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Completed

NCT Number: NCT05086237

Well-Child Visit Trial

This project will use Twilio as a platform for a text messaging campaign to implement timely follow up with parents/guardians of children ages 0 to 17 years who have missed Well Child Visits (WCVs). The first phase of this project was an open trial. This second phase of the study will be a randomized controlled trial (RCT) to randomly assign parents/guardians of children who missed a WCV to an intervention condition or no intervention, and assess reasons for missed visits and experiences at last visit. Parents/guardians will receive text messages notifying them of missed visits and prompting them to reschedule, as well as inviting them to complete an online survey. Each reminder message will at minimum direct parents/guardians to reschedule by phone or by the patient portal. Outcomes of the follow-up campaign will be evaluated, including rescheduled visits within 6 weeks of missed visit and attendance at rescheduled visit. This aim will incorporate patient Electronic Health Record (EHR) data into mixed effects logistic regressions for the primary study outcomes.

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Key information

Conditions

Child Health Text Messaging

Age range

18 year and older

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Wake Forest University Health Sciences

Winston-Salem, North Carolina, 27157, United States

About this study

Well-Child visits (WCV) are an opportunity to maximize the health and future well-being and development of children. Missed visits, however, can result in negative outcomes for patients and families and for the healthcare system. For patients, missed primary care visits can result in greater Emergency Department (ED) visits and hospitalizations, and in delays in diagnosing a variety of medical conditions, including identification of child abuse and neglect. For healthcare systems, missed visits result in decreased efficiency, lower quality measures, decreased provider productivity, and loss in revenue. Although smart phones are nearly ubiquitous, even among more economically disadvantaged populations, literature to date has reported only on using text messages for pre-visit reminders. There is a tremendous opportunity to study use of text messaging to engage families in follow-up for missed WCV. Even more so, testing the use of text messages with different content is missing, as well as using text messages to invite patients to share reasons for missing the last WCV.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

Patients included in text messaging campaign (caregivers receive text messages):

  • Are 0-17 years
  • No-showed for a well-child visit scheduled at one of five locations: Pediatrics-Downtown Health Plaza, Family Medicine-Piedmont Plaza, Pediatrics-Winston East, Family Medicine-Peace Haven, or Pediatrics-Clemmons
  • Have a phone number on record for a primary caregiver
  • With primary language for contact that is English or Spanish

Caregivers must be 18 years or older

Exclusion criteria

Patients who:

  • Are 18+ years old
  • No-showed for a different type of visit, or no-showed for a WCV at a different practice location
  • Already rescheduled their appointment by the time the sample list was generated
  • Have primary language specified that is not English or Spanish.

Caregivers who are under 18 years old

Treatment and study plan

Text message reminders

Other

Text messages will be sent to parents/guardians of children ages 0 to 17 years who missed their well child visits.

Primary outcomes

  1. Number of rescheduled well child visits

    Time frame: 6 weeks after missed well child visit

    If parent/guardian rescheduled well child visit

  2. Number of completed (rescheduled) well child visits

    Time frame: 6 weeks after missed well child visit

    If parent/guardian completed (rescheduled) well child visit

Secondary outcomes

  1. Number of child patient emergency department visits

    Time frame: 6 weeks after missed well child visit

    If child patient had an emergency department visit

  2. Number of child patient hospitalizations

    Time frame: 6 weeks after missed well child visit

    If child patient required hospitalization

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Wake Forest University Health Sciences

Other

Registry information

Official study title

Text Message Follow-up for Patients Who Have Missed Well-Child Visits: Randomized Controlled Trial

Important dates

Study start
2022
Primary completion
2022
Study completion
2022
First posted
Oct 20, 2021
Registry last updated
Sep 30, 2022

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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