Biomaterial Database

A study of "broken appointment" patients in a children's hospital dental clinic. 1977

R C Fazio, and J Boffa

Part I of this study investigated possible variables determining "High Risk No Show" behavior on the part of patients in a dental clinic. Only "source of payment" seemed important; namely, that Medicaid patients were statistically more likely to be "High Risk No Show" patients (P less than .001). Race was associated but was found to be confounded with Medicaid. In an attempt to investigate the reasons for the Medicaid group being "High Risk No Show" patients, Part II of the study compared three distinct groups of patients at the Children's Hospital Medical Center Clinic. These included the self-paying group and the Medicaid group of the original sample of 90 in addition to the Union plan group (patients receiving free third-party payment care as an employee benefit). It was shown that both groups with third-party coverage were associated with "High Risk No Show" behavior. The type of "No Show" behavior, however, was different for the two groups. Union plan patients tended to cancel appointments or at least notify in advance of inability to keep an appointment. Medicaid patients, conversely, were just as likely to fail appointments and not file advance notice of inability to keep an appointment.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007347	Insurance, Dental	Insurance providing coverage for dental care.	Prepaid Dental Care,Care, Prepaid Dental,Dental Care Plan,Dental Insurance,Plan, Dental Care,Plans, Dental Care,Dental Care Plans,Dental Care, Prepaid
D008484	Medicaid	Federal program, created by Public Law 89-97, Title XIX, a 1965 amendment to the Social Security Act, administered by the states, that provides health care benefits to indigent and medically indigent persons.	Dental Medicaid Program,Medical Assistance, Title 19,Dental Medicaid Programs,Medicaid Program, Dental,Medicaid Programs, Dental,Program, Dental Medicaid,Programs, Dental Medicaid
D008913	Minority Groups	A subgroup having special characteristics within a larger group, often bound together by special ties which distinguish it from the larger group.	Group, Minority,Groups, Minority,Minority Group
D002648	Child	A person 6 to 12 years of age. An individual 2 to 5 years old is CHILD, PRESCHOOL.	Children
D003740	Dental Clinics	Facilities where dental care is provided to patients.	Clinics, Dental,Clinic, Dental,Dental Clinic
D003796	Dental Service, Hospital	Hospital department providing dental care.	Hospital Dental Service,Service, Hospital Dental,Dental Services, Hospital,Hospital Dental Services,Services, Hospital Dental
D006776	Hospitals, Pediatric	Special hospitals which provide care for ill children.	Pediatric Hospitals,Hospital, Pediatric,Pediatric Hospital
D006782	Hospitals, Special	Hospitals which provide care for a single category of illness with facilities and staff directed toward a specific service.	Special Hospital,Hospital, Special,Special Hospitals
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D001071	Appointments and Schedules	The different methods of scheduling patient visits, appointment systems, individual or group appointments, waiting times, waiting lists for hospitals, walk-in clinics, etc.	Patient Appointments,Patient Schedules,Schedules, Patient,Appointments,Schedules,Appointment,Appointment, Patient,Appointments, Patient,Patient Appointment,Patient Schedule,Schedule,Schedule, Patient,Schedules and Appointments