An Outreach Intervention Increases Bone Densitometry Testing in Older Women

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the performance of a patient recall intervention that relies on an outreach coordinator with a bachelor's degree to prompt women by mail and telephone about their eligibility for bone densitometry (dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA)) screening and allow them to schedule an examination without a medical provider visit ahead of time. DESIGN: Observational. SETTING: Academic general internal medicine practice. INTERVENTION: Mail- and telephone-based patient recall for DXA. PARTICIPANTS: Five hundred sixty-four women aged 65 to 79 at average risk for osteoporosis without a history of DXA. MEASUREMENTS: Rates of DXA completion and the change in proportion of screened women during a 7-month intervention period, case finding for clinically significant bone loss, frequency of appropriate clinical follow-up, DXA no-show rates compared with usual care, and clinician satisfaction. RESULTS: Through patient recall, rates of DXA screening rose significantly (P