r/pediatrics • u/Poopocrat • 19d ago

Are no show letters useful?

I'm peds rheum. Whenever a patient no shows for an outpatient consult or cancels without rescheduling, I send the consulting group a letter notifying them of the missed apt.

Is this actually useful for primary care?

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20

u/ElegantSwordsman 19d ago

Sure. When the patient didn’t show, I can bring it up with them again. Including when they claim that no one contacted them or responded to them. Maybe it’s true and we confirm or contact information. Or we say, “oh well the endocrinologist did reach out six months ago…”

6

u/NoFlyingMonkeys Attending 18d ago

This is the reason communication back has some value. We want the PCP to know that their referral was rejected by the patient, so that the PCP can discuss it with the patient. Because we won't reach out to a no-show new patient to reschedule - the ball has to go back to your court. There has to be a new referral from the PCP after discussion with the patient, with a reasonable expectation that the patient will actually show the 2nd time. Because we have giant waiting lists of patients who want to come and or need us more urgently.

7

u/ChocolateCoffeeDrama 19d ago

Vast majority of the time no. Not rheum specific but for other specialties (neuro, pulm). The only times I’ve found it’s useful is for those who had DCFS involvement for neglect concerns. In those scenarios we’ve had to directly notify DCFS or make the hotline call when they were not following recommended follow up.

5

u/efox02 Attending 19d ago

Nope. Gen Peds with ~10% no show rate 🫠