Patients' and staffs' experiences of an automated telephone weather forecasting service

Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) have recently been offered severe weather warnings and medication reminders using an automated telephone service and interactive voice recognition technology. Our aim was to explore patients' and health care staffs' perceptions and experiences of the technologies, their contribution to the management of COPD and implementation issues.

Qualitative semi-structured telephone interviews were undertaken with 18 patients and six staff from five primary care centres in the Bradford area, England. Interview transcripts were thematically analysed.

Patients considered the telephone service was an appropriate way to deliver information but there was some variation in perceived usefulness. Many patients praised the service, valuing reassurance and medication reminders, but others were indifferent and even critical. Criticism tended to reflect scepticism over the reliability of weather forecasts information rather than the automated telephone service itself. There was limited impact on the management strategies of patients apart from some patients ordering medication. Primary care staff considered the service a success but some felt that it lacked participation by hard-to-reach groups (non-English speaking, mild COPD patients). Our concerns about the resource implications of successful implementation were also raised.

An automated telephone service was generally acceptable to patients but changes in COPD management were limited, possibly because the patients already had a good understanding of their condition and self-management strategies. Implications for practice include the need for strategies to target hard-to-reach groups which may need more resources.