Factors related to missed appointment at psychiatric clinic in Songklanagarind Hospital.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the associated factors of missed appointments among psychiatric clients.


METHODS
All medical records of the psychiatric patients in the year 2007, age more than 15-years-old, were reviewed retrospectively. The variables included age, occupation, disease/condition, type of medical welfare, distance from hospital, attending physician category, and number of visit scheduled and completed.


RESULTS
Around one-fifth of 11, 753 (2,423) (20.6%) were missed appointments. Types of therapist (psychiatric residents), non-welfare clients, and distance from the hospital of more than 50 kilometers significantly (p < 0.01) increased the rate of missed appointment.


CONCLUSIONS
The surveillance of the appointment system implied the visit/non-visit rate, and adherence to the follow-up appointment, as well as had indirectly reflected the client's satisfaction, and barriers of medical services.
Department of Nursing, Songklanagarind Hospital, Hat Yai, Songkhla, Thailand. cwanna@medicine.psu.ac.th
Wanna
W
Charupanit
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001071:Appointments and Schedules; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000628:therapy*; D010044:Outpatient Clinics, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010349:Patient Compliance / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011567:Psychiatric Department, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D017010:Reminder Systems; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013785:Thailand; D055815:Young Adult