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Screening Rates and Characteristics of Health Plan Members Who Respond to Screening Reminders
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Mar 15 2006
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Source: Prev Chronic Dis. 2006; 3(2).
[PDF-317.03 KB]
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Alternative Title:Prev Chronic Dis
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Description:Introduction
Preventive screening is widely recognized as a key component of cost-effective, high-quality health care. Even so, national screening for cancer, diabetes, and cholesterol falls far short of U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommendations. Although evidence has shown that reminder programs improve preventive screening rates, this study is one of the first to examine the characteristics of health plan members who respond to screening reminders.
Methods
The study sample included active members of a large health plan in Hawaii who were identified by an algorithm as not having received one or more recommended screenings based on age and sex criteria (2000–2003) for breast cancer (n = 44,331), cervical cancer (n = 73,875), colon cancer (n = 131,860), diabetes (n = 86,216), and cholesterol (n = 54,843).
Results
The impact of health plan member characteristics and number of office visits on the response to reminders varied among the five health-screening types. Health plan members responded better to reminders for diabetes screening than for colon cancer screening. Members sent their second annual reminders were less likely to obtain screening than members sent their first reminder. Members receiving their third (or more) annual reminder were especially recalcitrant.
Conclusion
Our findings suggest that the response to reminders differs according to patient characteristics. In particular, targeted interventions may be needed to encourage screening for younger and healthier members whose response rate to reminders was low. Further research is needed to determine how health plans can best reach members who do not respond to patient reminders.
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