Skip to main content

Comparison of an SMS text messaging and phone reminder to improve attendance at a health promotion center: A randomized controlled trial

Journal of Zhejiang University SCIENCE B volume 9, pages 34–38 (2008)Cite this article

Abstract

Objective

To compare the efficacy of a short messaging service (SMS) text messaging and phone reminder to improve attendance rates at a health promotion center.

Methods

A total of 1 859 participants who had scheduled appointments in the health promotion center of our hospital from April 2007 to May 2007 were enrolled in the study and randomly assigned into 3 groups: control (no reminder) group, SMS text messaging reminder group and telephone reminder group. Attendance rates and costs of interventions were collected.

Results

A total of 1848 participants were eligible for analysis. Attendance rates of control, SMS and telephone groups were 80.5%, 87.5% and 88.3%, respectively. The attendance rates were significantly higher in SMS and telephone groups than that in the control group, with odds ratio 1.698, 95% confidence interval 1.224 to 2.316, P=0.001 in the SMS group, and odds ratio 1.829, 95% confidence interval 1.333 to 2.509, P<0.001 in the telephone group. However, there was no difference between the SMS group and the telephone group (P=0.670). The cost effectiveness analysis showed that the cost per attendance for the SMS group (0.31 Yuan) was significantly lower than that for the telephone group (0.48 Yuan).

Conclusion

SMS and telephone are effective reminders for improving attendance rate at a health promotion center. SMS reminder may be more cost-effective compared with the telephone reminder.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution.

Access options

Buy single article

Instant access to the full article PDF.

43,34 €

Price includes VAT (Finland)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

References

  • Battistotti, A., Quaglini, S., Cuoco, E., 2006. Reducing dropouts in outpatient care through an SMS-based system. Stud. Health Technol. Inf., 124:935–940.

    Google Scholar 

  • Can, S., Macfarlane, T., O’Brien, K.D., 2003. The use of postal reminders to reduce non-attendance at an orthodontic clinic: a randomised controlled trial. Br. Dent. J., 195(4): 199–201 (Discussion in p. 196). [doi:10.1038/sj.bdj.4810443]

    PubMed  Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Downer, S.R., Meara, J.G., Da Costa, A.C., Sethuraman, K., 2006. SMS text messaging improves outpatient attendance. Aust. Health Rev., 30(3):389–396.

    PubMed  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Geraghty, M., Glynn, F., Amin, M., Kinsella, J., 2007. Patient mobile telephone ‘text’ reminder: a novel way to reduce non-attendance at the ENT out-patient clinic. J. Laryngol. Otol., 1:1–3.

    Google Scholar 

  • Haynes, J.M., Sweeney, E.L., 2006. The effect of telephone appointment-reminder calls on outpatient absenteeism in a pulmonary function laboratory. Respir. Care, 51(1):36–39.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Irigoyen, M.M., Findley, S., Earle, B., Stambaugh, K., Vaughan, R., 2000. Impact of appointment reminders on vaccination coverage at an urban clinic. Pediatrics, 106(4 Suppl.):919–923.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jibaja-Weiss, M.L., Volk, R.J., Smith, Q.W., Holcomb, J.D., Kingery, P., 2005. Differential effects of messages for breast and cervical cancer screening. Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Underserved, 16(1):42–52. [doi:10.1353/hpu.2005.0018]

    PubMed  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lee, C.S., McCormick, P.A., 2003. Telephone reminders to reduce non-attendance rate for endoscopy. J. R. Soc. Med., 96(11):547–548. [doi:10.1258/jrsm.96.11.547]

    PubMed  Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Leong, K.C., Chen, W.S., Leong, K.W., Mastura, I., Mimi, O., Sheikh, M.A., Zailinawati, A.H., Ng, C.J., Phua, K.L., Teng, C.L., 2006. The use of text messaging to improve attendance in primary care: a randomized controlled trial. Fam. Pract., 23(6):699–705. [doi:10.1093/fampra/cml044] Martin, C., Perfect, T., Mantle, G., 2005. Non-attendance in primary care: the views of patients and practices on its causes, impact and solutions. Fam. Pract., 22(6):638–643. [doi:10.1093/fampra/cmi076]

    PubMed  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Maxwell, S., Maljanian, R., Horowitz, S., Pianka, M.A., Cabrera, Y., Greene, J., 2001. Effectiveness of reminder systems on appointment adherence rates. J. Health Care Poor Underserved, 12(4):504–514.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • May, H., Hearn, G., 2005. The mobile phone as media. Int. J. Cult. Stud., 8(2):195–211. [doi:10.1177/1367877905052417]

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mayer, J.A., Lewis, E.C., Slymen, D.J., Dullum, J., Kurata, H., Holbrook, A., Elder, J.P., Williams, S.J., 2000. Patient reminder letters to promote annual mammograms: a randomized controlled trial. Prev. Med., 31(4):315–322. [doi:10.1006/pmed.2000.0718]

    PubMed  Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Milne, R.G., Horne, M., Torsney, B., 2006. SMS reminders in the UK national health service: an evaluation of its impact on “no-shows” at hospital out-patient clinics. Health Care Manage Rev., 31(2):130–136.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Murdock, A., Rodgers, C., Lindsay, H., Tham, T.C., 2002. Why do patients not keep their appointments? Prospective study in a gastroenterology outpatient clinic. J. R. Soc. Med., 95(6):284–286. [doi:10.1258/jrsm.95.6.284]

    PubMed  Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Neal, R.D., Hussain-Gambles, M., Allgar, V.L., Lawlor, D.A., Dempsey, O., 2005. Reasons for and consequences of missed appointments in general practice in the UK: questionnaire survey and prospective review of medical records. BMC Fam. Pract., 6(1):47. [doi:10.1186/1471-2296-6-47]

    PubMed  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Reti, S., 2003. Improving outpatient department efficiency: a randomized controlled trial comparing hospital and general-practice telephone reminders. N. Z. Med. J., 116(1175):U458.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Roberts, N., Meade, K., Partridge, M., 2007. The effect of telephone reminders on attendance in respiratory outpatient clinics. J. Health Serv. Res. Policy, 12(2):69–72. [doi:10.1258/135581907780279567]

    PubMed  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shoffner, J., Staudt, M., Marcus, S., Kapp, S., 2007. Using telephone reminders to increase attendance at psychiatric appointments: findings of a pilot study in rural Appalachia. Psychiatr. Serv., 58(6):872–875. [doi:10.1176/appi.ps.58.6.872]

    PubMed  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Thomas, D., 2004. Postal reminders can improve attendance at orthodontic clinics. Evid. Based Dent., 5(1):14. [doi:10.1038/sj.ebd.6400244]

    PubMed  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Virtanen, V., Sirkiä, T., Jokiranta, V., 2007. Reducing nonresponse by SMS reminders in mail surveys. Soc. Sci. Comput. Rev., 25(3):384–395. [doi:10.1177/0894439307299588]

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zailinawati, A.H., Ng, C.J., Nik-Sherina, H., 2006. Why do patients with chronic illnesses fail to keep their appointments? A telephone interview. Asia Pac. J. Public Health, 18(1):10–15. [doi:10.1177/10105395060180010301]

    PubMed  Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Affiliations

  1. Department of General Practice, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310016, China

    Zhou-wen Chen, Li-zheng Fang, Li-ying Chen & Hong-lei Dai

Authors
  1. Zhou-wen Chen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Li-zheng Fang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Li-ying Chen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Hong-lei Dai
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Hong-lei Dai.

Additional information

Project supported by the Health Promotion Center of Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, China

Rights and permissions

Reprints and Permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Chen, Zw., Fang, Lz., Chen, Ly. et al. Comparison of an SMS text messaging and phone reminder to improve attendance at a health promotion center: A randomized controlled trial. J. Zhejiang Univ. Sci. B 9, 34–38 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1631/jzus.B071464

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1631/jzus.B071464

Key words

  • Reminder
  • Short messaging service (SMS)
  • Telephone
  • Failure to attend (FTA)
  • Randomized controlled trial (RCT)

CLC number

  • R19