Patient appointment failures in pediatric resident continuity clinics.
OBJECTIVE
To determine appointment failure rates in pediatric resident continuity clinics nationally, and to identify characteristics of clinics with respect to factors that may affect appointment failure rates.


METHODS
A one-page questionnaire administered via facsimile machine to pediatric residencies' continuity clinic directors.


RESULTS
Of 200 continuity clinic directors, 160 (80%) returned the survey. The mean no-show percentage was 30.9%, with a range of 3% to 80%. Among the factors studied, only mode of payment emerged as an independent predictor.


CONCLUSIONS
Appointment failure is a substantial problem in pediatric resident continuity clinics, which needs attention if resident learning, patient care, and clinic efficiency are to be optimized.
Rust
C T
CT
Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Ga, USA.
Gallups
N H
NH
Clark
W S
WS
Jones
D S
DS
Wilcox
W D
WD
D001071:Appointments and Schedules; D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D010361:Patients; D010372:Pediatrics; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States