New-patient no-shows in an urban family practice center: analysis and intervention

The new-patient no-show rate reached 55 percent in an urban, university-based family practice center in mid-1981. A prospective descriptive study revealed that the no-show rates varied significantly with hour of appointment, patient age, source of referral, delay in appointment date, and chronicity of illness. Study findings led to alterations in the scheduling system, with a subsequent drop in the new-patient no-show rate to 40 percent.