Text Messaging Follow-up From ED

University of Iowa

Status: Withdrawn

Conditions: Text Messaging

Treatments: Behavioral: Text Messaging

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT03370978

201607734

Details and patient eligibility

About

Ensuring follow-up for patients after discharge from the emergency department (ED) has long been a concern for ED care providers. The current technology of text messaging may be able to assist us in improving follow-up rates. In addition, having a quick and easy communication tool to be in touch with providers may improve overall patient satisfaction. This study is designed to evaluate the usage of text messaging to improve follow-up appointment compliance from the Emergency Department. In this study, a prospective randomized controlled trial (RCT) will be performed (involving patients scheduled by Emergency Department Nurse Navigators to follow up with Family Medicine) in which patients will be randomized to a texting appointment reminder versus standard-of-care (no texting reminder) group. Texted patients will receive reminders 3 days and 1 day prior to their follow-up appointment. In addition, the patients will have the ability to text back-and-forth with the Nurse Navigators in order to ask questions/request clarification if needed. Chart review will be performed of both groups to evaluate the number of follow-up appointments that patients attended versus rescheduled versus did not attend/reschedule. These values will then be compared to the retrospective chart review previously performed to evaluate for non-inferiority of text messaging as a means of improving patient attendance at follow-up appointments.

Sex: All

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

1. At least 18 years old
2. Able to read, write and communicate in English - English as the primary language
3. Has a phone with capabilities for text messaging
4. Identifies oneself as someone who is comfortable with text messaging.
5. To follow-up with Family Medicine as outpatient (Scheduled through Emergency Department Nurse Navigators).
6. Evaluated in the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics Emergency Department

Exclusion criteria

1. Absence of one or more inclusion criteria
2. Not able to provide informed consent or participate due to limited decision-making ability.
3. Prisoner
4. Previously has followed with the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics Family Medicine (i.e., would not be a "new" patient establishing care).

Trial design

Primary purpose: Other

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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0 participants in 2 patient groups

Text Messaging

Experimental group

Description:

Receives text messages to remind of upcoming follow-up appointment with primary care doctor. Also provides opportunity for subjects to text ED staff for follow-up care concerns or to reschedule primary care appointment.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Text Messaging

Usual Care

No Intervention group

Description:

Received usual care including follow-up phone calls if clinically indicated.