Arch Intern Med
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical Trial
Patient-carried card prompts vs computer-generated prompts to remind private practice physicians to perform health maintenance measures.
We compared the efficacy of a computer-generated prompt sheet placed on the front of patients' charts with a patient-carried prompt card to remind physicians to perform selected health maintenance items. ⋯ Our data show a greater increase in performance of health maintenance items in the computer-prompted group. The performance of stool for occult blood, pap smears, breast examinations performed by the physician, and mammograms were increased more in the computer-prompted group than in the card group. However, there was not a statistically significant difference after intervention for any of the audited health maintenance items for either the computer group or the card group. Overall, health maintenance measures were performed in only a minority of appropriate patients.