A new study published in JAMA has shown that sending automated text messages to patients after they have been discharged from a hospital stay reduces readmission rates by 41 percent, according to a Dec. 27 report from the American Medical Association.
In a 30-day automated text trial program at a primary care office in Philadelphia, patients needing emergency services and readmission decreased by 41 percent.
Automated texts can be sent through a computer system and do not add an extra burden for physicians and their staff members.
The study compared 953 patients who received one follow-up phone call post-discharge with 604 patients who received a text instructing them on how to reach their physician at any time.
Eighty-three percent of patients who received a text responded at least once, a much higher rate than patients who traditionally respond to follow-up calls.
If patients texted back that they needed extra assistance, they were matched with nurses or physicians at the practice.