title: Using short message service text reminders to reduce 'did not attend' rates in sexual health and HIV appointment clinics.
abstract: 'Did not attend' and cancellation rates were compared for two 12-month periods before (2009) and after (2012/2013) the introduction of routine short message service text reminders being sent to patients who have pre-booked appointments. After the introduction of short message service text appointment reminders, the overall 'did not attend' rates fell by 4% from 28% to 24% (p < 0.005) and by 10% from 28% to 18% (p < 0.05) for male sexual health appointments. There was no significant change in the HIV clinic 'did not attend' rates. In the same periods, the cancellation rates increased 4% overall (from 62% to 66%) and by 17% (from 55% to 72%) for female sexual health clinics (p < 0.005). These results suggest that routine text reminders increase clinic attendance rates by reminding patients to attend and prompting them to cancel if they cannot come.
authors.affiliation: Department of Sexual Health and HIV, Central Middlesex Hospital, North West London Hospitals NHS Trust, London, UK.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Farmer
authors.forename: Gary
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Brook
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: McSorley
authors.forename: Siobhan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Murphy
authors.forename: Azmina
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mohamed
mesh_terms: D000554:Ambulatory Care Facilities; D001071:Appointments and Schedules; D040421:Cell Phone; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009819:Office Visits / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010349:Patient Compliance / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D017010:Reminder Systems; D060728:Reproductive Health; D060145:Text Messaging
keywords: Equipment; SMS; attendance rates; environment; sexual health; sexually transmitted infection; short message service; technology; text messaging