HIPAA Texting for SimplePractice Users
SimplePractice handles your clinical record. Here is how to add the SMS-based client texting it does not offer — with a dedicated work number, auto-reply, and a signed BAA.
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The short answer
SimplePractice's Client Portal messaging is one-to-one and requires clients to log in. That works for structured exchanges. It does not work for the between-session check-ins and quick follow-ups that mental health practice depends on. BloomText works alongside SimplePractice to give clinicians a dedicated texting number. Clients reply over SMS with no app download. After-hours auto-reply keeps work messages from following you home.
Capability comparison
BloomText vs SimplePractice
| Capability | BloomText | SimplePractice |
|---|---|---|
| Two-way SMSPatients reply by secure chat via SMS | Included | Not included |
| Group threadsStaff and patients in one conversation | Included | Not included |
| Broadcast messagingReach many patients at once | Included | Not included |
| No app or login requiredWorks from any phone, no download needed | Included | Not included |
| Portal or app messagingPatients log in to a portal to message | Not included | Included |
| One-way SMS remindersAutomated appointment notifications | Not included | Included |
| Self-serve pricingPublished rates, no sales call needed | Included | Included |
| No long-term contractMonth-to-month, cancel anytime | Included | Included |
The gap SimplePractice users describe
SimplePractice handles scheduling, documentation, billing, and insurance. The Client Portal handles intake forms and structured messages. The gap is the quick, time-sensitive communication that happens between sessions — a check-in after a difficult session, a reminder to practice a coping skill, a confirmation that next week's appointment is at a different time.
The Client Portal requires a login. Clients who do not check it miss the message. The clinician sends the portal message for compliance, then texts the client from a personal phone to make sure they saw it.
What SimplePractice users need alongside their EHR
A dedicated work number so the clinician's personal number stays private. SMS-based delivery so clients see messages immediately. Auto-reply for after hours so clinicians are not monitoring their inbox at night. And a signed BAA covering the texting platform independently.
How BloomText fills the gap
BloomText gives SimplePractice users a dedicated number for client texting. Clients receive a secure link over SMS, tap it, and reply from their phone. After-hours auto-reply handles incoming messages outside business hours. Conversations are retained on the organization's account, searchable and exportable.
SimplePractice stays the system of record. BloomText handles the communication layer. There is no integration required — they work as independent tools serving different jobs.
Every plan includes a signed BAA, including the free plan. Over 21,000 healthcare professionals use BloomText. See pricing for current plans.
Frequently Asked Questions
- No. SimplePractice remains your clinical record, scheduling, and billing platform. BloomText adds the SMS-based client texting that the Client Portal does not offer.
- No. Clients receive secure links over normal SMS and reply from any phone.
- Yes. You set your business hours and write a custom reply. Clients who text after hours receive your message automatically.
- Yes. A signed Business Associate Agreement is included on every plan, including the free plan.
Does BloomText replace SimplePractice?
Do clients need to download an app?
Can I set up auto-reply for after hours?
Does BloomText include a BAA?
Sources
Last verified August 27, 2026.
