title: Improving attendance in psychiatric outpatient clinics by using reminders.
abstract: We compared non-attendance rates at follow-up appointments in an adult psychiatry outpatient clinic using three different reminder methods: letters, telephone prompts and text message reminders. Two of the three strategies resulted in a significant increase in the rate of attendance. Reminder letters increased attendance from 62% to 85% (P<0.001) and text messaging increased attendance from 72% to 80% (P<0.002). The attendance rate was not significantly different between the two groups when telephone reminders were used (P=0.068). However, telephone prompts resulted in an 8% higher cancellation rate compared to controls. When all factors were taken into consideration, no method demonstrated clear superiority. Efforts should be made to reduce patient non-attendance, as this is a predictor of patients being unwell and at higher risk of relapse. Text messages are an inexpensive method of reminding patients, although appropriate safeguards for patient confidentiality are required.
authors.affiliation: General Adult Psychiatry Department, Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust, Leicester, UK Girish.Kunigiri@leicspart.nhs.uk.
authors.forename: Girish
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kunigiri
authors.affiliation: General Adult Psychiatry Department, Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust, Leicester, UK.
authors.forename: Niman
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Gajebasia
authors.affiliation: General Adult Psychiatry Department, Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust, Leicester, UK.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Sallah
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001071:Appointments and Schedules; D003156:Community Mental Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D015709:Correspondence as Topic; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010044:Outpatient Clinics, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010349:Patient Compliance / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D017010:Reminder Systems; D006113:United Kingdom; D055815:Young Adult