S Frankel1, A Farrow, R West. 1. Department of Epidemiology and Community Medicine, University of Wales, College of Medicine, Cardiff.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To determine the causes of non-attendance at new outpatient appointments. DESIGN: Case-control study of non-attenders and attenders. SETTING: Outpatient department of a general hospital. SUBJECTS: All non-attenders (n = 277) for first outpatient appointments in six specialties during a three month period were included. Controls (n = 135) were the attenders who followed every second non-attender; thus they attended the same consultant on the same day that the non-attenders were expected. INTERVENTIONS: None. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Information on the clinical problem, difficulties in attending the hospital, and reasons for non-attendance from the questionnaire were coded and classified. Non-attenders had received shorter notice of their appointment than attenders (14% v 1% had received three days' notice or less). There were small differences in the seriousness of patients' clinical condition. CONCLUSIONS: Client factors are less important than aspects of the service in explaining non-attendance at outpatient appointments.
OBJECTIVE: To determine the causes of non-attendance at new outpatient appointments. DESIGN: Case-control study of non-attenders and attenders. SETTING:Outpatient department of a general hospital. SUBJECTS: All non-attenders (n = 277) for first outpatient appointments in six specialties during a three month period were included. Controls (n = 135) were the attenders who followed every second non-attender; thus they attended the same consultant on the same day that the non-attenders were expected. INTERVENTIONS: None. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Information on the clinical problem, difficulties in attending the hospital, and reasons for non-attendance from the questionnaire were coded and classified. Non-attenders had received shorter notice of their appointment than attenders (14% v 1% had received three days' notice or less). There were small differences in the seriousness of patients' clinical condition. CONCLUSIONS: Client factors are less important than aspects of the service in explaining non-attendance at outpatient appointments.