General Information
Project description
The problem
Missed appointments are a significant cost to the health care system, and patients who do not attend appointments miss out on valuable care.
What we did
We partnered with the Department of Health and Human Services and several health services to improve patient communications as part of a new Communications Toolkit for health services.
To understand what works, we designed a range of behaviourally-informed SMS reminders and letters to reduce the number of patients who do not attend hospital appointments.
First, we partnered with St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne to run a randomised controlled trial to test several SMSs sent ahead of specialist clinic appointments.
All patients received an SMS, with the “control” group message being the current SMS used by St Vincent’s.
Detailed information
Final report: Is there a final report presenting the results and conclusions of this project?
How hypothesis was tested
Taking stock of what we learned from this first trial, we are currently running four other RCTs:
With St Vincent’s Hospital, we are building on the most successful SMS reminder and testing a new reminder letter;
With Eastern Health, we are testing a new SMS highlighting the financial cost of missed appointments to the hospital;
With Northern Health, we are testing a new reminder letter; and
With Western Health, we are testing distributing appointment letters via SMS.
Analyses
Control SMS: Reminder: St V’s Specialist Clinics [Location] [Date] @ [Time]. UR [URN]. Appointments are very valuable, call 9231 3475 if you cannot attend so we can give it to someone else that needs it.
Reason to cancel SMS: Reminder: St V’s Specialist Clinics [Location] [Date] @ [Time]. Please call 9231 3475 if you cannot attend or no longer need the appointment. For example, you may have received care elsewhere.
Personalisation & Reciprocity SMS: Hi [FirstName], you have an appointment at St V’s Specialist Clinics [Location] [Date] @ [Time]. One of our Doctors has made time in their diary. Please call 9231 3475 if you cannot attend. We look forward to seeing you – Kathryn, St Vs.
Avoided Loss to Hospital SMS Reminder: St V’s Specialist Clinics [Location] [Date] @ [Time]. A missed appointment is a loss to St V’s and our patients, but we lose nothing if you attend or cancel early. Please call 9231 3475 if you cannot attend.
What to Bring SMS: Reminder: St V’s Specialist Clinics [Location] [Date] @ [Time]. Please call 9231 3475 if you cannot attend. Please bring your referral letter, Medicare card, GP’s contact details, relevant pathology results or x-rays, and a list of any medicine you are taking.
Who is behind the project?
Project status:
Completed
Methods
What is the project about?
Date published:
17 January 2022