The American journal of psychiatry
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This study investigated reasons for missed psychiatric appointments, rescheduling of appointments, adverse outcomes, and the association of specific diagnoses and treatments with missed appointments. ⋯ Most patients quickly reschedule missed appointments, and those in more intensive treatments miss fewer appointments. Missed appointments for initial evaluation are not rescheduled most often. Patients in ongoing treatment who do not return may have histories of noncompliance with treatment. The high rate of rescheduling suggests that follow-up of patients who miss appointments should be a clinical decision rather than a routine policy.