THE EFFECTIVENESS OF A MAIL REMINDER SYSTEM FOR DEPOT MEDROXYPROGESTERONE INJECTIONS

To determine if a mail reminder system leads to an increase in the per centage of depot medroxyprogesterone acetate (Depo-Provera) injections administered on time, the charts of 184 women were reviewed. The remi nder postcard included the due dates of both the next medroxyprogester one injection and the next Papanicolaou test. Timeliness of injections improved with the reminder system from 64% administered on time to 76 % (P<.02). Injections given late despite the reminders were late a mea n of 8 days. Injections given late before the reminder system began we re late a mean of 20 days (P<.05). If injections given during the inje ction's 14-day ''grace'' period are included, the on-time rate improve d from 87% to 96% with the reminder system (P<.005). The reminder syst em was not effective in ensuring annual Papanicolaou testing. Vigilanc e is needed to ensure that women receiving medroxyprogesterone injecti ons also receive timely Papanicolaou testing.