The Incidence of Cancellation and Nonattendance at a Dermatology Clinic

Background: Same-day cancellation of appointments and nonattendance by patients can disrupt management of certain aspects of medical delivery and lead to inefficient allocation of resources and lost revenue. The frequency of cancellation and nonattendance at dermatology clinics has not been well documented.

Objective: We measured same-day cancellation and nonattendance in a university dermatology clinic.

Methods: We tabulated clinic attendees, same-day cancellations, and nonattendance for a 6-month period. We examined distribution by gender, type of payer, and clinic visit type (initial or follow-up).

Results: Total same-day cancellation rate was 8.3%. Female patients canceled more frequently than male patients (9.2% vs 7.3%, P = .02). Cancellation rates were similar for initial and follow-up visits. The nonattendance rate was 17% with the highest rates found in state-supported categories (26%) and the lowest in commercial insurance programs (13%). Nonattendance rates did not vary significantly by gender or visit type.

Conclusion: Same-day cancellation and clinic nonattendance is a significant factor in the efficient fiscally sound management of a busy dermatology clinic. The risk of nonattendance is assumed by physicians and seems to be correlated with payer type.