Satisfaction With Automated Telephone Disease Management Calls and Its Relationship to Their Use

Abstract

PURPOSE this paper reports the results of an assessment of automated telephone disease management (ATDM) among patients in 2 randomized trials evaluating ATDM as an adjunct to usual care. METHODS During the 12-month follow-up interview, 256 low-income adults with diabetes from the intervention groups of 2 randomized trials were asked to respond to questions about their satisfaction with the ATDM process. Variation in satisfaction was examined across groups, and satisfaction reports were correlated with the extent to which patients completed ATDM assessments and used them to report glycemic levels or access educational messages. RESULTS Overall, 85% of patients reported that they were satisfied with the ATDM calls, 82% reported that they would be more satisfied with their health care if such calls were available to patients, and 76% reported that they personally would choose to receive such calls in the future. Most patients reported few difficulties completing ATDM assessments and found the calls to be a useful adjunct to their care. Some, however, found the calls intrusive; 16% reported that the calls were a bother. CONCLUSIONS Patients were satisfied with ATDM calls as part of their diabetes care. Satisfaction played some part in determining patients' use of ATDM assessment and health education, although other barriers also contributed to less than optimal usage rates.