Relationship of scheduling interval to missed and cancelled clinic appointments.
BACKGROUND
The interval between when a clinical appointment is created and when it occurs may affect the rate of missed and cancelled appointments, affecting access and loss to follow-up, key component of quality.


METHODS
We examined this relationship in various clinic types across Veterans Health Administration clinics nationwide.


RESULTS
As the interval increased, the missed appointment rate increased from 12.0% at day 1 to 20.3% at day 13, then remained constant. Cancellation rates increased steadily from 19% during month 1 to 50% by month 12.


CONCLUSIONS
Scheduling interval has a modest effect on missed appointment rates but a large effect on cancellation rates.
Whittle
Jeff
J
Primary Care Division, Clement J. Zablocki VA Medical Center, WI 53295, USA. jeffrey.whittle@va.gov
Schectman
Gordon
G
Lu
Na
N
Baar
Bill
B
Mayo-Smith
Michael F
MF
D000553:Ambulatory Care / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000555:Ambulatory Care Information Systems; D001071:Appointments and Schedules; D006302:Health Services Research; D006801:Humans; D008511:Medicine / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D009819:Office Visits / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010349:Patient Compliance / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D019984:Quality Indicators, Health Care; D017010:Reminder Systems; D013038:Specialization; D013043:Specialties, Surgical / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013995:Time; D014481:United States; D014493:United States Department of Veterans Affairs / Q000458:organization & administration*