Tracking And Reminder Systems In Ob/Gyn Practice: A Survey Of Practitioners

OBJECTIVE: To assess the compliance of OB/GYN providers with the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) recommendation for a tracking and reminder system in their office practices.STUDY DESIGN: A paper survey was distributed during a risk management talk at the 2018 ACOG Annual Clinical and Scientific Meeting. Data were summarized, and responses were compared using chi(2) test for independence and Fisher's exact test.RESULTS: A total of 53 OB/GYN practitioners completed the survey: 30% were familiar with the ACOG committee opinion for tracking and reminder systems, 51% had been sued, and 79% thought that patients were always responsible for obtaining ordered tests and referrals. When asked in a separate question about providers' responsibility, 40% thought that providers were solely responsible. Providers who had been sued were more likely to think that providers were responsible for following up on results. 65% contacted patients who did not show. Belonging to a practice with >11 providers was associated with being less likely to believe providers were responsible for tracking results. Working at an academic center was associated with being less likely to track results.CONCLUSION: OB/GYN providers inconsistently follow the ACOG committee opinion recommendations for tracking and reminder systems. The majority believed that patients were primarily responsible for obtaining ordered tests and referrals.