Dissertation
Improving attendance in mental health using text message appointment reminders
Doctor of Nursing Practice (D.N.P.), Drexel University
2018
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17918/D86958
Abstract
Background: Missed appointments interfere with treatment progress and affect patient outcomes. Additionally, there is an inefficiency in staff productivity and clinic costs. Purpose: To determine if implementing a text message appointment reminder system will improve patient attendance and clinic cost when compared to phone call reminders at an outpatient mental health clinic. Methods: A prospective cohort trial was implemented to compare attendance rates and cost among patients who receive text message appointment reminders to those who receive phone call reminders at a mental health clinic in Harris County, Texas. Evaluation: The data was cleaned, coded and checked for outliers and shape of distribution. Comparison analysis between the two intervention groups were performed using a student t-test. A total of 350 participants were included in the study. 183 (52.3%) participants chose to receive a text message appointment reminder and 167 (47.7%) chose to receive a phone call reminder. There was a total of 112, 32% (m 0.50, SD 0.50) males and 238, 68% (m 0.5, SD 0.497) females. Bivariate correlations were run on all variables. On average, people who received text message appointment reminders were more likely to attend their appointments (m = .96, SE .015) than those who received phone call appointment reminders (m = .72, SE .035). Demographic data analysis was also performed. Clinical Implications: Improving appointment attendance is critical in a multitude of medical settings; reducing failure to attend rates improves quality of patient care which improves patient outcomes. From a business perspective, text message appointment reminders may result in reducing costs.
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Details
- Title
- Improving attendance in mental health using text message appointment reminders
- Creators
- Michelle D. Beaupre - DU
- Contributors
- William J. Lorman (Advisor) - Drexel University (1970-)Al Rundio (Advisor) - Drexel University (1970-)
- Awarding Institution
- Drexel University
- Degree Awarded
- Doctor of Nursing Practice (D.N.P.)
- Publisher
- Drexel University; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Number of pages
- 46 pages
- Resource Type
- Dissertation
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- Doctoral Nursing; Nursing (Graduate); College of Nursing and Health Professions; Drexel University
- Other Identifier
- 8059; 991014632190004721