ID-5184 Wonca Abstracts supplement A-K 13-10-23 - Flipbook - Page 215
WONCA 2023 Supplement 1: WONCA 2023 abstracts (A–K)
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Effect of automated patient reminders on uptake of
pneumococcal vaccine by adults with chronic conditions
attending Australian general practices
Dr Oliver Frank, David Gonzalez-Chica, Elizabeth Hoon, Jessie Edwards, Prof Nigel Stocks
University of Adelaide
Background
Despite pneumococcal vaccines being recommended for Australians over 18 years of age with
medical risk factors, coverage of those under 70 years of age is suboptimal. This study investigated
whether automated patient reminders (SMS and/or printed) before a booked appointment could
increase the uptake of pneumococcal vaccines in these patients, despite their high cost for most
patients.
Methods
This clustered, non-randomised usual-care-controlled study included active patients aged 18–69
years with at least one at-risk chronic condition who attended one of the participating practices
between January and October 2021 and for whom pneumococcal vaccines are recommended.
Software installed at the practice automatically identified unvaccinated eligible adults, sent the
reminders (intervention clinics only: SMS on booking, SMS one hour before the appointment and/
or printed reminders on arrival) and generated deidentified datasets for analysis. Clustered analyses
adjusted for sociodemographic differences among practices were performed using logistic regression.
Results
In all, 15,957 adults at risk of pneumococcal disease attended 15 intervention practices (received
reminders = 6620; internal control [attending doctors not participating in the study] = 9337), and 6682
patients attended nine usual-care control practices. Baseline uptake of pneumococcal vaccine among
eligible patients across all practices was low at ≤0.6%. Each type of reminder increased uptake alone
or in combination with the other types of reminders: SMS on booking (adjusted OR 4.5; 95% CI 2.6%,
7.9%), printed reminder on arrival (5.5; 3.2%, 9.5%), SMS one hour before appointment (6.9; 4.0%,
12%). Uptake of vaccines was higher in patients for whom vaccines were funded, with the highest
uptakes and largest effect seen for patients who received an SMS one hour before their appointment
(unfunded 5.1%; funded 11%).
Conclusion
Patient reminders represent a low-cost effective intervention to increase pneumococcal vaccination in
Australian general practice among adults at risk. Cost of vaccines is a barrier to vaccination.
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