title: Mobile telephone short message service reminders can reduce nonattendance in physical therapy outpatient clinics: a randomized controlled trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate whether short message service (SMS) reminders reduce nonattendance in physical therapy outpatient clinics.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective single-blinded randomized controlled trial.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two physical therapy outpatient departments in metropolitan acute public hospitals.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants with an appointment in a physical therapy outpatient clinic and who provided a contact mobile telephone number were included. Participants were excluded if their appointment was scheduled for the same day on which they made the appointment.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants allocated to the intervention group received an SMS reminder before their next appointment; participants allocated to the control group did not receive a reminder.
  
  
  METHODS
  The primary outcome was rate of nonattendance without cancellation. Secondary outcomes were cancellation and attendance rates and exploration of other factors associated with nonattendance.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients (N=679) were allocated to receive either an SMS reminder (n=342) or no reminder (n=337). The nonattendance rate for patients who did not receive a reminder (16%) was more than nonattendance for patients receiving the SMS reminder (11%; odds ratio, 1.61; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.03-2.51; number needed to treat, 19; 95% CI, 9-275). There were no differences in cancellation or attendance rates between groups. Exploration of other factors found that patients who were younger with a neck and trunk musculoskeletal or a neuromuscular disorder and who were scheduled to have an initial appointment or an appointment on a Monday or Friday were significantly predictive of increased nonattendance.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  SMS reminders can reduce nonattendance in physical therapy outpatient clinics.
authors: Allied Health Clinical Research Office, Faculty of Health Sciences, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia. n.taylor@latrobe.edu.au
authors: Nicholas F
authors: NF
authors: Taylor
authors: Judy
authors: J
authors: Bottrell
authors: Katherine
authors: K
authors: Lawler
authors: Deenika
authors: D
authors: Benjamin
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001071:Appointments and Schedules; D001315:Australia; D040421:Cell Phone; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D010044:Outpatient Clinics, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010349:Patient Compliance / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012016:Reference Values; D017010:Reminder Systems / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D055815:Young Adult