An effective system to remind patients that it is time for their follow-up colonoscopy is important to any GI practice. At its best, it represents a "win-win" where the patient gets appropriate surveillance exams and the doctor stays busy. Keeping our friendly malpractice lawyers at bay is another benefit. I would assume this comes up with other types of recalls for primary care providers and other specialists as well.
We may generate 20 or more of these a week. Follow-up intervals typically range from 1-3 years for significantly higher risk individuals to 5-10 years for positive family history or routine screening. Or 2 years for everyone if you are David (TOTALLY kidding there, David, just an inside joke referring to an old coding thread).
The system we are now implementing follows. It seems to work for us, though I have the nagging feeling that there may be ways to improve efficiency. When a patient has a colonoscopy and needs a recall, that is transmitted to the office staff. We have set up a provider "Dr. Recall" and the patient is scheduled for a follow-up with that doctor in 3,5,or 10 years. This is not a true appointment (the patient isn't even aware of it). We pick the first Saturday of the appropriate month to schedule all the month's patients to avoid confusion with regular appointments. When that month is reached, the staff person goes through the days appointments, using the letter writer to send a templated letter to each patient. As the patients respond, they are scheduled.
So please tell me, has anyone got a better way? Suggestions for improvements would be appreciated. As a bonus, suggestions on how best to document who responds to the letter and who doesn't (so we can decide who to pursue further) would also be welcomed.
