Txt msgs sent to cut number of missed appointments
HEALTH bosses are currently assessing the effectiveness of a text messaging reminder service designed to dramatically cut the number of missed appointments.
Lincolnshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust has been piloting a new SMS text messaging reminder service for outpatient appointments.
Each year, hundreds of service users miss their appointments simply because they forget when it is and, on average, each missed appointment costs the trust £160.
Text reminders have been tested by other NHS organisations around the country and have been proven to substantially reduce the number of missed appointments.
Trust business manager for general adult mental health services, Martin Vokes, said: “Sending out text reminders has proven to be a great way of reducing the number of missed appointments for other NHS organisations.
“Reducing the number of missed appointments can reduce service user waiting times as cancelled appointments can be reallocated to others.
“By reducing the number of missed appointments, waiting times for appointments can be reduced too, as cancelled appointments can be reallocated to others.”
The service is currently being tested with two areas of service and will be evaluated in March before a trust-wide roll-out is agreed.
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Wednesday 22 February 2012
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There are 3 comments to this article
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CampaigningForSpalding
Wednesday, January 18, 2012 at 03:43 PMI'm interested to know how the figure of £160 for each missed appointment is generated. Is it not a case of when the patient has failed to arrive the next patient is called upon, therefore, speeding up the process, or do I live in a simplistic land that doesn't really exist? Also, if hospital administration stopped making appointments for people that they haven't asked for or been consulted on then that might help. I simply don't believe that 'forgetting' when their appointments are as the reason for the 'hundreds' of cases.
ysandy
Monday, January 9, 2012 at 10:27 PMTheir no excuse for forgetting an appointment, should send them a fine for five pounds each person, 200 theirs a thousand pound for the health service.
woody
Monday, January 9, 2012 at 08:10 PMWelcome to the 2012 - This system has been in use and well used by Peterborough & Stamford Trust for around four years !
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