AN AUTOMATED PHONE SYSTEM FOR HEALTH PROMOTION PROGRAMS

PREVENTIVE HEALTH PROGRAMS ARE LEAST EFFECTIVE IN TRACKING CLIENTS, IN FOLLOWING UP AND MAINTAINING THE LONG-TERM EFFECTS OF INTERVENTIONS, AND IN EVALUATING THEIR OUTCOME. THESE COMPONENTS OF PREVENTIVE PROGRAMS REQUIRE REGULAR CONTACT WITH LARGE NUMBERS OF INDIVIDUAL CLIENTS AND DEMAND THE GREATEST EFFORT ON THE PART OF THE PROVIDERS IN TERMS OF TIME SPENT CONTACTING CLIENTS AND IN MAINTAINING ADMINISTRATIVE RECORDS. IN THIS PROJECT WE PROPOSE TO DEVELOP A TELEPHONE/COMPUTER SYSTEM THAT WILL LARGELY AUTOMATE THESE SERVICES. A DEVICE CONSISTING OF A COMPUTER, A VOICE DIGITIZER, A COMPUTER/TELEPHONE CONNECTION, AND A TOUCH-TONE DECODER WILL MAINTAIN PERIODIC TELEPHONE CONTACT WITH CLIENTS WHO SIGN UP FOR PREVENTIVE SERVICES, ASK THEM QUESTIONS (BY DIGITIZED VOICE) ABOUT THEIR COMPLIANCE WITH THE PROGRAM(S) THEY HAVE UNDERTAKEN, DECODE THEIR ANSWERS (ENTERED VIA TOUCH TONE), BRANCH APPROPRIATELY, AND KEEP RECORDS OF THESE TRANSACTIONS. THE SYSTEM WILL PROVIDE PERIODIC REPORTS TO PROVIDERS, ALERTING THEM TO THE NEEDS OF CLIENTS REQUIRING PERSONAL HUMAN INTERVENTION. BY SHIFTING THE BURDEN OF DATA INPUT FROM THE PROVIDER DIRECTLY TO THE CLIENT, THE SYSTEM WILL ENABLE PROVIDERS TO GO BEYOND A SINGLE INTERVENTION PREVENTION PROGRAM TO A LONG-TERM MANAGEMENT STRATEGY. IT IS PROPOSED TO STUDY THIS SYSTEM IN A MEDIUM SIZED CORPORATION THAT CURRENTLY PROVIDES PREVENTION PROGRAMS TO DETERMINE WHETHER THEIR EFFECTS CAN BE SIGNIFICANTLY IMPROVED. IF PROVEN USEFUL, THERE IS GOOD REASON TO BELIEVE THE SYSTEM WILL BE VERY ATTRACTIVE TO A LARGE NUMBER OF HOSPITAL AND CORPORATE HEALTH PROGRAMS, SINCE IT WILL PERMIT A SMALL NUMBER OF STAFF PROVIDERS TO SERVICE A LARGE POPULATION OF CLIENTS, AND THE