Utilization of a reminder mailing to improve blood glucose log reporting in an outpatient diabetes clinic.
Title
Utilization of a reminder mailing to improve blood glucose log reporting in an outpatient diabetes clinic.
Creator
Moorman JM; Frazee L A; Dillon ML; Chomo DL; Myers NA
Publisher
American Journal of Therapeutics
Date
2012
2012-07
Description
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.
Subject
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
Identifier
Rights
Article information provided for research and reference use only. All rights are retained by the journal listed under publisher and/or the creator(s).
Citation
Moorman JM; Frazee L A; Dillon ML; Chomo DL; Myers NA, “Utilization of a reminder mailing to improve blood glucose log reporting in an outpatient diabetes clinic.,” NEOMED Bibliography Database, accessed April 24, 2024, https://neomed.omeka.net/items/show/5976.