# Chats (Growth)

**Chats** is the practice-wide inbox for **two-way messaging** with patients who have **linked the Associhealth patient mobile app**. It is included on **Growth** and **Enterprise**, and during an active **trial** that grants Growth-level access. **Free** and **Starter** workspaces do not show Chats navigation—the same capability table appears in [Subscription & Billing](/associhealth-docs/account-and-billing/subscription-and-billing.md).

## What you need

* **Plan:** Growth, Enterprise, or eligible trial (see above).
* **Branch:** Pick the correct **branch** in the header; the thread list only includes patients tied to that branch.
* **Linked patient:** Only patients with a **linked mobile account** appear. Others must accept an invite and link from the patient profile first.

## Opening Chats

From the sidebar, open **Chats**. You’ll see a searchable list of conversations (name, last message preview, and time). Threads with **unread** messages from the patient show a dot on the avatar.

Select a conversation to open the message view. On large screens, an optional **patient summary** sidebar can show clinic, email, and phone with a shortcut to the full patient profile.

You can also reach the same thread from **Patients →** open a patient **→ Patient chat** on the profile ([Patient chat](/associhealth-docs/patients/patient-chat.md)).

## Sending and receiving

* Staff messages are delivered to the patient’s **Chats** screen on the mobile app; the patient’s replies appear in your thread.
* New messages generally appear **without refreshing** the page.
* **Online / Away** next to the patient’s name reflects recent activity in the **patient app** (approximate, within a couple of minutes)—not whether they have the chat screen open.

## Presence from the patient’s perspective

On mobile, patients see a similar **Online / Away** indicator for your **clinic** when someone with access to the practice web app has been active recently for that branch (also approximate). It does not mean a specific staff member is free to respond.

## What chat is for

Use chat for short coordination (appointments, records, follow-ups). **Clinical decisions and formal documentation** belong in the chart, treatment records, attachments, notes, and informed consent flows—see [Patient chat](/associhealth-docs/patients/patient-chat.md) for the same guidance in patient-centric wording.


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