title: To see or not to see?...that is the question. An analysis of out-patient follow-up arrangements and non-attendance in a community paediatric population.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the relationship between the number of outpatient appointments made; the distance traveled to attend these and the proportion of these appointments missed.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective Cohort Study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Community Paediatrics.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eighteen pre-school children on the Special Needs Register.
  
  
  RESULTS
  With an increase in the number of appointments made and the distances involved in attending these, the number of missed appointments tends to increase.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We need to educate parents as to the importance of follow-up, include families in decision making about appointments and rationalize the number of appointments made.
authors.affiliation: Victoria Hospital, Hayfield Road, Kirkcaldy, Fife, KY2 5AH. davidcordiner@aol.com
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Cordiner
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Logie
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Becher
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000553:Ambulatory Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D001071:Appointments and Schedules; D002648:Child; D002662:Child Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006801:Humans; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology; D010349:Patient Compliance; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012606:Scotland