Administrative Changes to Decrease Patient Absenteeism: A Quality Improvement Project
Author
Canipe, Stephanie
Abstract
Patient no-shows are individuals who fail to attend outpatient medical appointments without notification. This detrimental behavior leads to poor health outcomes, decrease in access to care, and financial losses. A literature review showed that enhancing communication techniques related to appointment reminders can lower non-attendance rates in a variety of outpatient clinic settings. Evidence-based information led to the formation of a quality improvement project with the aim of improving patient attendance with new communication techniques. Interventions included collecting data daily about all no-shows, performing a manual telephone reminder 24 hours prior to the scheduled appointment, and surveying the current patient population regarding their preferences for appointment reminders. The results revealed that the clinic no-show rate decreased from 7% to 1.3% during the eight-week project implementation. In addition, patient survey data demonstrated that 41% of the participants wished to have their reminder messages sent by text message; yet only 10% of the population were receiving them. Implications of the manual phone call reminders were an improved no-show rates despite patients’ preferences for text message reminders. Future projects directed at enrolling patient cellphone numbers as the primary SMS appointment reminder may be both desirable and beneficial.
Date
2019-11-22
Citation:
APA:
Canipe, Stephanie.
(November 2019).
Administrative Changes to Decrease Patient Absenteeism: A Quality Improvement Project
(DNP Scholarly Project, East Carolina University). Retrieved from the Scholarship.
(http://hdl.handle.net/10342/7567.)
MLA:
Canipe, Stephanie.
Administrative Changes to Decrease Patient Absenteeism: A Quality Improvement Project.
DNP Scholarly Project. East Carolina University,
November 2019. The Scholarship.
http://hdl.handle.net/10342/7567.
April 19, 2024.
Chicago:
Canipe, Stephanie,
“Administrative Changes to Decrease Patient Absenteeism: A Quality Improvement Project”
(DNP Scholarly Project., East Carolina University,
November 2019).
AMA:
Canipe, Stephanie.
Administrative Changes to Decrease Patient Absenteeism: A Quality Improvement Project
[DNP Scholarly Project]. Greenville, NC: East Carolina University;
November 2019.
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