Reminder Texts Help Radiology Department Reduce Nuclear Medicine Appointment Cancelations

Why It Matters

Reducing same‑day cancellations frees high‑cost imaging slots, boosting revenue and patient throughput. The results demonstrate a scalable, low‑cost strategy for radiology departments facing growing nuclear medicine demand.

Key Takeaways

• Mayo Clinic Jacksonville deployed automated reminder texts for stress tests and PET.
• Cancellation rate fell to 3.21% for stress tests when messages opened.
• FDG PET cancellations dropped to 1.13% with intent‑to‑treat messaging.
• Median PET appointment delay reduced from 5.67 to 0.43 minutes.
• Pre‑procedure texts boost imaging equipment utilization and scheduling predictability.

Pulse Analysis

Demand for nuclear medicine imaging is rising, but the procedures often require strict patient preparation—such as caffeine avoidance for cardiac stress tests—making same‑day cancellations a costly operational headache. When appointments are missed, high‑value scanners sit idle, revenue is lost, and downstream patient care is delayed. Hospitals therefore seek inexpensive, high‑impact tools to improve adherence without adding staff burden, and automated text reminders fit that niche.

The Mayo Clinic’s Jacksonville campus piloted a two‑phase messaging program, first for cardiac stress tests in June 2025 and then for FDG PET scans a month later. An intent‑to‑treat analysis showed PET cancellations fell from 2.46% to 1.13%, while a per‑protocol view of stress‑test data cut cancellations from 5.91% to 3.21% when patients opened the texts. Moreover, median delays for completed PET exams shrank dramatically—from 5.67 minutes to just 0.43 minutes—indicating smoother patient flow and better scanner utilization. These statistically significant gains were achieved with a simple SMS platform integrated into existing scheduling software.

Beyond the immediate efficiency boost, the study signals a broader shift toward digital patient engagement in radiology. Automated reminders are low‑cost, easily scalable, and can be customized for diverse prep protocols, making them attractive for community hospitals and large health systems alike. As reimbursement models increasingly reward throughput and patient satisfaction, radiology departments that embed such communication tools into electronic health records stand to improve both financial performance and clinical outcomes, positioning themselves for sustainable growth in the competitive nuclear imaging market.