Text messaging to increase patient engagement in a large health care for the homeless clinic: Results of a randomized pilot study

Summary

This pilot study tested CareMessage with patients experiencing homelessness. The intervention group, receiving appointment and medication reminders, had lower no-show rates and improved medication adherence compared to the control group. The findings suggest text messaging is a promising tool for engaging this vulnerable population in their care.

Key Findings

• Patients receiving appointment reminders via CareMessage had a no-show rate nearly 10 points lower than the control group (21.0% vs. 30.6%), a finding that approached statistical significance.
• Self-reported medication adherence showed greater improvement in the intervention group compared to the control group.
• Patients reported that receiving text messages was helpful, providing both practical reminders and a valued sense of social support and connection.
• The study demonstrated the feasibility of using a text messaging platform to engage a high-need homeless population, despite technological and logistical challenges.

Clinical Significance

Engaging patients experiencing homelessness is a profound challenge for health systems. This study, while a pilot, demonstrates the clear potential of CareMessage to make a difference. The strong trends toward lower no-show rates and better medication adherence are clinically meaningful, suggesting that automated texting is a promising, low-cost strategy to provide consistent support to a population facing immense instability. It validates further investment in this technology to improve outcomes for this vulnerable group.

CareMessage Product Features

Appointments, Outreach

Citation

Kershaw, K., Martelly, L., Stevens, C., McInnes, D. K., Silverman, A., Byrne, T., ... & Hass, R. (2022). Text messaging to increase patient engagement in a large health care for the homeless clinic: Results of a randomized pilot study. Digital Health, 8.