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Published on: July 27, 2018
Technical Requirements, Design, and Automation Process for a Statewide Registry-Based Tailored Text Messaging System:
Deborah Ogunsanmi1,2,3, Jerica Chambers2,3, Asos Mahmood2,3,4
1College of Graduate Health Sciences, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, United States.
The Heart Health Messages program uses low-cost text messages to help patients manage chronic conditions. This study assessed its feasibility for widespread use in improving cardiovascular health outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Mobile Health (mHealth)
- Cardiovascular Disease Prevention
- Health Informatics
Background:
- Tailored text messaging is a cost-effective mobile health intervention for chronic cardiometabolic conditions.
- Ubiquitous mobile phone access enables broad reach, but automation and low-cost dissemination pose implementation challenges.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe the protocol for a longitudinal observational study on the feasibility of an automated, registry-based tailored text messaging system (Heart Health Messages program).
- To outline the technical requirements, architecture, automation process, and implementation challenges of the Heart Health Messages program for cardiovascular event risk reduction.
Main Methods:
- Utilized the Tennessee Population Data Network to identify high-risk cardiovascular disease patients.
- Employed Twilio for sending tailored invitations and enrollment surveys, followed by personalized text messages based on selected frequency.
- Implemented monthly check-in surveys for adherence assessment and quarterly surveys for data updates over a 12-month intervention period.
Main Results:
- Identified 18,974 eligible patients across 2 health systems.
- Phased implementation (HHM 1.0) reached 225 (Phase 1), 5,288 (Phase 2), and 13,461 (Phase 3) patients.
- Achieved enrollment rates of approximately 2% in Phase 1 and 3% in Phases 2 and 3, with ongoing efforts to enhance participation.
Conclusions:
- The Heart Health Messages program offers a scalable, low-cost tailored text messaging intervention for broader dissemination.
- The system demonstrates potential for improving health outcomes in individuals with chronic conditions.
- Further strategies are being developed to optimize patient engagement and program rollout.
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