Reminding Study Participants About Telephone Appointments with Text Messages?

Appointment Confirmation Reminders for Telephone Appointments via Text Message?

Today’s research depends on high-quality, personal surveys and studies to collect the valuable data required for new ideas, innovations, and therapies. While there are now many ways to conduct these data collection studies, including text message surveys, online questionnaires, and video chat, the telephone remains an incredibly positive option for many. Some clients tell us “we simply have to use the phone for these interviews,” and we definitely get it.

Despite the telephone’s fall into disuse as many opt for more technologically advanced methods of communication, over 40 percent of American households still have landlines, and an overwhelming majority of individuals own cell phones. Telephones of all shapes and sizes offer researchers a way to delve further into participant’s lives to get their data. It also allows medical researchers to understand more about a patient’s point of view or personal concerns.

Benefits of Telephone Interviews, Surveys, and Studies

Telephone interviews have been proven to be particularly advantageous for years. For example, they traditionally lead to very high response rates while allowing researchers to target large demographics across wide geographic areas. Even with the newest data collection technologies, the telephone is still holding strong for certain types of studies.

Improved Participant Interaction with a Text Message Appointment Confirmation Reminder

However, there is a growing complaint among many study teams and researchers about telephone interviews. They often experience low response volumes simply because participants are not picking up their telephones. Think about it: if you were to receive a call from an unknown phone number right now, would you pick it up? Or let it go to voicemail?

Years ago, when there was no caller ID, most individuals picked up the telephone every time it rang. However, with caller ID in place for nearly all telephones today and a large uptick in the number of telemarketers targeting households every week, numerous people choose to ignore numbers that they do not know, letting voicemail take the call instead. It’s a known fact that Millennials hate phone calls, so studies depending on data from telephone interviews from anyone under the age of 38 are going to continue battling the voicemail problem.

The good news is that there is an excellent way to help. With a text message appointment confirmation reminder, study leaders and interviewers can jog participants’ memories about previously scheduled telephone interview times to ensure that individuals are present and ready to pick up the telephone at the predetermined time. In addition, interviewers can let participants know the number that will show up on caller ID in advance to help them feel more confident in picking up at the right time.

Mosio Text Message Reminders

 

While Mosio appointment text message reminders are frequently used to remind about and confirm in-person visits and appointments, they are now increasingly being used to remind study participants about upcoming telephone interviews. These SMS reminders are simple to send and quite cost-effective to use. They ensure better study participation and reduce the amount of time that could be wasted on call-backs.

Another great way to use Mosio text message reminders is for upcoming video chat appointments. These reminders ensure that participants and patients are not only present for their appointments, but that they pick up as well. Depending on the technology used, a video chat link can be included in the message to launch the video chat.

If you are ready to improve study participation rates or ensure better adherence, regardless of how you are conducting your appointments, you’ll want to look into text messaging. It’s a little something we know something about, so contact us (you can even text us) to learn more about Mosio text message appointment confirmation reminders.