No show is a major problem in planning appointments for infertility patients

We examined the pattern of bookings for and actual visits undertaken by patients attending the Infertility Clinics at the Rotunda Hospital Dublin as well as the accuracy of systems in place for recording such events. The data provided by the Hospital Patient Administration System (PAS), clinic worksheets and clinic record chart of first visit couples attending initially over a 12 month period 1995/1996 and their subsequent records to February 1998 was analysed. Comparable figures were provided from the corresponding private clinic over the same time frame. Sixty-nine percent had already had investigations and treatment elsewhere. Discrepancies were noted between the PAS and manual systems as confirmed by the patient records. The manual proved more accurate. We found 32% (88 of 276) patients failed to turn up for a first appointment compared with 17% of private patients. Un-notified no-show provides great logistic difficulties in planning clinic management. Waiting lists grow, staff and patients alike are greatly inconvenienced. This apparent recklessness makes the Charter of Rights for Hospital Patients difficult to comply with. A possible answer is to demand reconfirmation near to the clinic date and in it's absence reassign the appointment to another. Population education is clearly needed.