A Mobile Post Anesthesia Care Unit Order Reminder System Improves Timely Order Entry.

Transition to the postanesthesia care unit (PACU) requires timely order placement by anesthesia providers. Computerized ordering enables automated order reminder systems, but their value is not fully understood. We performed a single-center, retrospective cohort study to estimate the association between automated PACU order reminders and primary outcomes (1) on-time order placement and (2) the degree of delay in placement. As a secondary post-hoc analysis, we studied the association between late order placement and PACU outcomes. We included patients with a qualifying postprocedure order from January 1, 2019, to May 31, 2023. We excluded cases transferred directly to the ICU, whose anesthesia provider was involved in the pilot testing of the reminder system, or those with missing covariate data. Order reminder system usage was defined by the primary attending anesthesiologist's receipt of a push notification reminder on the day of surgery. We estimated the association between reminder system usage and timely order placement using a logistic regression. For patients with late orders, we performed a survival analysis of order placement. The significance level was 0.05. Patient (e.g., age, race), procedural (e.g., anesthesia duration), and provider-based (e.g., ordering privileges) variables were used as covariates within the analyses. Reminders were associated with 51% increased odds of order placement prior to PACU admission (Odds Ratio: 1.51; 95% Confidence Interval: 1.43, 1.58; p ≤ 0.001), reducing the incidence of late PACU orders from 17.5% to 12.6% (p ≤ 0.001). In patients with late orders, the reminders were associated with 10% quicker placement (Hazard Ratio: 1.10; 95% CI 1.05, 1.15; p < 0.001). On-time order placement was associated with decreased PACU duration (p < 0.001), decreased odds of peak PACU pain score (p < 0.001), and decreased odds of multiple administration of antiemetics (p = 0.02). An order reminder system was associated with an increase in order placement prior to PACU arrival and a reduction in delay in order placement after arrival.

Digital Adherence Technologies Linked to Mobile Money Incentives for Medication Adherence Among People Living With Tuberculosis: Mixed Methods Feasibility and Acceptability Study.

BACKGROUND: Complementing digital adherence technologies (DATs) with mobile money incentives may improve their utility in supporting tuberculosis medication adherence, yet the feasibility and acceptability of this integrated approach remain unclear. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to describe the feasibility and acceptability of a novel DAT intervention called My Mobile Wallet composed of real-time adherence monitoring, SMS text message reminders, and mobile money incentives for tuberculosis medication adherence in a low-income setting. METHODS: We purposively recruited people living with tuberculosis from the Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital in Mbarara, Uganda, who (1) were starting tuberculosis treatment at enrollment or within the past 4 weeks, (2) owned a mobile phone, (3) were able to use SMS test messaging, (4) were aged ≥18 years, and (5) were living in Mbarara district. At study exit (month 6), we used interviews and questionnaires informed by the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT) to collect feasibility and acceptability data, reflecting patients' experiences of using each component of My Mobile Wallet. Feasibility also included tracking the functionality of the adherence monitor (ie, an electronic pillbox) as well as SMS text message and mobile money delivery. We used a content analytical approach to inductively analyze qualitative data and Stata (version 13; StataCorp LLC) to analyze quantitative data. RESULTS: All 39 participants reported that the intervention was feasible because it was easy for them to use (eg, access and read SMS text messages) and worked as expected. Almost all SMS text messages (6880/7064, 97.4%) were sent as planned. The transmission of adherence data from the monitor worked well, with 98.37% (5682/5776) of the data transmitted as planned. All participants additionally reported that the intervention was acceptable because it helped them take their tuberculosis medication as prescribed; the mobile money incentives relieved them of tuberculosis-related financial burdens; SMS text message reminders and electronic pillbox-based alarms reminded them to take their medication on time; and participants perceived real-time adherence monitoring as "being watched" while taking their medication, which encouraged them to take their medication on time to demonstrate their commitment. The intervention was perceived as a sign of care, which eventually created emotional support and a sense of connectedness to health care. Participants preferred daily SMS text message reminders (32/39, 82%) to reminders linked to missed doses (7/39, 18%), citing the fact that tuberculosis medication is taken daily. CONCLUSIONS: The use of real-time adherence monitoring linked to SMS text message reminders and mobile money incentives for tuberculosis medication adherence was feasible and acceptable in a low-resource setting where poverty-based structural barriers heavily constrain tuberculosis treatment and care.

Randomized comparison of the effects of tailored text messaging versus pillbox organizers on medication adherence of heart failure patients.

BACKGROUND: Heart failure (HF) is a major public health issue worldwide, affecting approximately 64.3 million people in 2017. Non-adherence to medication is a common and serious issue in the management of HF. However, new reminder systems utilizing mobile technology, such as text messaging, have shown promise in improving medication adherence. The purpose of this study was to compare the impact of tailored text messaging (TTM) and pillbox organizers on medication adherence in individuals with HF. METHODS: A randomized controlled trial was conducted, involving 189 eligible patients with HF who were randomly assigned to either the TTM, pillbox organizer, or control group. Medication adherence was evaluated using pill counting and the Medication Adherence Rating Scale (MARS) over a period of three months and compared across the groups. The data were analyzed using Kruskal-Wallis, Analysis of Variance (ANOVA), and Repeated Measures ANOVA tests. RESULTS: The results indicate that both the TTM and pillbox organizers groups had significantly higher medication adherence compared to the control group, as measured by pill counting (MD = 0.05, 95%CI = 0.03-0.06; p < 0.001 for TTM group, MD = 0.04, 95%CI = 0.03-0.06; p < 0.001 for pillbox organizers group) and the MARS (MD = 1.32, 95%CI = 0.93 to 1.72; p < 0.001 for TTM group, MD = 1.33, 95%CI = 0.95 to 1.72; p < 0.001 for pillbox organizers group). However, there was no statistically significant difference in medication adherence between the two intervention groups using either measurement method. The TTM group exhibited a lower hospitalization rate than the other groups in the first follow up (p = 0.016). CONCLUSIONS: Both the TTM and pillbox organizers were shown to be effective in enhancing medication adherence among patients with HF. Therefore, healthcare providers should take into account the patient's condition and preferences when selecting one of these methods to promote medication adherence. Future research should aim to address the limitations of this study, such as controlling for confounding variables, considering long-term effects, and comparing the effectiveness of different interventions.

Effectiveness of patient reminders on influenza vaccination coverage among adults with chronic conditions: A feasibility study in Australian general practices.

BACKGROUND: Influenza vaccination is recommended for Australians 18+ years old with medical risk factors, but coverage is suboptimal. We aimed to examine whether automatic, opportunistic patient reminders (SMS and/or printed) before appointments with a general practitioner increased influenza vaccination uptake. METHODS: This clustered non-randomised feasibility study in Australian general practice included patients aged 18-64 years with at least one medical risk factor attending participating practices between May and September 2021. Software installed at intervention practices identified unvaccinated eligible patients when they booked an appointment, sent vaccination reminders (SMS on booking and 1 h before appointments), and printed automatic reminders on arrival. Control practices provided usual care. Clustered analyses adjusted for sociodemographic differences among practices were performed using logistic regression. RESULTS: A total of 12,786 at-risk adults attended 16 intervention practices (received reminders = 4066; 'internal control' receiving usual care = 8720), and 5082 individuals attended eight control practices. Baseline influenza vaccination uptake (2020) was similar in intervention and control practices (∼34%). After the intervention, uptake was similar in all groups (control practices = 29.3%; internal control = 30.0%; intervention = 31.6% (p-value = 0.203). However, SMS 1 h before appointments increased vaccination coverage (39.3%, adjusted OR = 1.65; 95%CI 1.20;2.27; number necessary to treat = 13), especially when combined with other reminder forms. That effect was more evident among adults with chronic respiratory, rheumatologic, or inflammatory bowel disease. CONCLUSION: These findings indicate that automated SMS reminders delivered at proximate times to appointments are a low-cost strategy to increase influenza vaccination among adults at higher risk of severe disease attending Australian general practices.

Text messaging to enhance glucose monitoring and self-care in teens with type 1 diabetes: Teens' perceptions predict outcomes.

AIMS: We assessed association between how teens with type 1 diabetes (T1D) perceived a text-messaging (TM) reminder system to check glucose levels and how their perceptions related to their responsiveness to TM reminders to check glucose levels. METHODS: Teens received TM reminders 1-4 times daily to check glucose levels and to reply with the result. Qualitative assessments were performed quarterly. Teens were categorized by perceptions expressed at the majority of the visits and their TM responsiveness over 18 months. RESULTS: There were 135 teens (51 % male), with a mean age of 14.8 ± 1.2 years, receiving TM reminders. Distribution of participants' perceptions was 37 % positive (POS), 35 % neutral (with both positive and negative responses (POS/NEG)), and 28 % negative (NEG). Teens with POS perceptions about TM reminders were more likely to respond with a glucose value to the TM reminders than teens with NEG or POS/NEG perceptions (p = 0.002). Youth with POS perceptions and TM responsiveness on ≥ 50 % of days had an 0.81 % improvement in their HbA1c (p = 0.004) over 18 months. CONCLUSIONS: Teens with POS perceptions to TM reminders were likely to respond and their responsiveness yielded glycemic benefit, suggesting need to consider opinions of teens with T1D to maximize their intervention engagement and resulting benefits.

Evaluating MediBetter: A Mobile Application for Health Monitoring and Medication Management.

This study introduces MediBetter, a mobile application designed to empower patients undergoing routine medication in health monitoring and medication adherence. It is a mobile application designed to serve as a supportive health technology for patients to monitor their health status and manage their routine medication. It offers three main features: text-based daily self health report, AI-based summarization of the health report, and medication taking reminder. To evaluate the quality of generated summaries generated by both the user and AI (ChatGPT), we conducted human expert evaluation process. Furthermore, we also evaluated the usefulness of existing features in the app. The experiment results show that ChatGPT-generated summaries outperformed user-generated ones, demonstrating superior informativeness, coherence, fluency, consistency, and contradiction handling. Participants found the app's features highly useful for health monitoring and medication adherence, with strong agreement on their utility.

[«Digital Postcovid Syndrome¼ - possibilities and limits in digital communication with neurological patients]. / «Digitales Postcovid-Syndrom¼ ­ Möglichkeiten und Grenzen in der digitalisierten Kommunikation mit neurologischen Patienten.

INTRODUCTION: Background: This work deals with the question of which digital touchpoints in the course of a patient journey are desired by neurological patients, important for effective treatment and easy to implement. Methodology: 100 (44 men, 56 women) patients in a neurological practice at three different locations were examined using a written questionnaire with closed questions on topics of online booking, making appointments and reminders via SMS, video consultation with the doctor and chat with the doctor or the medical practice assistant. Results: It was shown that the older a person is, the less they prefer digital booking and consultation and that the more they work, the more they prefer digital booking and consultation and the longer they live in Switzerland, the less they prefer chat advice. Data protection plays a more important role in older patients. Regarding gender no significant differences can be shown. Discussion: The results are in line with a survey conducted by the Swiss Medical Association (Foederatio Medicorum Helveticorum) of 2020, which shows that the population wants to relieve the burden on doctors in administrative tasks through the use of digital solutions considered desirable. In this study, both younger and older patients are very interested in booking appointments online and to receive an appointment reminder via text message. Since older patients tend to prefer conservative booking, a «hybrid model¼ should be offered so that both options are available.

Design and rationale of the Comprehensive intelligent Hypertension managEment SyStem (CHESS) evaluation study: A cluster randomized controlled trial for hypertension management in primary care.

BACKGROUND: Hypertension management in China is suboptimal with high prevalence and low control rate due to various barriers, including lack of self-management awareness of patients and inadequate capacity of physicians. Digital therapeutic interventions including mobile health and computational device algorithms such as clinical decision support systems (CDSS) are scalable with the potential to improve blood pressure (BP) management and strengthen the healthcare system in resource-constrained areas, yet their effectiveness remains to be tested. The aim of this report is to describe the protocol of the Comprehensive intelligent Hypertension managEment SyStem (CHESS) evaluation study assessing the effect of a multifaceted hypertension management system for supporting patients and physicians on BP lowering in primary care settings. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The CHESS evaluation study is a parallel-group, cluster-randomized controlled trial conducted in primary care settings in China. Forty-one primary care sites from 3 counties of China are randomly assigned to either the usual care or the intervention group with the implementation of the CHESS system, more than 1,600 patients aged 35 to 80 years with uncontrolled hypertension and access to a smartphone by themselves or relatives are recruited into the study and followed up for 12 months. In the intervention group, participants receive patient-tailored reminders and alerts via messages or intelligent voice calls triggered by uploaded home blood pressure monitoring data and participants' characteristics, while physicians receive guideline-based prescription instructions according to updated individual data from each visit, and administrators receive auto-renewed feedback of hypertension management performance from the data analysis platform. The multiple components of the CHESS system can work synergistically and have undergone rigorous development and pilot evaluation using a theory-informed approach. The primary outcome is the mean change in 24-hour ambulatory systolic BP from baseline to 12 months. DISCUSSION: The CHESS trial will provide evidence and novel insight into the effectiveness and feasibility of an implementation strategy using a comprehensive digital BP management system for reducing hypertension burden in primary care settings. TRIAL REGISTRATION: https://www. CLINICALTRIALS: gov, NCT05605418.

Text vs Patient Portal Messaging to Improve Influenza Vaccination Coverage: A Health System-Wide Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: Increasing influenza vaccination rates is a public health priority. One method recommended by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and others is for health systems to send reminders nudging patients to be vaccinated. Objective: To evaluate and compare the effect of electronic health record (EHR)-based patient portal reminders vs text message reminders on influenza vaccination rates across a health system. Design, Setting, and Participants: This 3-arm randomized clinical trial was conducted from September 7, 2022, to April 30, 2023, among primary care patients within the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) health system. Interventions: Arm 1 received standard of care. The health system sent monthly reminder messages to patients due for an influenza vaccine by portal (arm 2) or text (arm 3). Arm 2 had a 2 × 2 nested design, with fixed vs responsive monthly reminders and preappointment vs no preappointment reminders. Arm 3 had 1 × 2 design, with preappointment vs no preappointment reminders. Preappointment reminders for eligible patients were sent 24 and 48 hours before scheduled primary care visits. Fixed reminders (in October, November, and December) involved identical messages via portal or text. Responsive portal reminders involved a September message asking patients about their plans for vaccination, with a follow-up reminder if the response was affirmative but the patient was not yet vaccinated. Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary outcome was influenza vaccination by April 30, 2023, obtained from the UCLA EHR, including vaccination from pharmacies and other sources. Results: A total of 262 085 patients (mean [SD] age, 45.1 [20.7] years; 237 404 [90.6%] adults; 24 681 [9.4%] children; 149 349 [57.0%] women) in 79 primary care practices were included (87 257 in arm 1, 87 478 in arm 2, and 87 350 in arm 3). At the entire primary care population level, none of the interventions improved influenza vaccination rates. All groups had rates of approximately 47%. There was no statistical or clinically significant improvement following portal vs text, preappointment reminders vs no preappointment reminders (portal and text reminders combined), or responsive vs fixed monthly portal reminders. Conclusions and Relevance: At the population level, neither portal nor text reminders for influenza vaccination were effective. Given that vaccine hesitancy may be a major reason for the lack of impact of portal or text reminders, more intensive interventions by health systems are needed to raise influenza vaccination coverage levels. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT05525494.

Field testing the transferability of behavioural science knowledge on promoting vaccinations.

As behavioural science is increasingly adopted by organizations, there is a growing need to assess the robustness and transferability of empirical findings. Here, we investigate the transferability of insights from various sources of behavioural science knowledge to field settings. Across three pre-registered randomized controlled trials (RCTs, N = 314,824) involving a critical policy domain-COVID-19 booster uptake-we field tested text-based interventions that either increased vaccinations in prior field work (RCT1, NCT05586204), elevated vaccination intentions in an online study (RCT2, NCT05586178) or were favoured by scientists and non-experts (RCT3, NCT05586165). Despite repeated exposure to COVID-19 vaccination messaging in our population, reminders and psychological ownership language increased booster uptake, replicating prior findings. However, strategies deemed effective by prediction or intention surveys, such as encouraging the bundling of COVID-19 boosters and flu shots or addressing misconceptions, yielded no detectable benefits over simple reminders. These findings underscore the importance of testing interventions' transferability to real-world settings.

The Nudging Effect of a Reminder Letter to Reduce Duplicated Medications: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND: The increasing trend of multiple chronic conditions across the world has worsened the problem of medication duplication in health care systems without gatekeeping or referral requirement. Thus, to overcome this problem, a reminder letter has been developed in Taiwan to nudge patients to engage in medication management. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of reminder letter on reducing duplicated medications. RESEARCH DESIGN: A 2-arm randomized controlled trial design. SUBJECTS: Patients with duplicated medications in the first quarter of 2019. MEASURES: The Taiwanese single-payer National Health Insurance Administration identified the eligible patients for this study. A postal reminder letter regarding medication duplication was mailed to the patients in the study group, and no information was provided to the comparison group. Generalized estimation equation models with a difference-in-differences analysis were used to estimate the effects of the reminder letters. RESULTS: Each group included 11,000 patients. Those who had received the reminder letter were less likely to receive duplicated medications in the subsequent 2 quarters (postintervention 1: odds ratio [OR]=0.95, 95% CI=0.87-1.03; postintervention_2: OR=0.99, 95% CI=0.90-1.08) and had fewer days of duplicated medications (postintervention 1: ß=-0.115, P =0.015; postintervention 2 (ß=-0.091, P =0.089) than those who had not received the reminder letter, showing marginal but significant differences. CONCLUSIONS: A one-off reminder letter nudge could mildly decrease the occurrence of duplicated medications. Multiple nudges or nudges incorporating behavioral science insights may be further considered to improve medication safety in health systems without gatekeeping.

Optimising interruptive clinical decision support alerts for antithrombotic duplicate prescribing in hospital.

INTRODUCTION: Duplicate prescribing clinical decision support alerts can prevent important prescribing errors but are frequently the cause of much alert fatigue. Stat dose prescriptions are a known reason for overriding these alerts. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of excluding stat dose prescriptions from duplicate prescribing alerts for antithrombotic medicines on alert burden, prescriber adherence, and prescribing. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A before (January 1st, 2017 to August 31st, 2022) and after (October 5th, 2022 to September 30th, 2023) study was undertaken of antithrombotic duplicate prescribing alerts and prescribing following a change in alert settings. Alert and prescribing data for antithrombotic medicines were joined, processed, and analysed to compare alert rates, adherence, and prescribing. Alert burden was assessed as alerts per 100 prescriptions. Adherence was measured at the point of the alert as whether the prescriber accepted the alert and following the alert as whether a relevant prescription was ceased within an hour. Co-prescribing of antithrombotic stat dose prescriptions was assessed pre- and post-alert reconfiguration. RESULTS: Reconfiguration of the alerts reduced the alert rate by 29 % (p < 0.001). The proportion of alerts associated with cessation of antithrombotic duplication significantly increased (32.8 % to 44.5 %, p < 0.001). Adherence at the point of the alert increased 1.2 % (4.8 % to 6.0 %, p = 0.012) and 11.5 % (29.4 % to 40.9 %, p < 0.001) within one hour of the alert. When ceased after the alert over 80 % of duplicate prescriptions were ceased within 2 min of overriding. Antithrombotic stat dose co-prescribing was unchanged for 4 out of 5 antithrombotic duplication alert rules. CONCLUSION: By reconfiguring our antithrombotic duplicate prescribing alerts, we reduced alert burden and increased alert adherence. Many prescribers ceased duplicate prescribing within 2 min of alert override highlighting the importance of incorporating post-alert measures in accurately determining prescriber alert adherence.

Testing the impact of differing behavioural science informed text message content in COVID-19 vaccination invitations on vaccine uptake: A randomised clinical trial.

Behavioural science constructs can be incorporated into messaging strategies to enhance the effectiveness of public health campaigns by increasing the occurrence of desired behaviours. This study investigated the impact of behavioural science-informed text message strategies on COVID-19 vaccination rates in 18-39-year-olds in an area of low uptake in London during the first vaccination offer round in the United Kingdom. This three-armed randomised trial recruited unvaccinated residents of an urban Central London suburb being offered their first vaccination between May and June 2021. Participants were randomised to receive the control (current practice) text message or one of two different behavioural science-informed COVID-19 vaccine invitation strategies. Both intervention strategies contained the phrase "your vaccine is ready and waiting for you", aiming to evoke a sense of ownership, with one strategy also including a pre-alert message. The main outcome measures were vaccination rates at 3 and 8 weeks after message delivery. A total of 88,820 residents were randomly assigned to one of the three trial arms. Each arm had a vaccine uptake rate of 27.2 %, 27.4 % and 27.3 % respectively. The mean age of participants was 28.2 years (SD ± 5.7), the mean index of multiple deprivation was 4.3 (SD ± 2.0) and 50.4 % were women. Vaccine uptake varied by demographics, however there was no significant difference between trial arms (p = 0.872). Delivery was successful for 53.6 % of text messages. Our choice of behavioural science informed messaging strategies did not improve vaccination rates above the rate seen for the current practice message. This likely reflects the wide exposure to public health campaigns during the pandemic, as such text messages nudges were unlikely to alter existing informed decision-making processes. Text message delivery was relatively low, indicating a need for accurate mobile phone number records and multi-modal approaches to reach eligible patients for vaccination. The protocol was registered at clinicaltrials.gov (NCT04895683) on 20/05/2021.

A pragmatic randomized clinical trial of multilevel interventions to improve adherence to lung cancer screening (The Larch Study): Study protocol.

BACKGROUND: In real-world settings, low adherence to lung cancer screening (LCS) diminishes population-level benefits of reducing lung cancer mortality. We describe the Larch Study protocol, which tests the effectiveness of two patient-centered interventions (Patient Voices Video and Stepped Reminders) designed to address barriers and improve annual LCS adherence. METHODS: The Larch Study is a pragmatic randomized clinical trial conducted within Kaiser Permanente Washington. Eligible patients (target n = 1606) are aged 50-78 years with an index low-dose CT (LDCT) of the chest with negative or benign findings. With a 2 × 2 factorial-design, patients are individually randomized to 1 of 4 arms: video only, reminders only, both video and reminders, or usual care. The Patient Voices video addresses patient education needs by normalizing LCS, reminding patients when LCS is due, and encouraging social support. Stepped Reminders prompts primary care physicians to order patient's repeat screening LDCT and patients to schedule their scan. Intervention delivery is embedded within routine healthcare, facilitated by shared electronic health record components. Primary outcome is adherence to national LCS clinical guidelines, defined as repeat LDCT within 9-15 months. Patient-reported outcomes are measured via survey (knowledge of LCS, perception of stigma) approximately 8 weeks after index LDCT. Our mixed-methods formative evaluation includes process data, collected during the trial, and interviews with trial participants and stakeholders. DISCUSSION: Results will fill an important scientific gap on multilevel interventions to increase annual LCS adherence and provide opportunities for spread and scale to other healthcare settings. REGISTRATION: Trial is registered at clinicaltrials.gov (#NCT05747443).

Effect of a Patient Portal Reminder Message After No-Show on Appointment Reattendance in Ophthalmology: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

PURPOSE: To assess the efficacy of electronic health record (EHR) messaging for re-engaging patients with ophthalmology care after a missed appointment. DESIGN: Prospective, randomized clinical trial. METHODS: The study setting was an academic ophthalmology department. The patient population comprised of return patients age 18 years or older with an appointment "no show," or missed appointment. Over 2 phases of recruitment, 362 patients with an active patient portal in the EHR were selected consecutively each business day. Patients were randomized using a web-based tool to receive a reminder to reschedule via a standard mailed letter only (control) or the mailed letter plus an electronic message through the EHR within 1 business day of the missed appointment (intervention). Reengagement with eye care was defined as attendance of a rescheduled appointment within 30 days of the no-show visit. Patient charts were reviewed for demographic and clinical data. RESULTS: The average age of recruited patients was 59.9 years, just under half of the sample was male (42.5%, 154/362), and most patients were White (56.9%, 206/362) or Black (36.2%, 131/362). Patients were most commonly recruited from the retina service (39.2%, 142/362) followed by the glaucoma service (29.3%, 106/362). Many patients in this study had previous no-show appointments, with an average no-show rate of 18.8% out of all scheduled visits across our health system. In total, 22.2% (42/189) of patients in the intervention group attended a follow-up appointment within 30 days of their no-show visit compared to 11.6% (20/173) of the control group (OR, 2.186; 95% CI, 1.225-3.898; P = .008). When including only the 74 patients in the intervention group who read the intervention message in the patient portal, 28.4% (21/74) attended a follow-up compared to 11.6% (20/173) of the control group (P = .001). CONCLUSIONS: EHR-based reminder messages sent within a business day of a missed appointment may promote re-engagement in ophthalmology care after appointment no-show.

The Reach of Calls and Text Messages for Mailed FIT Outreach in the PROMPT Stepped-Wedge Colorectal Cancer Screening Trial.

BACKGROUND: Mailed fecal immunochemical test (FIT) outreach can improve colorectal cancer screening participation. We assessed the reach and effectiveness of adding notifications to mailed FIT programs. METHODS: We conducted secondary analyses of a stepped-wedge evaluation of an enhanced mailed FIT program (n = 15 clinics). Patients were stratified by prior FIT completion. Those with prior FIT were sent a text message (Group 1); those without were randomized 1:1 to receive a text message (Group 2) or live phone call (Group 3). All groups were sent automated phone call reminders. In stratified analysis, we measured reach and effectiveness (FIT completion within 6 months) and assessed patient-level associations using generalized estimating equations. RESULTS: Patients (n = 16,934; 83% Latino; 72% completed prior FIT) were reached most often by text messages (78%), followed by live phone calls (71%), then automated phone calls (56%). FIT completion was higher in patients with prior FIT completion versus without [44% (Group 1) vs. 19% (Group 2 + Group 3); P < 0.01]. For patients without prior FIT, effectiveness was higher in those allocated to a live phone call [20% (Group 3) vs. 18% (Group 2) for text message; P = 0.04] and in those who personally answered the live call (28% vs. 9% no call completed; P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Text messages reached the most patients, yet effectiveness was highest in those who personally answered the live phone call. IMPACT: Despite the broad reach and low cost of text messages, personalized approaches may more successfully boost FIT completion.

The effectiveness of short mobile phone text message reminders compared to usual care on medication adherence in patients with hypertension: a systematic review protocol.

BACKGROUND: Poor adherence to long-term medication increases the risk of morbidity and mortality and decreases the quality of life of patients with hypertension. One strategy to improve treatment adherence is to use a short text message reminder. Although evidence indicates that such programs increase medication adherence, the extent of their effectiveness and translation into clinical practice needs to be better documented. Our systematic review will collect and analyze the available evidence for clinical practice implementation. This systematic review aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of short mobile phone text message reminders versus usual/standard care for medication adherence in patients with hypertension. METHODS: This review will include and summarize evidence from randomized controlled trials. Adults (age > 18 years) with hypertension. The comparator group received either the usual care or standard care. It encompasses standard medical care for patients not participating in a structured and supervised intervention program such as a telemedicine program. We will include studies that assess the effectiveness of short mobile phone text message reminders in improving medication adherence in patients with hypertension compared to usual care. We will search the following databases: PubMed, EMBASE, CINAHL, SCOPUS, Web of Science, Cochrane Library Central Register of Controlled Trials, and Cochrane Library. We will include studies published in English. Furthermore, we will consider studies published from the inception of the database until April 20, 2024. At least two reviewers will independently conduct study selection, data extraction, and quality assessment. A third reviewer will determine and resolve discrepancies. We will conduct a quality assessment using the ROBIS 2 critical appraisal checklist. At least two independent reviewers will crosscheck the data synthesis. DISCUSSION: We expect this review to provide current evidence for future studies and clinical practice concerning the impact of mobile phone text message reminders on medication adherence issues. We will publish our results in a peer-reviewed journal for publication. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION: PROSPERO CRD42023391236.

Text messaging interventions for breastfeeding outcomes: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Given the health benefits of breastfeeding for infants and mothers, breastfeeding has become a significant public health issue. The global growth of mobile phone usage has created new options for breastfeeding promotion, including text messaging. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to evaluate the efficacy of text messaging interventions on breastfeeding outcomes and to identify the efficacy moderators of such interventions. METHODS: Ten electronic databases were searched from the inception of the databases to 5 July 2023. Studies were included if they used randomized controlled trials or quasi-experimental designs to evaluate the effect of text messaging interventions on breastfeeding outcomes. Two reviewers screened the included studies, assessed the risk of bias, and extracted the data. Pooled results were obtained by the random-effects model, and subgroup analyses were conducted on intervention characteristics to identify potential moderators. The protocol of this study was registered on PROSPERO (ID: CRD42022371311). RESULTS: Sixteen studies were included. Text messaging interventions could improve the exclusive breastfeeding rate (at <3 months: OR = 2.04; 95 % CI: 1.60-2.60, P < 0.001; at 3-6 months: OR = 1.66; 95 % CI: 1.18-2.33, P = 0.004; at ≥6 months: OR = 2.13; 95 % CI: 1.47-3.08, P < 0.001), and the breastfeeding self-efficacy (SMD = 0.30, 95 % CI: 0.14-0.45, P < 0.001). Text messaging interventions that covered antenatal and postnatal periods, delivered weekly were most effective in improving the exclusive breastfeeding rate. CONCLUSIONS: Text messaging interventions may improve breastfeeding practice compared with no or general health information. We suggest text messaging conducted from the pre- to postnatal periods in a weekly manner can effectively increase exclusive breastfeeding rates and breastfeeding self-efficacy. Further studies should investigate the relation between new theories (such as the health action process approach and the theory of message-framing) and efficacy of breastfeeding interventions, using text components.