A recent study published in JAMA has shed light on the effectiveness of text message reminders for patients who delay refilling their medications. The study, which enrolled over 9,000 patients in a randomized pragmatic clinical trial, aimed to determine whether text message reminders could improve medication refill adherence over a one-year period.
The research included a diverse population across various subgroups, including females, Hispanic ethnicity, and Spanish-speaking patients, who are often underrepresented in clinical trials. The study was led by Michael Ho, MD, professor adjoint in the department of medicine and cardiology at the University of Colorado School of Medicine, and senior author Sheana Bull, Ph.D., MPH, professor emerita and advisor to the mHealth Impact Laboratory at the Colorado School of Public Health.
The study compared different types of text messaging strategies to usual care to improve medication refill adherence for chronic cardiovascular medications. While the results showed an initial improvement in refill adherence over the first three months, with a five percentage point increase and a reduction in the median length of initial gaps by approximately five days, the effectiveness of text message reminders waned over the 12-month period.
Regardless of the type of message – generic text messages, messages using persuasive communication strategies, or messages with a chatbot – text message reminders did not significantly improve refill adherence at 12 months. This finding was consistent across all genders and races, indicating that there was no difference between the different text message methods.
Ho emphasized the importance of identifying strategies to help patients take their medications regularly, especially for chronic medical conditions that require long-term medication adherence. The researchers plan to explore more advanced digital technologies incorporating machine learning and artificial intelligence to improve longer-term behaviors related to medication refills.
The study’s findings suggest that while text message reminders may be effective in the short term, they may not be a sustainable solution for improving medication refill adherence over an extended period. Future research will focus on developing new strategies to enhance medication adherence, particularly as the prevalence of chronic medical conditions continues to rise.
For more information on the study, you can refer to the original publication in JAMA. This research was conducted by the CU Anschutz Medical Campus and underscores the need for innovative approaches to improve medication adherence and patient outcomes in the healthcare setting.
