[Non-attendance and late cancellation in private psychiatric practice]

We investigated non-attendance and cancellation of appointment on the day of the appointment in private psychiatric practice in Denmark.

Data from 2005 from a quality assurance database for private psychiatric practice (QAD3P) and a pilot investigation during one week comprise the data basis for this study. A total of 14 psychiatrists, i.e. approximately 10% of the private practising psychiatrists, reported to the database in 2005 and 16 psychiatrists reported to the pilot investigation. Non-attendance at the first consultation was not recorded.

Patients missed 6,7% of the appointments. A total of 22,8% of patients missed a minimum of one appointment. There was no difference between the sexes. Non-attendance was more common among younger patients than among elderly patients. Especially patients with eating disorders and emotionally unstable personality disorder had many missed appointments. Psychiatrists in regions with few psychiatrists had more non-attendances among their patients than psychiatrist in regions with more psychiatrists. There were more non-attendances in treatments that ended by non-attendance than in treatments with agreed termination. The pilot study saw 17 non-attendances and 23 cancelled appointments, and among these the psychiatrists found that the reasons for cancelling were reasonable in 17 cases.

Non-attendance and late cancellation of appointments at Danish private psychiatric practice amounted to 6.7%. This occurs in all groups of patients and to all psychiatrists.