How SMS Messaging is Helping the NHS to Save Thousands
It has become a well-known fact that the number of missed appointments is at an all time high across the NHS, especially when it comes to GP’s and outpatient clinics. The cost of these no-shows has a huge impact on the vital services that the NHS provides, for both the organisation and its patients. In recent years various trusts have used SMS messaging to remind clients of their appointments – and have saved the NHS thousands of pounds already.
The true cost of a missed appointment
Given the huge range of specialities within the NHS and the number of different types of consultations, assessments and treatments that are conducted on a daily basis, it is hard to put a precise figure on the true cost of a missed appointment. Recent research conducted by a team at Warwick Business School (WBS) recently put the average figure at £160. With nearly 10% of appointments missed in 2014-15 alone – that’s a staggering 5.6 million – the annual cost is reported by the National Audit Office to be £225 million. In the challenging economic and demographic situation of today, reducing this is an issue of top priority.
In addition to the financial impact, it is also important to consider that every missed appointment is also a lost opportunity to somebody else to be seen, denying some the chance to receive vital treatment.
Positive early results
One NHS trust that tested the effect of SMS reminders fairly early on was the Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. Prior to the trial they conducted, their outpatient clinics had seen a non-attendance rate of around 1 in 10 patients. This was costing the trust in the region of £2.2 million a year in staffing costs alone.
With the introduction of an SMS messaging trial across three specialities, they saw a significant reduction of 4% in missed appointments within the first three months.
As well as reducing the number of no-shows and the associated costs, the trust also found that adopting an SMS reminder system shortened waiting lists and improved patients’ experiences.
Getting the most out of SMS messaging
With research indicating that the most common cause of missed appointments is simply a failure to remember them, it quickly became obvious that SMS reminders are an important weapon in the NHS’s arsenal – especially given the incredibly low costs associated. A large number of NHS trusts have now introduced SMS reminders as standard and seen encouraging results.
One thing that the research undertaken by WBS did identify, however, was that making small changes to the text messages that were sent could make them even more effective and increase their potential to both save money and improve patient welfare.
Ivo Vlaev, Professor of Behavioural Science at Warwick, believes that the key to unlocking the real value of SMS messaging lies in behavioural psychology – understanding human behaviour and making changes to the way things are done to take this into account.
Room for improvement
The NHS now sends a many as 5 million text message reminders to patients every month. Despite this, figures for non-attendance still remain far too high. Trials conducted by Vlaev and his colleagues from Imperial College London, the Department of Health and the ‘Nudge Unit’ ( the UK Government’s Behavioural Insights Team), did reveal, however, just how the content of a text message can reduce non-attendance for hospital appointments.
Whilst a simple text message giving the details of the appointment – time, day and hour – had good results, adding information about the cost of missed appointments saw a further reduction in missed appointments of 25% in comparison. The implications of this are dramatic, with the potential to prevent a further 400,000 no-shows per year simply by amending the information contained within SMS messages.
One observation worth noting is that the NHS is currently estimated to hold mobile phone numbers for just 20% of patients – despite Ofcom reporting that 93% of the UK’s adult population personally own or use a mobile phone.
Implications for the private sector
When it comes to healthcare and related services in the private sector, there are typically provisions to charge patients for failing to attend an appointment without prior notice. Despite this, there are still lessons that can be learned from the NHS experience.
With the application of the same behavioural psychology that Professor Vlaev and his colleagues pointed at, customer relations could be significantly improved. With reputation being of such importance in the private sector, any action that contributes to an improved patient experience is likely to be well worth the investment – especially when this may be as simple as a few carefully chosen words.
At fastsms, we have a team of experts who are always ready to help you make the most of SMS messaging for your organisation. Whatever your sector, we are happy to connect you with a specialist in your particular field.
To find out how your business could benefit from our low-cost bulk SMS messaging platform, call us now on 0800 954 5305 or click here to access a range of resource including guides for various sectors as well as case studies and other useful information.
Related Articles
Proof SMS Messaging Gets Results: Customer Service
All sorts of companies are finding SMS messaging works much better than traditional customer support channels like phone calls and emails. In this post, you’ll see examples of how businesses are keeping their customers happy and seeing great results with SMS.
SMS Marketing for Care Homes
The Rise of Responsive 24-Hour Healthcare and SMS Messaging
Every organisation needs to streamline its operations, reduce waste and operate on “lean” principles; from global pharmaceutical companies to local GP surgeries. SMS provides superb value for money in the way it reaches and engages stakeholders. Messages go straight into the hands of the right person in an unmissable way. Backed by an SMS provider in the UK familiar with public and private healthcare, systems can be created to use text messages to save money and time.
5 Reasons to use SMS for Transactional Messaging
People rely on their mobiles for everything these days. They check them up to 200 times a day! Any business that communicates with customers can take advantage of that by using SMS messaging for transactional information. Read on to see the top 5 reasons why.
SMS Marketing for the Beauty Industry
In the 21st century, it’s easy to lose track of all the technology needed to make you the biggest profit and improve your reputation. With our simple SMS services, you can drag your business into the modern age with relative ease, reducing missed appointments and increasing your bottom line.
Using SMS Messaging to Help People Quit Smoking
There’s no shortage of organisations trying to help smokers quit. These include groups that use SMS as a means of supporting smokers while they try to quit. There’s quite a lot of evidence that text messaging can help people break bad habits, or make positive improvements in their lives. Here’s one example from George Washington University.
How One Small Business Keeps Her Customers Happy – and On Time!
People have their mobiles within arm’s reach about 22 hours of every day. That means even while they are sleeping! It makes sense then, that if you want to remind someone of an important event (an appointment with your small business for example) you should use their mobile.
How Sports Clubs and Fitness Centres are Using SMS Marketing to Their Advantage
Statistics show that a huge 98% of text messages are opened within the first fifteen minutes of being received, so it's little wonder that sports organisations and fitness centres have been looking to take advantage of a potentially lucrative market.
6 Ways Gyms Are Using SMS Marketing
Marketing for gyms and leisure centres is unlike marketing within many other industries. It's not enough to simply gain a customer and expect to keep them indefinitely. It's important to make every attempt to keep that customer dedicated and interested in achieving their fitness goals to avoid lapsed memberships and cancellations. It's in every gym's best interest to have a loyal customer base that feels supported and encouraged to attend the gym regularly. Failure to do so can result in members who feel it is a waste of money to pay for a membership that they don't use often enough. That's where SMS marketing can make a big difference.
SMS Messaging Helps New Mothers Stay Healthy
New mothers face many challenges in the days and weeks following the birth of their child. Any parent will know most of them well with lack of sleep being a primary one. But many women are also at risk for other conditions that could be prevented by regular monitoring - enter SMS.