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BMC Primary Care
Published in: BMC Primary Care 1/2010

Open Access 01-12-2010 | Research article

Reduction of missed appointments at an urban primary care clinic: a randomised controlled study

Authors: Noelle Junod Perron, Melissa Dominicé Dao, Michel P Kossovsky, Valerie Miserez, Carmen Chuard, Alexandra Calmy, Jean-Michel Gaspoz

Published in: BMC Primary Care | Issue 1/2010

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Abstract

Background

Missed appointments are known to interfere with appropriate care and to misspend medical and administrative resources. The aim of this study was to test the effectiveness of a sequential intervention reminding patients of their upcoming appointment and to identify the profile of patients missing their appointments.

Methods

We conducted a randomised controlled study in an urban primary care clinic at the Geneva University Hospitals serving a majority of vulnerable patients. All patients booked in a primary care or HIV clinic at the Geneva University Hospitals were sent a reminder 48 hrs prior to their appointment according to the following sequential intervention: 1. Phone call (fixed or mobile) reminder; 2. If no phone response: a Short Message Service (SMS) reminder; 3. If no available mobile phone number: a postal reminder. The rate of missed appointment, the cost of the intervention, and the profile of patients missing their appointment were recorded.

Results

2123 patients were included: 1052 in the intervention group, 1071 in the control group. Only 61.7% patients had a mobile phone recorded at the clinic. The sequential intervention significantly reduced the rate of missed appointments: 11.4% (n = 122) in the control group and 7.8% (n = 82) in the intervention group (p < 0.005), and allowed to reallocate 28% of cancelled appointments. It also proved to be cost effective in providing a total net benefit of 1846. - EUR/3 months. A satisfaction survey conducted with 241 patients showed that 93% of them were not bothered by the reminders and 78% considered them to be useful. By multivariate analysis, the following characteristics were significant predictors of missed appointments: younger age (OR per additional decade 0.82; CI 0.71-0.94), male gender (OR 1.72; CI 1.18-2.50), follow-up appointment >1year (OR 2.2; CI: 1.15-4.2), substance abuse (2.09, CI 1.21-3.61), and being an asylum seeker (OR 2.73: CI 1.22-6.09).

Conclusion

A practical reminder system can significantly increase patient attendance at medical outpatient clinics. An intervention focused on specific patient characteristics could further increase the effectiveness of appointment reminders.
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Metadata
Title
Reduction of missed appointments at an urban primary care clinic: a randomised controlled study
Authors
Noelle Junod Perron
Melissa Dominicé Dao
Michel P Kossovsky
Valerie Miserez
Carmen Chuard
Alexandra Calmy
Jean-Michel Gaspoz
Publication date
01-12-2010
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
BMC Primary Care / Issue 1/2010
Electronic ISSN: 2731-4553
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2296-11-79

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