> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.welkinhealth.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.welkinhealth.com/care/communication/inbox/inbox-phone-channel.md).
# Phone Channel
The Phone channel in the Inbox consolidates all call-related communications — SMS messages, incoming calls, outgoing calls, and voicemails — into a single threaded view for each patient. This makes it easy for care teams to see the full communication history across messaging and calling without switching between different parts of the platform.
***
## Overview
The Phone channel was previously named the SMS channel. With the addition of call support, it has been renamed to reflect its expanded scope. All existing SMS communications remain in place; calls now appear within the same thread alongside messages.
***
## Call Records in the Phone Channel
When a call occurs — whether initiated by the care team or received from a patient — a call record is added to the Phone channel thread. Each record shows:
* **Call type** — incoming, outgoing, or missed
* **Duration** — the length of the connected call
* **Recording or voicemail** — if available, a playback control is displayed directly in the thread so users can listen without leaving the conversation
Call records appear in chronological order alongside any SMS messages in the same thread, giving a complete view of all interactions with that patient on the phone channel.
***
## Call Status and Communication State
Missed calls automatically set the communication status to **Open**, indicating that the patient attempted to reach the care team and a response is needed.
Completed incoming and outgoing calls do not change the communication status on their own. Status can still be managed manually or through the standard send-and-close workflow.
***
## Initiating a Call from the Inbox
Users can start a call to a patient directly from a Phone channel communication. Clicking the call option launches the existing Welkin call flow — the same experience used elsewhere in the platform. No changes have been made to how calls are conducted; the Inbox simply provides an additional entry point.
***
## Related Topics
* [Inbox](/care/communication/inbox.md) — Inbox overview and general usage
* [Calls](/care/communication/communication-center-calls.md) — call management in the Communication Center
* [SMS](/care/communication/communication-center-sms.md) — SMS messaging
---
# Agent Instructions
This documentation is published with GitBook. GitBook is the documentation platform designed so that both humans and AI agents can read, navigate, and reason over technical content effectively. Learn more at gitbook.com.
## Querying This Documentation
If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question.
Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter, and the optional `goal` query parameter:
```
GET https://docs.welkinhealth.com/care/communication/inbox/inbox-phone-channel.md?ask=&goal=
```
`ask` is the immediate question: it should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language.
`goal` is optional and describes the broader end goal you are ultimately trying to accomplish on behalf of the user. GitBook uses it to tailor the answer towards what is most useful for that goal.
The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation.
Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.