Florence clinic joins patient texting program

Most patients receive a brief call from their family doctor’s office to remind them about an upcoming appointment. Now, Mercy Medicine of Florence has a new way to contact patients – text messaging.

The clinic is one of just two free clinics is South Carolina to use such services, and one of only 40 across the country.

Mercy Medicine’s idea for texting patients came when the free clinic received a $10,000 grant from the National Association of Free and Charitable Clinics. It teamed up with San Francisco nonprofit CareMessage for software implementation.

Mercy Medicine director Latrell Fowler said the primary goal with patient texting is to serve as an appointment reminder. She said patients will also have certain educational options via text messaging as well.

“High cancellation rates are always a concern for free clinics,” Fowler said. “Now we can give patients the communication aspect, as well as provide extended support to those who need it most.”

For instance, Fowler said, a diabetic patient may need to be reminded to take the proper medicine each day and check his or her feet after long periods of walking.

She said the system is completely interactive and will allow patients to respond with questions and concerns.

“They’ll be able to text us and provide information that will help us with better care,” Fowler said. “Before, it was us asking them everything; now there’s two way communication. So this system gives us a lot more options.”

Family nurse practitioner James Grzech said texting will fit perfectly into the hectic schedules many patients deal with on a daily basis.

“With how busy everyone is all the time, a simple reminder text message can go a long way,” he said. “With conditions like diabetes there are a multitude of things a patient has to remember that can be easy to forget, especially if it’s new for them.”

Grzech said similar programs have been successful in other parts of the country and he sees no reason why CareMessage systems wouldn’t thrive in Florence’s market.

“Communication is everything,” Grzech said. “Patients and their health care providers are getting more and more busy, so the more resources we have to contact those who are sick will be a tremendous help.”

Fowler added that educational text options, such as help with smoking addiction, exercise promotion, weight management, depression and nutrition awareness, may be implemented in the Mercy Medicine’s CareMessage system in the near future.