Identifying smokers via text messaging proves effective for CVD battle

An innovative scheme using mobile technology to identify patients ‘at risk’ of developing CVD by effectively establishing smoking status has recently proved a great success in Hammersmith & Fulham PCT.  The scheme found that the use of iPLATO Patient Care Messaging to request a patient’s smoking status via text message, resulted in significantly higher response rates than other methods of communication previously used, enabling a patient’s medical record to be updated quickly and efficiently.

According to a study made by the British Heart Foundation, the risk of mortality from any cardiovascular disease is 60% higher in smokers compared to non-smokers, making the identification of this ‘at risk’ group a crucial element in the battle against CVD.

From searches made on their GP system, the surgeries sent out a text message asking patients to text back their current smoking status. Patients who received this message were able to text back their status via a reply text that arrived at the surgery as an email (to a pre-defined surgery email address).  The Brook Green Medical Centre, in Hammersmith & Fulham PCT, successfully used the platform and achieved response rates of 49% when requesting smoking status via text message.

Peter Dawson, Practice Manager at Brook Green Medical Centre said, “I found the campaign tool very easy to use. Response rates were much higher than expected and we have since received very positive feedback from patients who thought it a novel and efficient use of technology.”

The potential of this approach is considerable when new Department of Health data collection requirements are taken into account.  The Local Delivery Plan Return (LDPR) is a data collection undertaken by the Department of Health to monitor the progress of SHA’s, PCT’s, and NHS trusts in the achievement against the Local delivery plan ‘trajectory schedules’ and data collected for monitoring purposes in relation to government policy.

As part of the Local Delivery Plan Return (LDPR), each PCT is required to submit the total number of patients on the register aged 16 and over with smoking status recorded in the last 15 months.  The use of the iPLATO Patient Care Messaging to perform this task in GP surgeries in Hammersmith & Fulham PCT and elsewhere has proven to be very successful to support the achievement of this LPDR target.

Miles Freeman, Associate Director of Commissioning (Primary Care) at Hammersmith & Fulham PCT, said, ‘’Having the Patient Care Messaging capability within over 80% of our GP surgeries has enabled effective support of a range of PCT initiatives, including the accurate recording of Smoking Status on a Trust-wide basis and the subsequent improvement in referral to Smoking Cessation support and advice. Cost savings possible with this approach have also proven to be compelling, when compared to the cost of previous methods employed for similar ends.”

Funded centrally by the PCT, the service has been adopted by 85% of Hammersmith & Fulham PCT’s GP surgeries and is being used to address important Public Health concerns on an ongoing basis.

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Notes for Editors:

About Hammersmith and Fulham PCT

Hammersmith and Fulham Primary Care Trust (PCT) is the NHS organisation responsible for providing and commissioning healthcare for people living and working in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham.  Our aim is to improve the health of local residents by providing access to high quality health services and encouraging people to make healthy lifestyle choices (for example stopping smoking, eating a healthy diet and taking regular exercise).

All media enquiries should be directed to the Jan Adamson Primary Care Commissioning Manager on: 0203 313 7218 or at jan.adamson@hf-pct.nhs.uk