Factors Associated with No-Show Rates in a Pediatric Audiology Clinic

Abstract

Objective To evaluate factors associated with no-show rates in a pediatric audiology clinic. Study Design Retrospective review. Setting Tertiary referral center. Participants All pediatric patients younger than 18 years whose parents/guardians scheduled an appointment at a tertiary Audiology Clinic between June 1, 2015, and July 1, 2017. Main Outcome Measure(s) Data included whether the patient came to their appointment, patient age, sex, race, insurance type, appointment type, location, season of appointment, and day of the week of the appointment. Results Of the 7,784 pediatric appointments scheduled with audiology, the overall no-show rate was 24.3% (n = 1893). Lower age was significantly associated with no-shows (p = 0.0003). Black/African American children were more likely to no-show compared with White/Caucasians (p = 0.0001). Compared with self-pay/military/other insurance, those with Medicaid were more likely to no-show (p = 0.0001). The highest rate of no-shows occurred during summer (27%). On multivariate analysis, younger age, Black/African American race, and Medicaid insurance were associated with increased no-show rates. Conclusion A variety of factors influence no-show rates in a pediatric audiology setting. No-shows can affect treatment quality and affect overall hearing outcomes. Further investigation is necessary to assess barriers to appointment adherence and to develop interventions to improve adherence and care.