A
new study supported by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
(AHRQ) suggests that many patients who do not improve as expected after a
medical appointment don’t take further action to address unresolved
problems. The study found that systematic follow-up, including a live
follow-up call and those made by an interactive voice response system,
can potentially identify and connect patients to needed care.
“Exploration of an automated approach for receiving patient feedback
after outpatient acute care visits” appeared online March 8 in the Journal of General Internal Medicine.
Researchers
evaluated patients seen in outpatient settings for evaluation and
treatment of a new health problem. The patients received a live
follow-up call one week after their visit and via an interactive voice
response system (IVRS) three weeks after their visit to determine their
satisfaction with the diagnosis and treatment(s) provided. The study
showed that automated telephone feedback systems can feasibly be used to
follow-up on patient outcomes in outpatient settings. Further research
on the effectiveness of this technology is needed to determine the role
of automated telephone feedback systems in ambulatory care settings.
Select to access the abstract: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/
