Impact of Automated Reminder Calls in a Safety-Net Setting on Surgical Clinic No-Show Rates

Braschi, Caitlyn; Gutierrez, Griselda; Liu, Jessica K; Yetasook, Amy; Simms, Eric R.; Petrie, Beverley A.; Moazzez, Ashkan

doi:10.1177/00031348221142573

Cited by 3 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 3 publications

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“…Moreover, a key feature of standardisation is that it ensures that anaesthetists and surgeons are aligned regarding pre-operative workup and cancellation decisions. Second, and perhaps more importantly, the study emphasises the importance of preoperative communication with patients in reducing sameday cancellations and corroborates similar reports in other hospital settings [5,6]. Text messages in particular represent a low-cost, accessible and potentially automatable way of ensuring that patients show up for scheduled surgery and may be especially impactful given that mobile telephone use is nearly ubiquitous globally, including in low-and middle-income countries [7].…”

supporting

confidence: 81%

Improving patient care and enhancing surgical efficiency: strategies to reduce same‐day surgical cancellations

Dixit,

Sun

2024

Anaesthesia

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supporting

confidence: 81%

Improving patient care and enhancing surgical efficiency: strategies to reduce same‐day surgical cancellations

Dixit,

Sun

2024

Anaesthesia

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“…A before-after study within the general surgery clinic of a safety net hospital in Southern California demonstrated that automated "robocalls" independently reduced the no-show rate. 26 While these automated messages do appear to be effective, a large, randomized trial in 2016 revealed that live-person phone calls 1 week prior to scheduled internal medicine appointments increased attendance compared to automated messages. 27 Extensive work in this field stimulated a Cochrane review analyzing eight randomized controlled trials with 6,615 patients, finding limited evidence that text messaging reminders may improve clinic attendance compared to no reminders or postal reminders.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…A before-after study within the general surgery clinic of a safety net hospital in Southern California demonstrated that automated "robocalls" independently reduced the no-show rate 26 .…”

Section: Appointment Reminders Are Also Routine Interventions Designe...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Risk Factors for Missed Follow-up Appointments among Facial Trauma Patients

Zebolsky,

Gallo,

Clarke

et al. 2024

Facial Plast Surg

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Objective: A retrospective case-control study was performed to characterize the rate of missed follow-up appointments after facial trauma and identify associated risk factors. Methods: Follow-up appointments for facial trauma over a three-month period at a single, safety-net hospital were analyzed. Appointment-specific, sociodemographic, trauma, and management data were compared between cases (missed appointments) and controls (attended appointments). Univariate testing and multivariable logistic regression were employed. Results: A total of 116 cases and 259 controls were identified, yielding a missed appointment rate of 30.9% (116/375). Missed appointments were significantly associated with initial clinic appointments compared to return visits (odds ratio [OR] 2.21 [1.38 – 3.54]), afternoon visits compared to morning (OR 3.14 [1.94 – 5.07]), lack of private health insurance (OR 2.91 [1.68 – 5.18]), and presence of midface fractures (OR 2.04 [1.28 – 3.27]). Missed appointments were negatively associated with mandible fractures (OR 0.56 [0.35 – 0.89]), surgical management (OR 0.48 [0.30 – 0.77]), and the presence of non-removable hardware (OR 0.39 [0.23 – 0.64]). Upon multivariable logistic regression, missed appointments remained independently associated with afternoon visits (adjusted OR [aOR] 1.95 [1.12 – 3.4]), lack of private health insurance (aOR 2.73 [1.55 – 4.8]), and midface fractures (aOR: 2.09 [1.21 – 3.59]). Conclusion: Nearly one-third of facial trauma patients missed follow-up appointments, with the greatest risk among those with afternoon appointments, lacking private health insurance, and with midface fractures.

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Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Resident Indigent Care Clinic Optimization by Improving “No-Show” Rates

Bilezikian,

Kimmel,

Thurston

2024

Ann Plast Surg

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Absenteeism among clinical patients is a significant source of inefficiency in the modern American health care system. Routine absenteeism limits access to care for indigent patients, thus providing additional strain on the health care system and timely administration of care. This quality improvement project set out to quantify, understand, and potentially reduce patient absenteeism in our weekly plastic and reconstructive surgery resident indigent care clinic. One year prior to our study was retrospectively reviewed to determine a baseline rate of absenteeism (no shows). The daily and monthly no-show percentages were calculated. Then, three consecutive 2-month Plan, Do, Study, Act (PDSA) cycles were performed and data were recorded. The initial year analysis demonstrated an average no-show rate of 25%. The first PDSA cycle attempted to ascertain factors contributing to absenteeism and to get patients rescheduled. The rate of clinical absenteeism was 27% over this period compared with a rate of 18% in the control period. During this period, we discovered a limitation of our institution's electronic medical record (EMR). Rescheduled patients were removed from the original schedule and were not counted as a missed appointment even though the opportunity for care was missed. The second PDSA cycle attempted to collect raw data while trying to understand the EMR error and rescheduling process. During this period, there was a 33% no-show rate compared with 27% in the control period. The third PDSA cycle attempted again to establish factors contributing to clinical absenteeism with a better understanding of the limitations of our EMR. A 33% no-show rate during this cycle was recorded compared with 22% in the control period. After three PDSA cycles were completed, our clinic had an average no-show rate of 31% compared with 25% during the same months in the previous year. This project brought to realization that our data were initially skewed by our ignorance of an EMR flaw that did not track patients who either canceled or rescheduled their appointments. We also learned that there is a certain subset of patients who are not able to be contacted and who do not follow up.

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Impact of Automated Reminder Calls in a Safety-Net Setting on Surgical Clinic No-Show Rates

Cited by 3 publications

References 3 publications

Improving patient care and enhancing surgical efficiency: strategies to reduce same‐day surgical cancellations

Improving patient care and enhancing surgical efficiency: strategies to reduce same‐day surgical cancellations

Risk Factors for Missed Follow-up Appointments among Facial Trauma Patients

Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Resident Indigent Care Clinic Optimization by Improving “No-Show” Rates

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