Hello @grace
yes, we’ve done some work in this context. We’ve made an OpenMRS SMS module, with documentation here (you’ve found the correct place).
The SMS module connects OpenMRS with SMS service providers, for example Vonage (former nexmo), and provides a convenient layer to send SMS/WhatsApp from the OpenMRS. The module is made in the way that you should be able to connect to any provider which exposes a REST API. We’ve been using mostly Vonage (former nexmo), but we’ve also tested turnIO and Rwanda provider Future Dynamic Innovations. The module comes with some 2.x style UI, mostly for configuration, but it’s more like an utility module which API you use to write business logic.
When you read documentation, you’ll see ‘configuration template’, that explains how to make a request and interpret response from specific provider, here are some examples of this templates for various providers, including Vonage’s WhatsApp.
As for OpenMRS Messages Module, this works on top of the SMS module and provides a feature of Messages. It allows to configure (involves writing SQL) things like “Patient should receive a Message, 1 day before each Visit to remind them about it”. Depending on the configuration (including patient-level), a Message can be SMS, WhatsApp or an automated phone call (Callflows module).