Automated Time-Released Reminders Improve Patient Access to Colonoscopy

Unscheduled colonoscopy orders lead to missed opportunities for early diagnosis and screening. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of an automated time-released reminder program on conversion of colonoscopy orders to scheduled cases. In this prospective study, we compared patients ordered for a colonoscopy who were enrolled in an automated reminder program (intervention) with a historical cohort of patients ordered for a colonoscopy who did not receive scheduling reminders (control). The intervention group received automated text message and email reminders using a software platform at 1, 7, and 14 days after a colonoscopy order was placed. The percentage of colonoscopies scheduled within 14 days of order placement improved from 66.0% in the control group to 73.4% in the intervention group (p =.001). The percentage of colonoscopies scheduled within 30 days improved from 73.6% to 90.0% (p <.0001). For colonoscopies ordered by a nongastroenterologist, the percentage of cases scheduled within 30 days of order placement improved from 65.8% in the control group to 90.0% in the intervention group (p <.0001). There was a 10% decrease in phone calls with endoscopy staff for the intervention group relative to the control group. Automated reminders for colonoscopy scheduling improve efficiency in colonoscopy scheduling.