Encouraging Overdue Healthcare Appointment Scheduling Among Patients With Chronic Diseases

NCT ID: NCT05000619

Last Updated: 2022-12-01

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

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Recruitment Status

COMPLETED

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

21562 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2021-07-12

Study Completion Date

2022-08-26

Brief Summary

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The goal of this study is to determine the most effective messages for encouraging patients with chronic conditions, who have not seen their doctor in at least one year, to return to the clinic. Study participants will receive postcards or letters encouraging them to make an appointment. Researchers will assess whether messages increase appointment scheduling (and attendance).

Detailed Description

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About 18,500 Geisinger patients, Geisinger Health Plan members, and Medicaid patients with chronic illness have not been seen in a clinic for at least one year, which is concerning because regular appointments are necessary for chronic disease management. Geisinger is therefore working to encourage those with chronic illness and overdue appointments to return to the clinic.

In the present study, patients will either receive a mailer (with a message encouraging them to schedule an appointment with their physician), or no mailer. The purpose of the study is to compare three different mailers to assess which is most effective at encouraging patients to schedule and attend an appointment. The three mailers include (1) a standard outreach postcard (emphasizing that we are "checking in" with the patient), and, informed by behavioral science research, (2) a postcard with a cartoon and humorous messages and (3) a letter signed by a physician. The study will compare the effectiveness of the three experimental mailer arms to each other and to a no-contact control arm.

Conditions

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Health Promotion Prevention Risk Reduction Behavior

Study Design

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Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

PARALLEL

Primary Study Purpose

HEALTH_SERVICES_RESEARCH

Blinding Strategy

DOUBLE

Participants Caregivers
Participants will not be informed specifically of their assignment to different arms throughout the study. Providers who conduct appointments will not be randomized to study arms or informed of patient assignment.

Study Groups

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Outreach Postcard

This group receives a postcard with a stock image on the front and a message encouraging regular visits to manage health on the back.

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Outreach mailer

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Postcard or letter

Humorous Postcard

This group receives a postcard with with a cartoon image and a visit-related joke on the front and a humorous message on the back, with additional information about why visits are important, and what to expect at the appointment.

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Outreach mailer

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Postcard or letter

Humor/Salience

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Funny cartoon

Information

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Information about benefits of the appointment

Physician Letter

This group receives a personalized letter signed by a physician with information about why visits are important, and what to expect at the appointment.

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Outreach mailer

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Postcard or letter

Doctor's authority

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Letter from a doctor

Information

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Information about benefits of the appointment

No-contact Control

This group will not receive a study mailer during the trial.

Group Type NO_INTERVENTION

No interventions assigned to this group

Interventions

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Outreach mailer

Postcard or letter

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Humor/Salience

Funny cartoon

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Doctor's authority

Letter from a doctor

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Information

Information about benefits of the appointment

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

* Geisinger patient, Geisinger Health Plan member or Medicaid patient
* Chronic illness
* No appointment for \> 1 year
Minimum Eligible Age

18 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sponsors

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Geisinger Clinic

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Amir Goren

Program Director, Behavioral Insights Team

Responsibility Role PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

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Amir Goren, PhD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Geisinger Clinic

Locations

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Geisinger

Danville, Pennsylvania, United States

Site Status

Countries

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United States

Provided Documents

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Document Type: Statistical Analysis Plan

View Document

Other Identifiers

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2021-0442

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id

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