Appointment Reminders: An Effective Solution To Promote Appointment Adherence

Missed appointments result in a lose-lose situation for both provider and patient. A no-show patient means more time rescheduling and longer wait times for other patients who are interested in an appointment, resulting in lower patient satisfaction. It also means higher costs of care delivery, while personnel and equipment go underutilized. Most importantly, missed appointments also negatively affect the health and treatment outcomes of the patient and increase the likelihood of complications and hospital admissions.

While patient-attendance data varies, studies generally report non-attendance rates between 15% and 30% in outpatient clinics. Simply reducing the number of missed appointments through appointment reminders is a low-cost fix that will increase the overall efficiency, effectiveness, and quality of health care.