The use of computerized birthday greeting reminders in the management of diabetes.

Background: Although mailed reminders have been used for prevention among general populations, few studies have evaluated their effectiveness among chronically ill populations.

Objective: We evaluated the effectiveness of mailed reminders for improving diabetes management. The reminder included a letter from the individual's primary care physician (PCP), a self-care handbook, a preventive care checklist, and specific recommendations regarding receipt of routine monitoring and screening.