The use of text messaging to improve attendance in primary care: a randomized controlled trial.
BACKGROUND
Non-attendance is common in primary care and previous studies have reported that reminders were useful in reducing broken appointments.


OBJECTIVE
To determine the effectiveness of a text messaging reminder in improving attendance in primary care.


METHODS
Multicentre three-arm randomized controlled trial.


METHODS
Seven primary care clinics in Malaysia. Participants. Patients (or their caregivers) who required follow-up at the clinics between 48 hours and 3 months from the recruitment date. Interventions. Two intervention arms consisted of text messaging and mobile phone reminders 24-48 hours prior to scheduled appointments. Control group did not receive any intervention. Outcome measures. Attendance rates and costs of interventions.


RESULTS
A total of 993 participants were eligible for analysis. Attendance rates of control, text messaging and mobile phone reminder groups were 48.1, 59.0 and 59.6%, respectively. The attendance rate of the text messaging reminder group was significantly higher compared with that of the control group (odds ratio 1.59, 95% confidence interval 1.17 to 2.17, P = 0.005). There was no statistically significant difference in attendance rates between text messaging and mobile phone reminder groups. The cost of text messaging reminder (RM 0.45 per attendance) was lower than mobile phone reminder (RM 0.82 per attendance).


CONCLUSIONS
Text messaging reminder system was effective in improving attendance rate in primary care. It was more cost-effective compared with the mobile phone reminder.
Leong
Kwok Chi
KC
Department of Family Medicine, International Medical University Puchong, Jalan Rasah, Malaysia. leongk@pc.jaring.my
Chen
Wei Seng
WS
Leong
Kok Weng
KW
Mastura
Ismail
I
Mimi
Omar
O
Sheikh
Mohd Amin
MA
Zailinawati
Abu Hassan
AH
Ng
Chirk Jenn
CJ
Phua
Kai Lit
KL
Teng
Cheong Lieng
CL
D000328:Adult; D001071:Appointments and Schedules; D040421:Cell Phone / Q000191:economics; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008296:Malaysia; D008297:Male; D010358:Patient Participation; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000379:methods; D017010:Reminder Systems / Q000191:economics; D012107:Research Design; D013685:Telecommunications / Q000191:economics