Helix Updates

23 June, 2026

From 1 July 2026, changes from the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) will affect SMS Sender IDs (the name shown to message recipients instead of a phone number).

SMSGlobal is the SMS service provider used to send messages from MedicalDirector Helix.

What this means for Helix users:

• SMS messages where patients can reply (e.g. appointment reminders with Yes/No confirmation) are already sent from a mobile number and are not affected by this change.
• SMS messages that don’t allow a reply (e.g. one-way recalls, results notifications, or informational updates) are sent using a Sender ID, and will display as ‘Unverified’ from 1 July unless that Sender ID is registered with ACMA.Note: Many practices use both types, so even if your appointment reminders are unaffected, your one-way messages may still be impacted.

To avoid disruption, before July 1 we’ll temporarily switch your messages to send from a verified ID:

• SMS delivery will continue as normal
• Patients can still reply to reminders
• Messages will appear from a mobile number instead of a sender ID

If you would like to display a Sender ID specific to your business when sending SMS messages, please provide the following information to Telstra Health Support. This is optional. If you choose not to register a Sender ID, SMS functionality will continue to operate as normal.

Please provide:

• Australian Business Number (ABN)
• Business name
• Street address
• City
• State or Territory
• Postcode
• Country
• Company website
• Company phone number
• Preferred Sender ID (must comply with ACMA Sender ID requirements – link: 3.1 Ensure your sender IDs meet the valid use case rules | ACMA)
• Details of contact person*

*Contact Person