Encouraging follow-up visits for emergency department patients
Official title: Nudging High-acuity Emergency Department Patients to Schedule a Follow-up Visit With a Primary Care Provider or Specialist Following Discharge to Decrease Emergency Department Utilization
Run by Geisinger Clinic · NCT06535347 · Data updated 2026-05-14
This study is no longer in our active list. It may have stopped recruiting or finished. The details below are as of 2026-05-14 and are kept for reference. Check ClinicalTrials.gov for its current status, or see similar studies below.
This study is testing whether sending text messages and information to emergency department patients can help them make follow-up appointments with their doctors and reduce their need to return to the emergency room.
Quick facts
| Study type | Interventional |
|---|---|
| Ages | 18 Years and up |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 7500 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | Geisinger Clinic Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Danville, Pennsylvania) |
| Trial ID | NCT06535347 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Ideal candidates are adults aged 18 and older who have had a high-acuity visit to the emergency department and were discharged within the last 24 hours.
✕Probably not a fit
Patients who have a follow-up appointment scheduled within 7 days or those who cannot be contacted via SMS will not benefit from this study.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
This campaign aims to reduce unnecessary emergency department visits by encouraging high-acuity patients to schedule follow-up appointments with their primary care provider or a specialist. Patients discharged from the emergency department will receive outreach through text messages and information in their after-visit summary, which includes a contact number and a hyperlink for self-scheduling. The study will compare the frequency of emergency department use among patients who receive this outreach versus those who do not, as well as their follow-through on the suggested actions. Enrollment will continue until 7500 participants are enrolled or 120 days have passed.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could lead to better management of patient care and reduced reliance on emergency services.
How similar studies have gone: Other studies have shown success in using outreach strategies to improve follow-up care, making this approach promising but not entirely novel.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * \>= 18 years of age * ED visit rated as high acuity (level L2 or L3) * Discharged from ED in past 24 hours * Attributed to a Geisinger PCP in Community Medicine Service Line Exclusion Criteria: * Have an appointment scheduled within 7 days following discharge with a primary care provider or specialist * Institutionalized * Cannot be contacted via the communication modality being used in the study (i.e., SMS), due to insufficient/missing contact information in the electronic health record or because the patient opted out * Admitted to hospital * Eloped from ED * Left ED without being seen * Deceased prior to messaging
Where it's running
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Geisinger Health System
Danville, Pennsylvania, United States Recruiting
Study contacts
- Principal investigator: Amir Goren, PhD — Geisinger Clinic
- Study coordinator: Amir Goren, PhD
- Email: agoren@geisinger.edu
- Phone: 570-214-4395
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How to take part
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
- Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.