Utilization of a reminder mailing to improve blood glucose log reporting in an outpatient diabetes clinic.
Adult; Female; Male; Aged; Prospective Studies; Patient Compliance; Human; Middle Age; Retrospective Design; Mail; Reminder Systems; Ambulatory Care – Methods; Hypoglycemic Agents – Therapeutic Use; Blood Glucose Self-Monitoring – Methods; Diabetes Mellitus – Drug Therapy
Self-monitored blood glucose (SMBG) offers a strategy used to achieve glycemic control in diabetic patients. However, if SMBG readings are unavailable to clinicians, this strategy will have a limited effect. This study assessed the impact of a reminder mailing on response rates to requests for SMBG logs. Patients were asked to mail completed SMBG logs to the clinic in 2 weeks. For the intervention, a reminder mailing was sent to each patient 1 week before SMBG logs were to be returned. Compliance rates pre and postinterventions were compared. The primary outcome was the percentage of all SMBG logs returned on time. Secondary outcomes included the percentage of SMBG logs returned, percentage fulfilled, percentage of clinic appointments kept, percentage of SMBG logs brought to follow-up appointments, and number of interventions made to antidiabetic therapy. Twenty SMBG requests were made in the preintervention cohort versus 19 in postintervention cohort. A trend toward more on time and fulfilled SMBG requests was observed post vs. preintervention. Overall return rates were similar between groups. A nonsignificant increase in clinic appointments kept and a nonsignificant decrease in interventions made were observed postintervention. Receipt of a reminder mail was not a significant predictor of patients bringing an SMBG log to follow-up appointments. In conclusion, the use of a reminder mail was not associated with an increase in the return rate of SMBG logs, although there were nonsignificant trends toward more on time and fulfilled SMBG logs received during the postintervention period.
Moorman JM; Frazee L A; Dillon ML; Chomo DL; Myers NA
American Journal of Therapeutics
2012
2012-07
Article information provided for research and reference use only. All rights are retained by the journal listed under publisher and/or the creator(s).
<a href="http://doi.org/10.1097/MJT.0b013e3181f94c16" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">10.1097/MJT.0b013e3181f94c16</a>
The Impact Of A Patient Survey Or A Physician Reminder On The Provision Of Adolescent Preventive Health-care
Adolescence; General & Internal Medicine; health promotion; preventive medicine; reminder systems; trial
Background. The objective of this study was to determine if the use of a patient survey or a chart stamp could increase the implementation of adolescent preventive health care in a family practice center. Methods. Subjects were all patients 13 to 18 years old (date of birth 1972 to 1977), who visited the Aultman Family Practice Centers from October 1, 1989, through September 30, 1990 (N = 801 patient visits). Three different 1-month interventions (patient questionnaire, physician stamp, and both patient questionnaire and physician stamp) as well as a 1-month control period were implemented. The effect of the intervention on adolescent preventive health care was measured by review of documentation in the patient's chart. Results. Those charts that indicated that either the questionnaire or stamp had been used showed significantly more documented discussion of issues relating to mood, injury, sexuality, exposure to toxins, and lifestyle (all P < .01). These discussions most commonly took place during a visit for a physical examination. The percentage of visits with documented discussions did not vary significantly according to type of reminder, nor with any physician or patient characteristic. Conclusions. The use of a reminder, especially in the context of an office visit for a physical examination significantly increased the implementation of adolescent preventive health care in this family practice center.
Jolliff A S; Gilchrist V J; Bourguet C C
Journal of Family Practice
1992
1992-12
Journal Article or Conference Abstract Publication
n/a