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Background: In 2011, The Duval County Health Department (Jacksonville, FL), in collaboration with the Florida Department of Health’s Bureau of Sexually Transmitted Disease, established a policy to notify clients of their STI test results via a text message sent to their mobile phone.
Objectives: To notify clients of their diagnosis in a timely fashion, increase engagement of follow-up care and/or adherence to treatment provided under presumptive diagnosis, and to motivate clients to notify sex partners of possible exposure. Another purpose is to decrease the number of clients seen for follow-up in clinic with laboratory confirmation of no infection (STI-negative clients).
Methods: Clients visiting the county health department STD clinic who are screened for Chlamydia and/or Gonorrhea will be informed about the project and give signed consent to participate. Diagnosis of Syphilis and HIV will be notified using traditional field service strategy. Mobile phone number, provider, and consent form are included with the client's record. Laboratory results are transmitted electronically to the STD Surveillance Office where staff identify and confirm clients’ consent, and then use a text messaging program in the Patient Reporting Investigating Surveillance Manager (PRISM) to transmit a test message of “Duval CHD Code 1”, indicating positive results or “Duval CHD Code 2”, indicating negative results. Both messages ask the client to call a telephone number (the STD Surveillance Office) to confirm receipt of text.
Results: While results are pending, a pilot of this project in Clay County, FL has demonstrated reductions in time from testing to treatment and cost savings.
Conclusions: This policy is a good example of new strategies for use of electronic resources and should work to reduce morbidity by promoting clients’ awareness of diagnosis, treatment adherence, and partner notification.
Implications for Programs, Policy, and Research: This policy serves as a good example of collaboration between local and state health offices, and STD field, surveillance, and evaluation experts.