Early experience of the use of short message service (SMS) technology in routine clinical care.
OBJECTIVE
To conduct a technical appraisal and qualitative interviews with short message service (SMS--mobile phone text message) users in mainstream health care.


METHODS
Observation of service usage followed by in-depth semi-structured interviews.


METHODS
A National Health Service (NHS) general practice in Scotland.


METHODS
One hundred and eighty patients registered.


METHODS
Service utilisation and patients' views.


RESULTS
It was technically feasible to open up access to mainstream NHS general practice services using SMS for appointment booking, repeat prescription ordering, clinical enquiries and remote access to the core clinical summary.


CONCLUSIONS
Patients were able to use SMS services responsibly and found automation of prescription ordering particularly useful. Service utilisation was modest and did not adversely impact on the workload of general practitioners (GPs) or their staff.
Neville
Ron G
RG
Westgate Health Centre, Dundee, UK. rondelnev@gmail.com
Reed
Chris
C
Boswell
Brian
B
Sergeant
Paul
P
Sullivan
Tricia
T
Sullivan
Frank M
FM
D040421:Cell Phone; D003142:Communication; D005194:Family Practice; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D015397:Program Evaluation; D013222:State Medicine; D006113:United Kingdom