Use of mobile telephone short message service (SMS) as a reminder: the effect on patient attendance.

Objective: To evaluate the operational and financial efficacy of sending short message service (SMS) mobile telephone text message to patients with outpatient clinic appointments.

Methods: Patients scheduled to attend an outpatient appointment at the Dept. Paediatric Dentistry, Edinburgh Dental Institute, Scotland, during October 2007 and who had mobile telephone contact details were sent a reminder SMS text 24hr prior to their appointment. An historical control group were selected from October 2006.

Results: Data were available for 276 (F: 146; M: 130) and 433 (F: 228; M: 205) patient attendances during 2006 and 2007 respectively. Overall, 10.4% and 23.9% of the SMS and historical group failed to attend (FTA) respectively and the difference was statistically significant (Chi Square = 6.95, p = 0.008, 1 d.f). There was a reduction in the FTA rate for the specialist paediatric staff dentists from 29.2% to 24.4% for 2006 and 2007 respectively. The cost of sending text messages was 28.15 pound (approx. 30 euro) for October 2007.

Conclusions: The use of SMS text messages as a reminder may reduce the failure to attend rate for outpatient paediatric dental appointments.