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

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 measures: 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.