Improving Follow-Up Adherence in a Primary Eye Care Setting

Not Applicable

Completed

• Conditions: Eye Diseases
• Interventions: Behavioral: Automated Telephone System; Behavioral: Personalized Telephone Call; Behavioral: Usual Care

• Registration Number: NCT02001129
• Lead Sponsor: Wills Eye

Brief Summary

This study aims to examine the effectiveness of three different ways of helping patients attend their recommended eye care appointments.

Detailed Description

The three ways are 1) usual care, which involves a standard reminder letter; 2) automated telephone calls, which utilizes a machine to automatically call patients one month prior to their recommended follow-up date; 3)personalized telephone calls, which utilizes a staff member to personally call patients and offer them the opportunity to schedule at the time of the telephone call.

Study Timeline

• Study Start: 2013-08
• Study First Submitted: 2013-11-26
• Study First Submitted QC: 2013-12-03
• Study First Posted: 2013-12-04
• Primary Completion: 2014-02
• Study Completion: 2014-08
• Status Verified: 2016-11
• Last Update Submitted: 2016-11-26
• Last Update Posted: 2016-11-29

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: COMPLETED
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 100

Inclusion Criteria

• Age: Over 18 years
• Primary Eye Care Patients who were recommended for a 6-month, 12-month, or 24-month follow-up appointment during September 2013 through November 2013.
• Access to a telephone

Exclusion Criteria

• Does not speak English

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: FACTORIAL

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Personalized Telephone Call	Usual Care	In addition to the usual care letter, a staff member called participants one month prior of recommended follow-up appointment. During this call, participants were given the option to schedule an appointment.
Automated Telephone System	Usual Care	In addition to a standardized reminder letter, participants also received a telephone call from an automated system to remind them of a recommended follow-up appointment.
Personalized Telephone Call	Automated Telephone System	In addition to the usual care letter, a staff member called participants one month prior of recommended follow-up appointment. During this call, participants were given the option to schedule an appointment.
Automated Telephone System	Personalized Telephone Call	In addition to a standardized reminder letter, participants also received a telephone call from an automated system to remind them of a recommended follow-up appointment.
Usual Care	Usual Care	Participants randomized to this arm receive a "usual care" letter which is a standard reminder letter from the primary eye care office. This is usual practice in many primary eye care facilities.

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Appointment Adherence	3 months	A research assistant examines the Electronic Medical Records (EMR) system to assess recommended appointment adherence.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Scheduling Appointment	1 month	Tracking whether the patient made an appointment within 1 month of the reminder letter (usual care), automated phone call, or personalized phone call.

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Wills Eye Hospital; 🇺🇸 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States