Study of Impact of Telehealth Use on Clinic “No Show” Rates at an Academic Practice

Abstract

Objective To examine the clinic no-show rate across different modalities of care delivery (Face to Face, Telephone visits and Audio–Video visits). Methods Clinic no show data for adult patients was extracted from the electronic health records used by the psychiatry clinic for 10 months before pandemic and 10 months during pandemic. No show rate was analyzed by visits type (new vs return) and across different modalities (face-to-face vs Telephone vs Audio–Video) before and during COVID pandemic. Results There were 13,916 scheduled visits during the 10-month period before the pandemic of which 2,522 were no show. There were 13,251 scheduled visits during the 10-month period during the COVID pandemic of which 2,029 were no show. The overall clinic no show rate decreased from pre pandemic to pandemic period (18.1% vs 15.3%) after transitioning to telehealth. Across different modalities during the pandemic, the no-show rate for Telephone visits was significantly lower than for face- to-face visits. No difference was identified for no-show rates between face-to-face visits and audio–video visits during the pandemic. The no-show rate for face-to-face visits before the pandemic compared to during the pandemic also showed no difference. Conclusion Using technology in health care delivery can decrease the clinic no show rate. Digital literacy for patients and providers is critical for successful utilization of telehealth. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s11126-022-09983-6.

A comparative analysis of outpatient nutrition clinic scheduling outcomes based on in-person and telehealth patient care delivery modalities

“…One study saw a significant decrease in no-show rates when comparing operations data pre-and post-pandemic [33] . Other studies have also seen similar trends of clinic no-show rates decreasing from pre-pandemic to when telehealth became the primary patient care modality during the pandemic [10] . Telehealth decreases the number of cancellations and no-show rates; this ultimately provides a positive impact on clinic workflows, patient outcomes, and quality of care [32] .…”

“…The perspectives from both healthcare providers and patients about the use of telehealth care modality is overall positive. After the initial adjustment period, the majority of healthcare providers reported being comfortable using telehealth for patient care [9] , [10] . Studies have shown that physicians felt they were able to diagnose acute conditions and provide efficient educational sessions during clinical consultations using telehealth [11] .…”

Characterizing No-shows in the Omani Primary Healthcare Setting

“…A recent study in the USA found that the no-show rates for phone consultations in psychiatry were significantly lower than face-to-face mode for both new visits ( p = 0.021) and return visits ( p < 0.001). 31 However, for new appointments for televisits, no-show rates did not significantly differ from face-to-face mode ( p = 0.681) or return ( p = 0.186). 31 Interestingly, a study on dermatology clinics found that televisits had significantly lower no-show rates compared with clinic visits.…”

“… 31 However, for new appointments for televisits, no-show rates did not significantly differ from face-to-face mode ( p = 0.681) or return ( p = 0.186). 31 Interestingly, a study on dermatology clinics found that televisits had significantly lower no-show rates compared with clinic visits. 32 This suggests that different types of health disciplines may require different strategies to tackle no-show rates.…”

Association Between Telehealth and Missed Appointments Among Patients Experiencing Behavioral Health Challenges

“…Telehealth has generally been considered effective and is widely implemented to treat behavioral health conditions. Although knowledge about no-shows is critical to inform health care institutions for effective management of resources and better health outcomes, 1 a limited body of literature has compared no-shows between telehealth and in-person care in behavioral health clinics in rural settings that cater to patients with relatively low income.…”