University Hospital of North Staffordshire rolls out appointment reminder text service
HOSPITAL patients are to be telephoned to remind them to turn up for medical appointments – in a new crackdown on NHS no-shows.
The dial-a-cure system starts next week after almost 45,000 patients missed their appointments at the University Hospital of North Staffordshire in 12 months.
Managers say that accounts for just under 10 per cent of all outpatient appointments, wastes hundreds of thousands of pounds a year and makes waiting lists longer.
The new system will see patients receive an automated call a week before their appointment. A text message is then sent nearer the time.
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Heart patients will be the first to receive the reminder calls from Monday. The service will then be extended to patients with ear, nose and throat, chest and eye conditions.
NHS watchdogs and patients today welcomed the crackdown on hospital no-shows.
George Hughes, aged 68, of Weston Coyney, who has had several heart attacks, said: "This is a belting idea.
"The new hospital is superb but I think one reason people don't turn up is the fear factor – they'd rather not know how ill they are.
"That is silly as the quicker the diagnosis, the better the chance of a cure.
"People's poor mobility could also be a reason but phoning patients the week before is an excellent initiative."
Councillor Colin Eastwood, chairman of Newcastle Borough Council's Health Scrutiny Committee, added: "If the hospital can cut these numbers it will save money and speed up appointments for everyone else.
"I would like to think people do show a responsible attitude to their appointments and only fail to show because they have simply forgotten, in which case a quick reminder call is ideal.
"Reasons for not arriving are not always the patients' fault and some may need support to get in."
Some doctors deliberately overbook clinics to allow for no-shows.
Latest hospital figures show 12,325 new appointments were missed out of the 140,504 new cases booked in between April last year and the end of March.
Of the 338,681 follow-up appointments, 32,433 were missed.
Outpatients directorate manager Steve Robbins said: "Missed appointments can be frustrating for staff and patients.
"I don't think many miss their appointment on purpose – it is easy to forget if it is booked far in advance.
"This new service will give patients a gentle reminder."
Comments
by 3textmessage
Friday, October 05 2012, 3:34PM
“If your service or business depends on appointments or reservations, you should avoid missed opportunities as much as possible. After all, each missed appointment or reservation means lost revenue.
http://tinyurl.com/8psslnw”
by snowyboy
Wednesday, September 26 2012, 3:43PM
“This is a very good idea. I turned up for my appointment on time and on the right day but when I arrived I was told this appointment had been cancelled and a new one had been made for 3 days previously which meant I had missed it. This would have been logged as a missed appointment. I did not receive a letter informing me of the change so a phone call would have been ideal. I am sure some people are guilty of not canceling but it makes you wonder how accurate their statistics are when you get cases like mine.”
by lagu2
Wednesday, September 26 2012, 12:43PM
“Great Idead( NOT ). So they are going to spend more money just to remind people about there appoinments. Any decent person would remember the date, put it in there diary, smartphone or computer etc. ( yes older people, disabled ring them by all means ). But for the rest of us this is your NHS an you are wasting money from it. I say charge the people who miss appintments say £20.00 , either the hospital,doctors or dentist ect. That will then stop people forgetting there appointments.”
by lagu2
Wednesday, September 26 2012, 12:42PM
“Great Idead( NOT ). So they are going to spend more money just to remind people about there appoinments. Any decent person would remember the date, put it in there diary, smartphone or computer etc. ( yes older people, disabled ring them by all means ). But for the rest of us this is your NHS an you are wasting money from it. I say charge the people who miss appintments say £20.00 , either the hospital,doctors or dentist ect. That will then stop people forgetting there appointments.”
by LewisL
Wednesday, September 26 2012, 10:32AM
“There should be one chance, and one chance only to attend your appointment. If you don't show, then it is only fair that you aren't given a second one. I know from experience how long appointment waiting lists can be, and it makes me angry that other people don't bother turning up when people like myself are desperate to be seen. If they don't bother turning up then they obviously don't really need to be seen in the first place.”
by LewisL
Wednesday, September 26 2012, 10:32AM
“There should be one chance, and one chance only to attend your appointment. If you don't show, then it is only fair that you aren't given a second one. I know from experience how long appointment waiting lists can be, and it makes me angry that other people don't bother turning up when people like myself are desperate to be seen. If they don't bother turning up then they obviously don't really need to be seen in the first place.”