The impact of a patient survey or a physician reminder on the provision of adolescent preventive health care.

BACKGROUND

The objective of this study was to determine if the use of a patient survey or a chart stamp could increase the implementation of adolescent preventive health care in a family practice center.

METHODS

Subjects were all patients 13 to 18 years old (date of birth 1972 to 1977), who visited the Aultman Family Practice Centers from October 1, 1989, through September 30, 1990 (N = 801 patient visits). Three different 1-month interventions (patient questionnaire, physician stamp, and both patient questionnaire and physician stamp) as well as a 1-month control period were implemented. The effect of the intervention on adolescent preventive health care was measured by review of documentation in the patient's chart.

RESULTS

Those charts that indicated that either the questionnaire or stamp had been used showed significantly more documented discussion of issues relating to mood, injury, sexuality, exposure to toxins, and lifestyle (all P < .01). These discussions most commonly took place during a visit for a physical examination. The percentage of visits with documented discussions did not vary significantly according to type of reminder, nor with any physician or patient characteristic.

CONCLUSIONS

The use of a reminder, especially in the context of an office visit for a physical examination, significantly increased the implementation of adolescent preventive health care in this family practice center.