Table 2 Clinical uses of texting programs and site information

Outreach to uninsured youth

A

To provide insurance coverage information to uninsured youth (ages 18-24)

• Increase health insurance enrollment

• Patient satisfaction rate with texting program

• Reduce need for health educators to manually text patients

Appointment reminders

B, H

Appointment reminders for routine outpatient visits and/or hospital discharge appointments

• Improve post-discharge care

• Improve patient satisfaction, access and engagement

• Reduce manual calling of patients

• Reduce no-show rates

• Reduce readmission rates after discharge

Post-discharge care coordination

C

To verify if patients discharged from inpatient or emergency room have follow-up and medications

• Address unmet needs of patients after a “rescue event” (inpatient or ED visit)

• Reduce inpatient and ED readmissions

• Decrease costs of capitated contracts

Blood pressure management

D

To communicate about blood pressure with providers for patients in a home-monitoring program

• Improve patient engagement at home

• Provide feedback on blood pressure in between visits

• Reduce disparities within patient panels

• Reach patients outside clinic with limited access

Specialist referral reminders

E

To provide reminders and information to patients regarding new non-urgent referral appointments

• Provide patient-centered care

• Strengthen care coordination in the PCMH model

• Optimize time of the referral managers

• Improve PCP-specialist communication

• Close open referrals more quickly

Behavioral health - substance abuse recovery

G

Sending motivational messages to patients enrolled in an existing in-person recovery program for substance abuse

• Improve completion rate of 12 week recovery program

• Improve patient satisfaction

• Extend communication of the “medical home”