Biomaterial Database

Effecting change in outpatient failed appointments. 1984

S P Barry, and A A Daniels

The problem of failed appointments was addressed in a family practice clinic. This study borrows an approach toward increasing clinic attendance that has had consistent and positive results in mental health settings: pretherapy induction. The previsit induction was intended to prepare the patient for entry into a medical system, altering erroneous and unrealistic expectations of the patient, which, if left unaddressed, can lead to patient frustration and subsequent noncompliance. Four hundred sixty patients were each randomly assigned to one of three groups. One group viewed a 20-minute videotape introducing the clinic, its staff, and services, and how to utilize the staff during and outside office hours. A second experimental group received the same information in pamphlet form. The control group received no information about clinic function except that which was requested by the patient. Eleven months after onset of the study all patient charts were reviewed. Compared with both the no-treatment control group and the pamphlet experimental group, significantly fewer new patients viewing the induction videotape missed subsequent scheduled appointments (P less than .025). This same group had a significantly lower number of missed appointments during the study period (P less than .05).

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D010044	Outpatient Clinics, Hospital	Organized services in a hospital which provide medical care on an outpatient basis.	Ambulatory Care Facilities, Hospital,Hospital Outpatient Clinics,Clinic, Hospital Outpatient,Clinics, Hospital Outpatient,Hospital Outpatient Clinic,Outpatient Clinic, Hospital
D010349	Patient Compliance	Voluntary cooperation of the patient in following a prescribed regimen.	Client Adherence,Client Compliance,Non-Adherent Patient,Patient Adherence,Patient Cooperation,Patient Noncompliance,Patient Non-Adherence,Patient Non-Compliance,Patient Nonadherence,Therapeutic Compliance,Treatment Compliance,Adherence, Client,Adherence, Patient,Client Compliances,Compliance, Client,Compliance, Patient,Compliance, Therapeutic,Compliance, Treatment,Cooperation, Patient,Non Adherent Patient,Non-Adherence, Patient,Non-Adherent Patients,Non-Compliance, Patient,Nonadherence, Patient,Noncompliance, Patient,Patient Non Adherence,Patient Non Compliance,Patient, Non-Adherent,Therapeutic Compliances,Treatment Compliances
D010353	Patient Education as Topic	The teaching or training of patients concerning their own health needs.	Education of Patients,Education, Patient,Patient Education
D005194	Family Practice	A medical specialty concerned with the provision of continuing, comprehensive primary health care for the entire family.	Family Practices,Practice, Family,Practices, Family
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
D014743	Videotape Recording	Recording of visual and sometimes sound signals on magnetic tape.	Tape Recording, Video,Videotapes,Recording, Video Tape,Recording, Videotape,Recordings, Video Tape,Recordings, Videotape,Tape Recordings, Video,Video Tape Recording,Video Tape Recordings,Videotape,Videotape Recordings