This study evaluated the effects of interactive voice response (IVR) system reminders to managed care organization (MCO) members to obtain mammograms, Papanicolaou (Pap) tests, and influenza immunizations. The MCO identified 3 member cohorts and sent IVR reminders to get preventive services. Analyses employed claims data to examine relationships between IVR reminders and preventive service use 5 to 9 months postintervention among members without prior utilization. Multivariate logistic regressions controlling for age, gender (for influenza immunizations), and risk stratum confirmed hypothesized relationships between intervention and preventive services: mammograms, odds ratio (OR) = 1.263 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.104, 1.444); Pap tests, OR = 1.241 (1.107, 1.391); influenza immunizations, OR = 2.072 (1.665, 2.580). IVR reminders are associated with higher rates of mammograms, Pap tests, and influenza immunizations. Study limitations include unknown generalizability of results and possible self-selection. There is justification for more IVR interventions and research to enhance MCO members’ preventive service utilization.
National Cancer Institute. What you need to know about breast cancer. Available at: http://www.cancer.gov/cancerinfo/wyntk/breast. Accessed June 15, 2005.
2.
National Cancer Institute. Cervical cancer (PDQ) screening: significance—natural history, incidence, and mortality. Available at: http://www.nci.nih.gov/cancerinfo/pdq/screening/cervical/healthprofessional/%23Section_1. Accessed June 15, 2005.
3.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Background on influenza. Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/flu/professionals/background.htm. Accessed June 15, 2005.
4.
World Health Organization. Influenza: overview. Available at: http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/2003/fs211/en/. Accessed June 15, 2005.
5.
Laara E, Day NE, Hakama M.Trends in mortality from cervical cancer in the Nordic countries: association with organised screening programmes. J Lancet. 1987;1:1247-1249.
6.
Christopherson WM, Lundin FE Jr, Mendez WM, Parker JE. Cervical cancer control: a study of morbidity and mortality trends over a twenty-one-year period. Cancer. 1976;38:1357-1366.
7.
Johannesson G, Geirsson G, Day N.The effect of mass screening in Iceland, 1965-74, on the incidence and mortality of cervical carcinoma. Int J Cancer. 1978;21:418-425.
8.
Miller AB, Lindsay J, Hill GB. Mortality from cancer of the uterus in Canada and its relationship to screening for cancer of the cervix. Int J Cancer. 1976;17:602-612.
9.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Annual report to the nation on the status of cancer, 1975-2000, featuring the uses of surveillance data for cancer prevention and control. Available at: http://jncicancerspectrum.oupjournals.org/cgi/content/full/jnci;95/17/1276. Accessed June 15, 2005.
10.
National Committee for Quality Assurance. National Committee for Quality Assurance home page. Available at: http://www.ncqa.org/index.asp. Accessed June 15, 2005.
11.
Mainous AG III, Talbert J.Assessing quality of care via HEDIS 3.0. Is there a better way?Arch Fam Med. 1998;7:410-413.
12.
Stone EG, Morton SC, Hulscher ME, et al.Interventions that increase use of adult immunization and cancer screening services: a meta-analysis. Ann Intern Med. 2002;136:641-651.
13.
Saywell RM Jr, Champion VL, Zollinger TW, et al.The cost effectiveness of 5 interventions to increase mammography adherence in a managed care population. Am J Manag Care. 2003; 9:33-44.
14.
Kellerman RD, Allred CT, Frisch LE. Enhancing influenza immunization: postcard and telephone reminders and the challenge of immunization site shift. Arch Fam Med. 2000;9:368-372.
15.
Krieger JW, Castorina JS, Walls ML, Weaver MR, Ciske S.Increasing influenza and pneumococcal immunization rates: a randomized controlled study of a senior center-based intervention. Am J Prev Med. 2000;18:123-131.
16.
Brimberry R.Vaccination of high-risk patients for influenza: a comparison of telephone and mail reminder methods. J Fam Pract. 1988;26:397-400.
17.
Miller SM, Siejak KK, Schroeder CM, Lerman C, Hernandez E, Helm CW. Enhancing adherence following abnormal Pap smears among low-income minority women: a preventive telephone counseling strategy. J Natl Cancer Inst.1997;89:703-708.
18.
Messina CR, Lane DS, Grimson R.Effectiveness of women’s telephone counseling and physician education to improve mammography screening among women who underuse mammography. Ann Behav Med. 2002;24:279-289.
19.
Taplin SH, Barlow WE, Ludman E, et al.Testing reminder and motivational telephone calls to increase screening mammography: a randomized study. J Natl Cancer Inst.2000;92:233-242.
20.
Champion VL, Skinner CS, Menon U, Seshadri R, Anzalone DC, Rawl SM. Comparisons of tailored mammography interventions at two months postintervention. Ann Behav Med. 2002; 24:211-218.
21.
Yabroff KR, Mangan P, Mandelblatt J.Effectiveness of interventions to increase Papanicolaou smear use. J am Board Fam Pract. 2003;16:188-203.
22.
Binstock MA, Geiger AM, Hackett JR, Yao JF. Pap smear outreach: a randomized controlled trial in an HMO. Am J Prev Med. 1997;13:425-426.
23.
Reding DJ, Lappe KA, Krueger M, Kolehouse BL, Steneil D, Leer RA. Cancer screening and prevention in rural Wisconsin: the Greater Marshfield Experience. Wis Med J.1997;96:32-37.
24.
Stuart GW, Laraia MT, Ornstein SM, Nietert PJ. An interactive voice response system to enhance antidepressant medication compliance. Top Health Inf Manage. 2003;24:15-20.
25.
SAS Institute. SAS Release 8.2 (statistical software). Cary, NC: SAS Institute Inc; 2004.
26.
Piette JD. Interactive voice response systems in the diagnosis and management of chronic disease. Am J Manag Care. 2000; 6:817-827.
27.
LaVigne M, Tapper K.Interactive voice response in disease management: providing patient outreach and improving outcomes. Dis Manage Health Outcomes. 1998;4:1-16.
28.
Corkrey R, Parkinson L.Interactive voice response: review of studies 1989-2000. Behav Res Methods Instrum Comput. 2002; 34:342-353.
29.
Ramelson HZ, Friedman RH, Ockene JK. An automated telephone-based smoking cessation education and counseling system. Patient Educ Couns. 1999;36:131-144.
30.
Mermelstein R, Hedeker D, Wong SC. Extended telephone counseling for smoking cessation: does content matter?J Consult Clin Psychol. 2003;71:565-574.
