Extrait

Background and study aims Over 6 million hospital appointments are missed each year in the NHS, about 8.5% of the total number. Non-attendance results in wasted money and wasted doctors’ and nurses’ time, administrative problems and poor patient care. In 2008 it was estimated that missed outpatient appointments cost the NHS around £600 million a year. The aim of this study is to apply learning from a relatively new area of science, called behavioural economics, to see if the NHS can reduce the number of missed appointments. This can potentially save the NHS a lot of money and improve patient care. The research team thinks it can reduce missed appointments without spending any more money, simply by improving the text message reminders that hospitals often send to patients before their appointments. The study will compare four different text messages (current one and three new ones). Who can participate 10,000 patients at clinics at Barts Hospital in London, who have agreed to receive text message reminders about their appointment. What does the study involve? The research team only sends text messages to patients who have already agreed with the hospital that the hospital can send them text message reminders. The research team does not access any part of a patients’ personal identifiable information, nor their clinical records. Participants are randomly allocated one of four groups corresponding to four different messages: 1. “Appt at <clinic> on <date> at <time>. To cancel or rearrange call the number on your appointment letter.” (this is the current text message used at Barts Hospital). 2. “Appt at <clinic> on <date> at <time>. To cancel or rearrange call 0207389471.” 3. “We are expecting you at <clinic> on <date> at <time>. Nine out of ten people attend. Please call 0207389471 if you need to cancel or rearrange.” 4. “We are expecting you at <clinic> on <date> at <time>. Not attending costs NHS £160 on average, so call 0207389471 if you need to cancel or rearrange.” What are the possible benefits and risks of participating? The benefits of participating are that patients are more likely to attend a medical appointment that they, and their doctor, have agreed they should attend. This also reduces waste in the NHS. Interim results from the first part of the research suggest that all of the new messages being tested are better than the current message used. The research team thinks there are minimal risks to patients; this has no impact on patient care, does not compel patients, nor seek to persuade them to do anything. Access to treatment and to the work of doctors and nurses is unaffected. The research team does not access a patient’s personally identifiable information; the research team only looks at the aggregated data. Where is the study run from? Bart's Hospital (UK) When is the study starting and how long is it expected to run for? November 2013 to May 2014 Who is funding the study? Imperial College London and the Department of Health (UK). Who is the main contact? Daniel Berry [email protected]

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