Abstract

Background: “No-show rate” refers to the percentage of scheduled appointments that patients did not attend.
The process of reducing a clinic’s no-show rate often begins with identifying patients’ reasons for not attending their appointments. This study extends current understanding of this topic by addressing this specific population. At the Adventist Health Clinic in Hanford, the no-show rate - nearly 30% - is higher than that of other Adventist Health clinics in the California Central Valley. SMART Aim: By May 1, 2022, identify two main barriers which result in the high no-show rate among patients at the Adventist Health Clinic at Hanford to decrease the current patient non-attendance rate. Methods: Patients who missed appointments during set periods of time were contacted via phone call and asked to answer questions in a retrospective survey format. Answers were recorded via Google Forms and analyzed via Microsoft Excel graphs. Results: The two main barriers causing the high no-show rate at Hanford Adventist Health Clinic were forgetting that the appointment was scheduled and family-related emergencies. These were followed by transportation-related emergencies and insurance-related issues. Discussion: An implication of the main barrier of forgetting is that it might be helpful to change the current reminder system, especially since many participants were not receiving reminders. The clinic should make sure all contact information is updated and accurate. To address emergencies, the clinic should make sure the rescheduling process is quick and easy. Finally, transportation being a key barrier means that the clinic should consider transitioning more appointments to virtual, as well as better advertise free shuttle service.