Patient preferences and access to text messaging for health care reminders in a safety-net setting

ABSTRACT

Introduction: Text messaging may be an effective method for providing health care reminders to patients. We aimed to understand patient access to and preferences for receiving health-related reminders via text message among patients receiving care in safety-net hospitals. Materials and methods: We conducted face-to-face surveys with 793 patients seeking care in three hospital emergency departments at a large safety-net institution and determined clinical and demographic predictors of preferences for text messaging for health care reminders. Results: 95% of respondents reported having daily access to text messaging. Text messaging was preferred over e-mail, phone, and letters for communication. 78% of respondents wanted to receive appointment reminders, 56% wanted expiring insurance reminders, and 36% wanted reminders to take their medications. We found no clinical predictors but did find some demographic predictors—including age, ethnicity, insurance status, and income—of wanting text message reminders. Discussion: In our convenience sample of safety-net patients, text messaging is an accessible, acceptable, and patient-preferred modality for receiving health care reminders. Text messaging may be a promising patient-centered approach for providing health care and insurance reminders to patients seeking care at safety-net institutions.

KEYWORDS:

• Patient preferences
• safety-net
• text messaging

Acknowledgments

The views expressed in this manuscript are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of the funder.

Funding

The research which served as the foundation for this manuscript was supported by the Center for Health Information and Analysis, Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not represent the official views of the Center for Health Information and Analysis nor the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

Declaration of interest

The authors report no conflicts of interest.

Additional information

Funding

The research which served as the foundation for this manuscript was supported by the Center for Health Information and Analysis, Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not represent the official views of the Center for Health Information and Analysis nor the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.