Improving Patient Appointment Adherence With an Enhanced Appointment Reminder System

Background: No-show visits can significantly affect patient care, resulting in poor outcomes and scheduling inefficiencies in outpatient clinics. At the project site, the no-show rate was 29%, which was considerably higher than the national average of 18%. Methods: This quality improvement project aimed to reduce no-show rates by implementing an enhanced appointment reminder program at an outpatient clinic in the southwestern United States serving approximately 1,600 patients monthly. The program extended phone call reminders from 1 day before appointments to 3 days prior, giving patients more time to prepare for their visits (including labs and transportation). Patient appointment attendance was monitored over 12 days to observe changes. Results: An analysis of 653 patient visits revealed a significant reduction in the no-show rate, from 29% to 21% (p < .001), resulting in savings of $5,200 over 12 days. Age group, payor source, and notification timing emerged as significant predictors of no-shows (p < .001). Of the patients who kept their appointments, 48% (312) received a phone call at least 3 days before their scheduled appointment. Conclusions: The enhanced reminder program effectively improved appointment compliance and clinic revenue, highlighting the benefits of calling patients 3-5 days before their appointments.