers have not signed up.

Under the new rules, healthcare businesses that are not on the register will have their sender ID displayed as "Unverified" instead of a branded name in a patient's text thread. Sender IDs are the names that appear in SMS conversations from organisations such as government bodies, delivery firms and service providers.

That matters because all messages marked "Unverified" will appear in a single conversation thread, regardless of the number they were sent from. Patients who see that label as a warning sign for spam may ignore legitimate texts about appointments, medication collection or other healthcare updates.

The Australian Communications and Media Authority introduced the rules as part of a broader effort to reduce SMS fraud and improve trust in business messaging. Scam texts have become a persistent problem in Australia, with criminals often posing as major brands and public institutions.

Jonathan Walsh, General Manager at Esendex, said many healthcare providers may not yet understand how the change could affect patient communications.

"Scammers impersonate trusted brands and government bodies, and the medical sector is often at particularly high risk. A common example is scammers pretending to be from an organisation like Medicare and contacting patients to claim they need a new Medicare card, must switch plans or are eligible for a refund. Health is a priority for Australians, and scammers exploit that urgency to lure unsuspecting patients into giving away their personal details. The ACMA's crackdown on SMS scams is a major benefit to healthcare providers using SMS, boosting trust and helping organisations contact patients safely and efficiently."

Patient risks

The immediate issue for hospitals, clinics and other healthcare providers is whether patients trust a message enough to open it and act on it. SMS has become a routine channel for reminders, booking changes and follow-up notices, so even a small drop in response rates could affect both care delivery and scheduling.

Walsh said the risk goes beyond a missed text.

"A patient might receive a message with an 'Unverified' sender ID, assume it is spam and ignore it. But that message could be about a vital new appointment or a reminder to collect medication. If it is missed and no action is taken, the repercussions for the individual's health and wellbeing could be significant. Missed appointments can also have a substantial knock-on effect on other services and patients. After the diphtheria outbreak earlier this year, having an efficient communication channel with the public is vital, so the stakes are high for healthcare providers to get onto the register quickly."

Healthcare providers can still join the register through their telecommunications provider. Organisations are also being urged to explain the change to patients so they know what to expect from official messages during the transition.

Fraud backdrop

The register is intended to make it harder for fraudsters to imitate known organisations in text messages. In practice, it creates a distinction between registered branded senders and those that have not yet completed the process, with the latter grouped under the "Unverified" label.

That may help consumers identify suspicious messages over time, but it also creates short-term operational pressure for sectors that rely heavily on SMS. Healthcare is especially exposed because messages often relate to time-sensitive treatment, bookings and public health communication.

For providers, the challenge is not only technical compliance but also patient behaviour. A label designed to warn against scam traffic may lead some recipients to ignore genuine contact altogether, particularly if they are already wary after repeated fraud attempts by impostors claiming to represent official bodies.

Walsh said organisations should move quickly while awareness of the change is still developing.

"While there is still time to register, healthcare organisations must make it a priority. With the changes only just taking effect, scammers are likely to make the most of the transition period and capitalise on the uncertainty. Medical providers need to get ahead of the issue now to avoid putting patient care at risk and to ensure safety."