Citation

Bauerle WB, Reese V, Stoltzfus J, Benton A, Knipe J, Wilde-Onia R, Castillo R, Thomas P, Cipolla J, Braverman MA. J. Am. Coll. Surg. 2023; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2023, American College of Surgeons, Publisher Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1097/XCS.0000000000000898

PMID

37861231

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Most patients who sustain a traumatic injury require outpatient follow-up. A common barrier to outpatient post-admission care is patient failure to follow-up. One of the most significant factors resulting in failure to follow-up is age greater than 35 years old. Recent work has shown that follow-up phone calls reduce readmission rates. Our aim was to decrease no-show appointments by 10% in 12 months.

METHODS: The electronic medical records at our level I and level II trauma centers were queried for all outpatient appointments for trauma between July 1, 2020 and June 9, 2021 and whether the patient attended their follow-up appointment. Patients with visits scheduled after Aug 1, 2021 received 24- and 48-hour pre-visit reminder calls. Patients scheduled between July 1, 2020 and Aug 1, 2021 did not receive pre-visit calls. Both groups were compared using multivariable direct logistic regression models.

RESULTS: A total of n = 1822 follow-up opportunities were included in the study. During the pre-implementation phase, there was a no-show rate of 30.9% (329 of 1064 visits). Post-intervention, a 12.2% reduction in overall no-show rate occurred. A statistically significant 11.2% decrease (p < 0.001) was seen in elderly patients. Multivariate analysis showed standardized calls resulted in significantly decreased odds of failing to keep an appointment (AOR = 0.610, p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION: Reminder calls led to a 12.2% reduction in no-show rate and were an independent predictor of a patient's likelihood of attending their appointment. Other predictors of attendance included insurance status and abdominal injury.

Language: en