Here's a link to a NY Times article that talks about a study in which text messaging was used to help teens with chronic diseases and transplants remember to take their medicines and to come in for regular appointments and lab tests:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/05/health/05chen.html?_r=1&ref=health
There is even talk in the article of a desire for insurance companies to cover some sort of text messaging cell phone plan in the future, as a response to the fact that this technology worked so well in this study until 1/3 of the teens had to drop out because they lost cell phone privileges or could no longer afford to have a cell phone.
Text messaging and other newer technologies (facebook, twitter, email, etc) seem to be coming up more & more as easy & efficient ways to reach the younger part of the population.
In fact, Danielle, Doug, and I were just discussing this today with a few administrative people at Sutter East Bay Medical Foundation. We explained to them why it could be beneficial to get younger patients' email addresses for contacting them, and also revealed an idea of using Twitter for preventive health reminders & information. This just might be a great way for a medical office to show its teen patients that even their doctor has jumped onto the technology wagon :)
Thoughts on new technology? Any other articles that any of you have seen out there on similar topics?
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They're using cellphone technology a lot in the developing world, too. One way is helping match people with HIV clinics outside their immediate community (for stigma reasons), while reminding them to get tested. Here's more on the medication reminders too - http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_yFVTqoT7ogU/SipHjfr11XI/AAAAAAAABDQ/gqTY87O4FMY/s1600-h/Snapshot+2009-06-06+06-39-15.jpg
Patients get tiny patches that, when exposed to urine containing medication, reveal codes. Every day they text in those codes and get rewarded with cellphone minutes for each code.
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