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1-Way vs. 2-Way Text Message Reminders

In a previous article, we described the benefits of using text message reminders to remind patients about their medication regimen or health-related appointments and improve patient outcomes. These reminders are commonly delivered through two means: 1-way or 2-way.

1-way text message reminders are one-directional, meaning that patients receive a message but cannot respond to it. These types of reminders are typically used to send patients appointment reminders, medication reminders, and general health information. These reminders can be automated, and can be sent to a large number of patients at once. The main advantage of 1-way text message reminders is that they are highly convenient for patients and are cost-effective.

2-way text message reminders, on the other hand, are two-directional, meaning that patients can respond to the message. These types of reminders allow for a more interactive communication between the patient and the healthcare provider. For example, patients can confirm an appointment, reschedule an appointment, or report symptoms or side effects. 2-way text message reminders can also be used to provide patients with personalized support and information. The main advantage of 2-way text message reminders is that they allow for more personalized and interactive communication between patients and healthcare providers.

Both 1-way and 2-way text message reminders have been found to be effective in supporting medication adherence and study compliance, with 2-way text message reminders providing a more interactive and personalised experience. This personalisation improves medication adherence rates by over 5x as compared to using simple 1-way reminders.1

In conclusion, 1-way and 2-way text message reminders are both useful tools that can be used to support medication adherence and study compliance. 1-way text message reminders are one-directional and are mainly used for sending automated reminders and general health information. 2-way text message reminders are two-directional, which allows for more interactive communication between patients and healthcare providers, and can provide more personalized support.

 


 

1 Wald DS, Butt S, Bestwick JP. One-way versus two-way text messaging on improving medication adherence: meta-analysis of randomized trials. Am J Med. 2015 Oct;128(10):1139.e1-5. doi: 10.1016/j.amjmed.2015.05.035. Epub 2015 Jun 16. PMID: 26087045