Bridging the Gap: Portal Messages as a Tool to Improve Breast Cancer and Diabetes Screening Rates
By
Holly Krelle
William C. King
Sarah Tsuruo
Nathan Klapheke
Jeremy Lu
Kyra Rosen
Simon Jones
Blaire Holman
Lily Pazand
Lauren Diller
Gabriella Meringolo
Leora I. Horwitz
April 29, 2026
Clinical Scorecard: Enhancing Screening Rates for Breast Cancer and Diabetes Through Portal Messaging Strategies
At a Glance
Category Detail
Condition Breast Cancer and Diabetes Screening Key Mechanisms Electronic patient portal reminders to improve screening appointment rates. Target Population Patients aged 50-74 for mammograms and 18-75 for diabetes screenings. Care Setting Outpatient clinics of NYU Langone Health, New York City.
Key Highlights
Only 8% of U.S. patients over age 35 received all recommended preventive care services. Electronic reminders can significantly increase screening appointment rates. Intervention messages were designed using the EAST behavioral science framework. Patients received either newly designed messages or existing messages via MyChart. The study utilized a randomized design to assess the effectiveness of messaging. Guideline-Based Recommendations
Diagnosis
Identify patients due for mammograms or diabetes screenings based on EHR data. Management
Utilize electronic reminders to encourage scheduling of preventive screenings. Monitoring & Follow-up
Track appointment scheduling rates post-intervention. Risks
Patients not enrolled in patient portal messaging were excluded from the study. Patient & Prescribing Data
Approximately 260,000 patients annually covered by various insurance plans.
Effective messaging strategies can enhance patient engagement and screening rates.
Clinical Best Practices
Implement electronic reminders for preventive care screenings. Design messages that are easy to understand and attractive to patients. Incorporate direct scheduling links in reminders to facilitate appointment booking. References
