> 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/priority-cadence.md).

# Priority Cadence

## Overview

Priority Cadence is a patient-level communication scheduling feature in Welkin. It lets care teams define preferred delivery windows — by priority level — so that outbound notifications reach patients at the right time and frequency. When a notification is sent manually or triggered by an automation, selecting a priority causes the system to route delivery according to the cadence rules configured for that patient.

## Accessing Priority Cadence Settings

Priority Cadence is configured per patient from the **Communication Center** within the patient profile.

1. Open a patient record in the Care Portal
2. Navigate to **Comm Center**
3. Click **Communication Settings** (top-right corner of the Comm Center panel)
4. The **Priority Cadence** panel opens on the right side of the screen

## Priority Levels

There are three priority tiers, each with its own independent schedule:

| Priority   | Typical use                                                      |
| ---------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Low**    | Routine check-ins, informational messages, low-urgency reminders |
| **Medium** | Standard care follow-ups, appointment reminders                  |
| **High**   | Urgent outreach, time-sensitive notifications                    |

Click the **Low**, **Medium**, or **High** tab to configure that tier.

## Configuring a Cadence Slot

Each priority tier supports multiple delivery slots. For each slot you can define:

* **Day of week** — select one or more days (SU, MO, TU, WE, TH, FR, SA) by clicking the day buttons
* **Time** — set the preferred delivery time (e.g., 8:00 AM)
* **Repeat every** — choose how often this slot recurs: every **1W**, **2W**, **3W**, **4W**, or **5W** (weeks). Multiple repeat intervals can be selected for the same slot.

Enable a slot by checking the checkbox on the left of the row. Disabled rows are ignored during delivery.

## How Priority Cadence Works with Notifications

When sending a notification — either manually from the Care Portal or via a Designer automation — you specify a **priority** (Low, Medium, or High). The system then schedules delivery according to the next available slot that matches the patient's cadence settings for that priority level.

For example, if a patient's Low cadence has a slot on Sundays at 8:00 AM repeating every 1W and 3W, a Low-priority notification will be queued for the next matching Sunday window.

## Notes

* Cadence settings are per patient and can be updated at any time from Communication Settings.
* If no cadence slot is configured for a selected priority, the notification may be delivered immediately or per the organization's default behavior.
* Priority Cadence applies to automated and manual outbound communications. It does not affect inbound messages.

***

## Related Topics

* [Communication Center](/care/communication/communication-center.md) — overview of the Comm Center
* [Communication Templates](/care/communication/communication-templates.md) — reusable message templates
* [Automations that Trigger Outbound Communications](https://github.com/welkincloud-io/welkin-docs/tree/master/kb/designer/automations-that-trigger-outbound-communications.md) — setting up automated notifications in Designer
* [Notifications and Alerts](/care/getting-started/notifications-and-alerts.md) — system notification settings


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