Factors Associated with No-Show Rates in a Pediatric Audiology Clinic
David Adkins1, Marcia V Rojas-Ramirez2, Anita Shanker3
1Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery.
Objective:
To evaluate factors associated with no-show rates in a pediatric audiology clinic.
Study Design:
Retrospective review.
Setting:
Tertiary referral center.
Participants:
All pediatric patients younger than 18 years whose parents/guardians scheduled an appointment at a tertiary Audiology Clinic between June 1, 2015, and July 1, 2017.
Main Outcome Measures:
Data included whether the patient came to their appointment, patient age, sex, race, insurance type, appointment type, location, season of appointment, and day of the week of the appointment.
Results:
Of the 7,784 pediatric appointments scheduled with audiology, the overall no-show rate was 24.3% (n = 1893). Lower age was significantly associated with no-shows ( p = 0.0003). Black/African American children were more likely to no-show compared with White/Caucasians ( p = 0.0001). Compared with self-pay/military/other insurance, those with Medicaid were more likely to no-show ( p = 0.0001). The highest rate of no-shows occurred during summer (27%). On multivariate analysis, younger age, Black/African American race, and Medicaid insurance were associated with increased no-show rates.
Conclusion:
A variety of factors influence no-show rates in a pediatric audiology setting. No-shows can affect treatment quality and affect overall hearing outcomes. Further investigation is necessary to assess barriers to appointment adherence and to develop interventions to improve adherence and care.
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