Texting has become one of the most reliable ways to reach patients, but hospitals can easily overuse this communication mode and risk losing the channel entirely, Penn Medicine researchers wrote in a June 29 viewpoint in JAMA Internal Medicine.
Kimberly Waddell, PhD, assistant professor of medicine at Philadelphia-based Penn Medicine’s Perelman School of Medicine, and Shivan Mehta, MD, the system’s associate chief innovation officer, noted users open 82% of text messages within five minutes, the reason the channel works so well. However, patients can quickly become inundated with texts, spurring them to unsubscribe from messages.
Drs. Waddell and Mehta laid out five steps hospitals can take to preserve this communication channel and avoid “text overload”:
1. Build texts into clinical workflows using behavioral science principles.
2. Personalize messages based on patient history and behavior.
3. Establish one hospitalwide texting strategy that tracks every message a patient receives across departments and eliminates duplicates.
4. Bundle related messages, such as appointment reminders and screening notices, while keeping time-sensitive information separate.
5. Rigorously evaluate texting programs using process and outcomes measures, versus basic engagement metrics. Randomized or quasi-experimental studies should also be used when possible, researchers said.
At the Becker's 11th Annual IT + Revenue Cycle Conference: The Future of AI & Digital Health, taking place September 14–17 in Chicago, healthcare executives and digital leaders from across the country will come together to explore how AI, interoperability, cybersecurity, and revenue cycle innovation are transforming care delivery, strengthening financial performance, and driving the next era of digital health. Apply for complimentary registration now.
