Using Prompt Letters to Reduce Missed Psychiatric Appointments
Author Information
Author(s): Jayaram Mahesh, Rattehalli Ranganath D, Kader Ihsan
Primary Institution: Leeds Partnerships NHS Foundation Trust
Hypothesis
Can sending prompting letters to patients reduce non-attendance rates at psychiatric outpatient clinics?
Conclusion
The study found that sending prompting letters significantly reduced non-attendance rates in psychiatric outpatient clinics.
Supporting Evidence
- Prompt letters were sent to all patients scheduled for outpatient appointments.
- Non-attendance rates dropped from 27% to 17% after the intervention.
- The intervention was implemented in a real-world clinical setting.
Takeaway
Sending reminder letters to patients helps them remember their appointments, which means fewer people miss their visits to the doctor.
Methodology
A before and after study design was used, comparing non-attendance rates before and after sending prompting letters.
Potential Biases
Potential biases due to changes in clinician behavior and patient mental health improvements.
Limitations
Changes in medical personnel and patient population may affect the results, making it hard to attribute changes solely to the intervention.
Participant Demographics
Patients aged 18 to 65, predominantly from economically deprived backgrounds.
Statistical Information
P-Value
0.65
Confidence Interval
0.56 to 0.76
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
Want to read the original?
Access the complete publication on the publisher's website