Reducing non-attendance in an outpatient clinic

Abstract

Non-attendance in outpatient clinics wastes health service resources and may be the cause of unnecessary morbidity. However it can be reduced by better clinic organisation. The costs of non-attendance and the characteristics of non-attenders have been studied using a clinical information system. The system also facilitated the use of a patient questionnaire for non-attenders to confirm their intention to attend for an alternative appointment. Use of the questionnaires was associated with a reduction in non-attendance from 46% to 29% with a benefit to cost ratio of about three fold. The questionnaires may exert their effect by emphasising the importance of keeping appointments or by opening up a new channel of communication but this is only one course of action, amongst the several alternatives, which should be tried to reduce the level and effects of non-attendance in outpatient clinics.