From 1 July 2026, the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) is introducing a national SMS Sender ID Register – a government-backed initiative to make text messaging safer and more trustworthy for everyone across Australia. Healthcare is a prime target for SMS phishing scams, and this is a meaningful national step to address that.
HotDoc will be managing compliance with these new requirements on your behalf, so there’s nothing your practice needs to do.
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In this article |
What does this mean for my practice?
HotDoc will send your Recalls, Results and Payments SMS messages from the registered “HotDoc” Sender ID – this applies to all practices, ensuring every practice's patient communications are sent from a verified, trusted sender. That means messages are more likely to reach patients reliably, and patients can be more confident confirming the authenticity of each message.
Reminders SMS messages (for Appointment Reminders) will continue to be sent from a mobile number, as patients may need to reply to those messages (for example, to confirm or cancel an appointment).
What will patients see?
Patients will see “HotDoc” as the sender name for these SMS messages. Your practice name will continue to appear clearly within the body of every message, so patients can easily identify which practice the SMS is from.
For example: Hi [patient], you have a health message from General Medical Centre.
Why is this good for patients?
Scam and phishing texts are an increasing problem across Australia, and the healthcare sector is a prime target. A verified Sender ID means patients can be confident that a message claiming to come from HotDoc or their practice actually did — giving them greater trust in the communications they receive from you.
HotDoc has been working alongside practices to help patients spot legitimate messages and avoid scams. The new ACMA requirement takes this even further as a national standard.
Timing and next steps
No action is required from your practice.
HotDoc will manage this change automatically ahead of the 1 July 2026 deadline. We’re sharing this update in advance so you can brief your staff and be ready to answer any patient questions.
Frequently asked questions
Will patients still know the message is from our practice?
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Yes. Your practice name will continue to appear clearly in the body of every SMS, so patients can easily identify which practice the message relates to.
For example, Hi [patient], you have a health message from GenMed Clinic.
Will this improve SMS delivery?
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Yes – that’s one of the key benefits. Sending from a verified, registered Sender ID reduces the chance of messages being flagged as spam or blocked by mobile carriers, helping to ensure your patients reliably receive communications from you.
Will this affect appointment reminders?
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No. Appointment reminder SMS messages will continue to be sent from a mobile number, as patients may need to reply to these messages (for example, to confirm or cancel an appointment).
Why is HotDoc managing this change on behalf of clinics?
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The new ACMA requirements apply to every business sending SMS in Australia, and each Sender ID must be registered and meet strict eligibility criteria. By managing registration centrally under the HotDoc Sender ID, we can handle compliance on behalf of all practices – saving a complex administrative process and ensuring consistent, reliable delivery from day one.
Where can I learn more?
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The following resources may be helpful:
- About the ACMA SMS Sender ID Register
- Spotting scams: how to tell if a message really came from HotDoc
- HotDoc scam awareness for patients
If you have any questions, please contact the HotDoc Support team.