Effectiveness of Personalised Phone Calls and Short Message Service Reminders in Improving Patient Attendance at a Radiology Department.

backgroundPatients missing scheduled hospital appointments pose significant challenges, including resource waste and delayed patient care. This study evaluated the effectiveness of personalised reminder systems (phone calls and short message service (SMS)) in improving patient attendance rates at a radiology department.

methodsThe study was conducted at a hospital facility in Saudi Arabia. The intervention involved reminding 493 patients of their radiology appointments using their preferred method (phone call or SMS). Demographic, clinical, and other factors were considered in analysing the impact of these reminders on appointment attendance. Attendance rates before the intervention were further compared with attendance rates after the intervention to assess the effectiveness of the studied strategies.

resultsPatient reminders affected overall patient attendance, with a 5% improvement compared to the attendance rates before the intervention. Phone call reminders were found to be more effective than SMS, particularly among older patients (41-60 years). The attendance rate for patients receiving phone call reminders ranged from 35% to 85%, whereas those receiving SMS reminders had a 15-65% attendance range. The study indicated marital status and distance as key factors associated with attendance. Chi-square analysis also highlighted significant differences in attendance rates before and after the intervention, particularly among female patients, single and divorced individuals, and those with at least secondary education. Patients living more than 35 km from the hospital and those referred from other hospitals were more likely to miss appointments, irrespective of the intervention.

conclusionPersonalised phone call reminders seem to be more effective than SMS in reducing missed appointments, especially among older patients. This study highlighted the importance of considering patient demographics and preferences in designing reminder systems to enhance healthcare appointment adherence.