Text messaging 2 b used 4 patients
13/04/2007
Doctors will soon be using the latest text message technology to remind child patients of their appointments.
Parents of young patients who have an outpatient appointment at Cheltenham General or Gloucestershire Royal Hospital will receive a reminder text a week before they are due at their clinic, as part of a new pilot scheme.
Patients who do not turn up for their appointment in the paediatric department cost the Trust £200,000 every year and waste many hours of clinicians’ time. In the last 12 months, 1,763 young patients failed to attend their outpatient appointment.
Paul Byrne, Divisional Director of Women’s and Children’s Services, said: “Most parents own a mobile phone these days and we know that text messaging is a fast, low cost and convenient way to send a quick reminder that their child has a hospital appointment.”
The text messaging system, which costs £450 for 5,000 texts, will work by sending automatic reminder texts to parents a week before their child’s appointment. Those parents who do not have a mobile phone or who do not want to take part in the scheme will not receive a reminder.
It is hoped the service will later be expanded from the paediatric departments across all outpatient departments in the Trust.
Mr Byrne said: “In our busy lives it is easy to forget about an appointment that may have been made some time in advance. We hope that this fantastic technology will be useful for parents, and eventually, all our patients, who would welcome a gentle reminder.”
The text messaging service will go live in May.
Home
Page
News 
Patients
and Visitors 
Wards
and Departments
Contact Us 
About
Us 
Publications 
Freedom of Information
Get
Involved
Work
for Us 
Staff and Healthcare Professionals
Links
Foundation Members Area
