The Empty Chair Appointment

Jody Long,Khaja Chisty,John Upton,Ken Sakauye

doi:10.1177/2158244015625094

Jody Long, Khaja Chisty + Show 2 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1177/2158244015625094

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Abstract

The objective was to test an intervention to reduce failed rates for psychiatric appointments. We collected data for this study of the characteristics of patients who missed appointments from March 2011 through September 2012. A phone triage assessment intervention was implemented to address chronic first-time failed attendance appointments ( N = 78). The main reason for failed appointments was transportation difficulties. The first-time appointment show rate increased after implementing an assessment intervention. Phone assessment intervention was practical and may improve nonattendance for psychiatric appointments. The discussion reflects speculations about causes and possible measures to make services more accessible.

Highlights

A perennial problem at university psychiatry clinics has been high failure-to-show patients, often without notification
Missed patient appointments at university psychiatry clinics have been a major source of financial concern given the wasted time of faculty and resources (Peters & Bayer, 1999)
Additional administrative barriers known to affect failed appointment rates included distance traveled to the clinic, hours offered for the appointment, transportation difficulties, cost, appropriateness of service, language or cultural barriers, and biases held by patients (Basem & Alapont, 1993; Cheng et al, 2014; Cruz et al, 2013; Sims et al, 2012; Stein et al, 2014)

Summary

Introduction

A perennial problem at university psychiatry clinics has been high failure-to-show patients, often without notification. Patients who failed to keep first-time psychiatric appointments suffered consequences such as more frequent hospital emergency room visits and hospitalizations (Cheng, Huang, Tsang, & Lin, 2014). Missed patient appointments at university psychiatry clinics have been a major source of financial concern given the wasted time of faculty and resources (Peters & Bayer, 1999). Additional administrative barriers known to affect failed appointment rates included distance traveled to the clinic, hours offered for the appointment, transportation difficulties, cost, appropriateness of service (e.g., matched for the acuity or chronicity of the patient), language or cultural barriers, and biases held by patients (Basem & Alapont, 1993; Cheng et al, 2014; Cruz et al, 2013; Sims et al, 2012; Stein et al, 2014). Several authors have cited certain clinic attributes such as reminder phone calls and reminder texts that play a part in improving attendance rates of psychiatric clinics (Paige & Mansell, 2013; Shoffner et al, 2007)

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