ABSTRACT
This study had two aims: to measure patient preferences for medical appointment reminder systems and to assess the predictive value of patient usage and familiarity with other service providers contacting them on responsiveness to appointment reminder systems. We used a cross-sectional design wherein patients' at an urban, primary-care clinic ranked various reminder systems and indicated their usage of technology and familiarity with other service providers contacting them over text messages and e-mails. We assessed the impact of patient usage of text messages and e-mails and patient familiarity with other service providers contacting them over text messages and e-mails on effectiveness of and responsiveness to appointment reminder systems. We found that patient usage of text messages or e-mails and familiarity with other service providers contacting them are the best predictors of perceived effectiveness and responsiveness to text message and e-mail reminders. When these variables are accounted for, age and other demographic variables do not predict responsiveness to reminder systems.
Subject(s)
Appointments and Schedules , Patient Preference/psychology , Reminder Systems , Adolescent , Adult , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Cross-Sectional Studies , Electronic Mail , Female , Humans , Insurance Coverage , Male , Middle Aged , New York City , Patient Preference/ethnology , Patient Preference/statistics & numerical data , Reminder Systems/economics , Reminder Systems/statistics & numerical data , Rural Health Services , Spain/ethnology , Telephone , Text Messaging/economics , Text Messaging/statistics & numerical data , Urban Health Services , Young AdultABSTRACT
Teaching clinics are an important source of care for urban, minority, underserved communities and face great challenges to improve quality of care for diabetics. This study examined the impact of continuity with the same primary care provider on health care process and outcome measures for patients with diabetes treated at an urban, family medicine resident teaching practice. The Modified Modified Continuity of Care Index was used to measure care continuity. The diabetes care quality measures were based on the NCQA HEDIS and Diabetes Recognition Program. Low levels of care continuity were associated with poor HbA1c control and higher levels of care continuity were associated with good LDL control. These findings suggest that improving care continuity should be considered in a systems-based approach to address disparities in diabetes care. Additional research is needed to include the patient's perspective in measuring care continuity and patient outcomes.
Subject(s)
Continuity of Patient Care , Diabetes Mellitus/therapy , Medically Underserved Area , Quality of Health Care , Adolescent , Adult , Aged , Continuity of Patient Care/statistics & numerical data , Family Practice/education , Female , Glycated Hemoglobin/analysis , Humans , Internship and Residency , Male , Middle Aged , New York City , Quality Indicators, Health Care/organization & administration , Quality Indicators, Health Care/standards , Quality of Health Care/organization & administration , Quality of Health Care/statistics & numerical data , Urban Population/statistics & numerical data , Young AdultABSTRACT
What's the best way to manage pediatric atopic dermatitis? Do alternative remedies work? This evidence-based review--and easy-to-use treatment formula--answers these questions.
