Health Services confronts no-show problem

Cindy Smith, Director of Heath Services, has made several changes to curb the rising number of uncanceled no-show appointments at the Health Center. However, even with these changes there has not been a significant reduction in the number of students failing to cancel their appointments.

The trend of students not showing up for their appointments is more easily documented now thanks to upgrades in the scheduling software within the clinic. However, according to Smith this particular finding is nothing new.

"We've tracked this for years, because it has always been a concern. We have tried to figure out the best way to decrease the number of no shows," Smith said.

The clinic has implemented several ideas, some which are new this semester, to try to reduce no shows.

"We try to make it as easy as possible for the students to cancel. They can do it online, they can call and cancel. We try to give them every opportunity," Smith said.

According to Smith, if students took the time to actually cancel their appointments it would make Health Services much more efficient.

"Sometimes even if we know a little bit in advance we can get a walk-in appointment. Even if it's within an hour of their appointment we can put someone in there," Smith said.

Many people would credit these no-shows to people simply being too sick to actually use the phone to call in a cancellation. However, according to Smith, it is the other way around.

"I think a lot of what it is, is that they are better. They may have had their appointment scheduled a day or two ahead and gotten better," Smith said.

Ironically, the kids that are the sickest usually have a family member or roommate who is able to call in to cancel their appointment.

This frustration over students failing to cancel is backed up by statistical evidence. As an example, in February 2006 there were 2175 appointments made at the clinic. Out of those people that made appointments, 194 of them were no-shows.

This trend, which has remained constant since then, amounts to roughly 10 percent of the scheduled visits. That percentage has not seen a significant decrease within the last year.

Smith, along with the rest of the Health Services staff, has begun to consider means by which to reduce the number of no-shows.

In an effort to prevent no-shows, the clinic emails students about their upcoming appointments and starting this semester has begun using phone reminders.

Smith also said that the clinic is considering charging a fee for no-shows. This would be similar to what the specialty clinics within Health Services already do.

"Some of the specialty clinics [such as] psychiatry, nutrition, gynecology and dental [have a policy that] if the students don't keep their appointments they are charged," Smith said.

She goes on to say that the staff of the clinic does not want to resort to that option.

Even though the clinic is not considering charging for missed appointments, the real cost comes from the amount of time that doctors are not seeing any patients.

"Each of one of the no-shows is a 15 minute appointment. As far as time, you can say that in the month of February that's 48 and a half hours [of no-shows]," said Smith.

Smith said that student input is important to the clinic and that it will be necessary to fix the problem.

Anyone interested in sharing their thoughts or opinions on the matter can share them with Smith via email at cindy.smith@health.gatech.edu.