Waning effectiveness of mailed reminders on reducing broken appointments

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Management
• Patient Adherence Studies

Background:

• Broken appointments pose significant challenges for healthcare facilities.
• Mailed appointment reminder cards have historically been effective in improving patient attendance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To re-evaluate the long-term effectiveness of mailed appointment reminders in reducing broken appointments.
• To assess if the impact of reminder cards diminishes over time.

Main Methods:

• A follow-up study was conducted at the Anthony L. Jordan Health Center.
• A systematic random sample of patients had their reminder cards withheld.
• Comparison of appointment "keep rates" between patients who received reminders and those who did not.

Main Results:

• No significant difference in appointment "keep rates" was observed between the group receiving reminders (64%) and the control group (62%).
• The initial positive impact of mailed reminders on reducing broken appointments appeared to wane.

Conclusions:

• The effectiveness of mailed appointment reminders in reducing broken appointments may decrease over extended periods.
• Healthcare facilities should consider re-evaluating the sustained efficacy of reminder systems.