The American journal of medicine
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study
The effectiveness of outpatient appointment reminder systems in reducing no-show rates.
Patients who do not keep physician appointments (no-shows) represent a significant loss to healthcare providers. For patients, the cost includes their dissatisfaction and reduced quality of care. An automated telephone appointment reminder system may decrease the no-show rate. Understanding characteristics of patients who miss their appointments will aid in the formulation of interventions to reduce no-show rates. ⋯ A clinic staff reminder was significantly more effective in lowering the no-show rate compared with an automated appointment reminder system.