PLOS Digit Health

Text reminders tied to higher prescription fill rates, fewer heart failure readmissions

January 26, 2026

A retrospective cohort study of emergency department patients with congestive heart failure (CHF) found that those who interacted with short message service (SMS) medication reminders had higher odds of filling prescriptions and lower odds of hospital readmission than those who didn't engage. Among patients prescribed medications during their visit, SMS‐engaged individuals showed 19% higher odds of prescription fills (odds ratio [OR], 1.19; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.15–1.24) and 6% lower odds of readmission (OR, 0.94; 95% CI, 0.90–0.99).

Clinical takeaway: Patient engagement with SMS reminders may lead to better medication adherence and reduced readmissions in CHF.

Source:

Long B, et al. (2025, December 31). PLOS Digit Health. Interaction with SMS text-reminders correlate with improved medication adherence and readmission rates for congestive heart failure patients: A retrospective cohort study. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41474717/