Modality of Discharge Instructions
Conditions
Brief summary
Outpatient antibiotics are frequently prescribed from the emergency department, and limited health literacy may impact compliance with recommended treatments. The investigators are looking to determine if patient preference for multimodality discharge instructions for outpatient antibiotic therapy varies by health literacy level, and if modality effected patient-reported antibiotic compliance and 72-hour antibiotic pick-up.
Detailed description
This is a prospective randomized trial that includes consenting patients discharged with outpatient antibiotics. Health literacy is assessed using a validated health literacy assessment, the Newest Vital Sign (NVS). Patients are randomized to a discharge instruction modality: 1) standard of care, typed and verbal medication and case-specific instructions; 2) standard of care plus text messaged instructions sent to the patient's cell phone; or 3) standard of care plus voicemailed instructions sent to the patient's cell phone. Antibiotic pick-up is verified with the patient's pharmacy at 72 hours. Patients are called at 30 days to determine antibiotic compliance.
Interventions
A text message with instructions is sent to the patient
A voicemail with instructions is sent to the patient
Sponsors
Study design
Eligibility
Inclusion criteria
* Emergency department patient being prescribed an outpatient antibiotic or the parent of a patient under the age of 18 being prescribed on outpatient antibiotic
Exclusion criteria
* Doesn't have a cell phone that can receive text messages and voicemail messages * Unable to provide informed consent * Prisoners
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 72-hour antibiotic pickup | 72 hours | Whether or not the patient picked up their antibiotic prescription at the pharmacy |
| Antibiotic compliance | 30 days | If the patient completed the entire course of antibiotics |
Countries
United States