This study will evaluate a 30-day post-discharge intervention using an automated SMS platform to monitor patients and facilitate communication with their primary care practice. The population will be patients who receive care from participating practices and are discharged from an inpatient stay. In addition to the usual phone call from their practice, patients will be randomized to enrollment in the program, wherein they will receive automated SMS messages on a tapering schedule over 30 days.
Background: Current models of post-discharge care management are time and labor intensive, limited in scope, and inconvenient from the patient perspective, particularly when they have a need arise. Automation can significantly scale up patient touches while reserving staff time for concrete patient needs. Text messaging has been shown to enhance patient engagement (as compared to calls) in many settings, possibly due to greater convenience and the potential for asynchronous interaction. We believe using automated text messaging messaging as the foundation of a post-discharge, primary care based care management program can increase patient engagement, allow for earlier and more frequent identification of needs, and improve post-discharge outcomes. Objective: To evaluate the impact of a 30-day post-discharge intervention using an automated SMS platform in addition to usual care as compared to usual care alone in a multi-clinic, pragmatic randomized controlled trial on acute care utilization, post-discharge follow-up appointment scheduling and show-rates, overall patient engagement, and overall patient-clinic encounters. Description of Intervention: The intervention will consist of automated text messages on a tapering schedule over the course of 30 days post-discharge, with responses escalated back to the practice care management team. After enrollment, patients will receive an initial message asking them if they have a follow up appointment within the next 2 weeks. If they respond no, the practice will be notified to reach out and help them schedule an appointment. Beginning the day after this introductory message, patients will receive check-in messages on a tapering schedule over the course of 30 days. For the first week they will receive 3 total messages (Monday, Wednesday and Friday); the second week they will receive a total of 2 messages (Tuesday and Thursday). For the last 2 weeks they will receive weekly messages (on Tuesdays). If a patient need is identified, the request will be escalated to the practice (triaged by the care management RN) for a follow up phone call. Patients will be able to reach out at any time throughout the 30 days by sending a message to the same number, and they will be entered into the same pathway. For any escalated need, patients will receive a follow up phone call within 1 business day. Patients who do not respond to 3 consecutive messages will receive an additional check in message ensuring that they still want to be enrolled.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
HEALTH_SERVICES_RESEARCH
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
5,000
The intervention will consist of automated text messages on a tapering schedule over the course of 30 days post-discharge, with responses escalated back to the practice care management team. After initial enrollment messages, patients will receive check-in messages on a tapering schedule over the course of 30 days. For the first week they will receive 3 total messages; the second week they will receive a total of 2 messages. For the last 2 weeks they will receive weekly messages. If a patient need is identified, the request will be escalated to the practice (triaged by the care management RN) for a follow up phone call. Patients will be able to reach out at any time by sending a message to the same number, and they will be entered into the same pathway. For any escalated need, patients will receive a follow up phone call from the practice staff.
University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
Post-discharge acute care utilization
A composite, binary measure indicating whether a patient visited the ED or was readmitted to inpatient care after discharge from the hospital.
Time frame: 30 days post-discharge
Post-discharge days in the hospital
A continuous measure of total days spent in the hospital (in the ED or as an inpatient) after hospital discharge
Time frame: 30 days post-discharge
Post-discharge acute care utilization
A composite, binary measure indicating whether a patient visited the ED or was readmitted to inpatient care after discharge from the hospital.
Time frame: 7 and 60 days post-discharge
Post-discharge ED visit
A binary measure indicating whether a patient visited the ED after hospital discharge
Time frame: 7, 30, and 60 days post-discharge
Readmission
A binary measure indicating whether a patient was readmitted after hospital discharge
Time frame: 7, 30, and 60 days post-discharge
Time from discharge to first acute care visit
A continuous measure of the time from discharge to either first ED visit or readmission
Time frame: 30 days post-discharge
Post-discharge follow up visit
A binary measure indicating scheduling and completion of a follow up visit with the primary care practice
Time frame: 14 days post-discharge
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Number of patient-practice interactions
A continuous measure of non-visit interactions between the patient and practice (which will include a) telephone encounters \[which are the end point of any needs identified through the automated messaging program\] and b) EMR portal messages)
Time frame: 30 days post-discharge