[Patient-reported reasons for missed otolaryngology outpatient appointments]

Non-attendance at hospital outpatient clinics disrupts continuity of care and reduces healthcare efficiency, particularly in high-demand specialties. This study analyzes patient-reported reasons for non-attendance at otolaryngology (ENT) outpatient clinics, classifies them according to their potential avoidability, and assesses the frequency of subsequent appointment rescheduling.

A retrospective observational study was conducted at a secondary-level public hospital. Among 1,117 missed outpatient appointments recorded in 2024, a random sample of 299 was selected. Structured telephone interviews were carried out between February and June 2025. Reasons for non-attendance were categorized using a predefined classification and grouped as avoidable or unavoidable. Descriptive analyses were performed, together with ?² and Mann-Whitney U tests. Open-ended responses underwent descriptive thematic analysis and were mapped to the dimensions of Levesque's access-to-care framework.

The final analyses included 232 appointments (77.5%). Failure to receive appointment notification was the most frequently reported reason for non-attendance (32.3%), followed by work-related or personal scheduling conflicts (19.4%). Overall, 42.2% of missed appointments were considered potentially avoidable, whereas only 25.0% of them were subsequently rescheduled. Neither avoidability nor rescheduing was associated with age, sex, or nationality. The approachability dimension accounted for 44.6% of all reported reasons.

Non-attendance at ENT outpatient clinics is largely attributable to potentially modifiable factors, particularly failures in the appointment notification process. Despite missed appointments, only one quarter of patients subsequently rescheduled their appointment.