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Fewer missed dialysis treatments with texting program found among patients on hemodialysis
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BOSTON — Text messages and recommending texted response confirmations can improve treatment adherence from patients on hemodialysis who tend to miss appointments, according to study presented here at the National Kidney Foundation Spring Clinical Meetings.
“It is simple but efficient way to show that if you make the patients respond to your message of getting treatment, they will adhere to treatment better,” Marta Reviriego-Mendoza, PhD, from Fresenius Medical Care North America, told Healio/Nephrology.
Reviriego-Mendoza and colleagues enrolled 162 patients on hemodialysis in a text-messaging pilot, quality improvement program at six hemodialysis facilities during a 6-month period. Patients received a text message reminder before treatments and had subsequently had the option to confirm their scheduled treatment via a texted response.
Patients who were not enrolled in the pilot program had an average of 9.02% missed treatments. Patients who participated in and sent confirmation texts had an average of 6.86% missed treatments during the pilot program.
“It is not only making them aware they have a treatment coming up, it is also making them more proactive in that they can reply,” she said. ꟷ by Kristine Houck, MA, ELS
Reference:
Reviriego-Mendoza M, et al. Poster 297. Presented at: National Kidney Foundation Spring Clinical Meetings; May 8-12, 2019; Boston.
Disclosure: Reviriego-Mendoza reports no relevant financial disclosures.