Understanding the impact and causes of ‘failure to attend’ on continuity of care for patients with chronic conditions

• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0247914
• Publication Date: 2021-03-02T18:25:48Z
• Authors: Amy-Louise Byrne; Adele Baldwin; Clare Harvey; Janie Brown; Eileen Willis; Desley Hegney; Bridget Ferguson; Jenni Judd; Doug Kynaston; Rachel Forrest; Brody Heritage; David Heard; Sandy Mclellan; Shona Thompson; Janine Palmer
• Keywords: 360; Science & Technology; 330; Science; Reminder Systems; Q; R; 610; Continuity of Patient Care; Ambulatory Care Facilities; 3. Good health; Multidisciplinary Sciences; Appointments and Schedules; 03 medical and health sciences; Chronic Disease; Ambulatory Care; Science & Technology - Other Topics; Medicine; Humans; Queensland; 0305 other medical science; Research Article

To understand the impact and causes of 'Failure to Attend' (FTA) labelling, patients with chronic conditions. Nurse navigators are registered nurses employed by public hospitals in Queensland, Australia, coordinate care multiple conditions, who frequently miss hospital appointments. The role nurse navigator is improve management these patients. Evidence for this measured through improvement patient self-management their a reduction preventable admissions compliance attendance at outpatient clinics. Failure attend one measure utilisation, identifying appointments that cancelled or not attended. cohort study was coordinating care. Data describing concept FTA were thematically analysed twelve months into three year evaluation. Although blamed failing appointments, reasons appear be mixture systems error/miscommunication between health services social impacting on patient's capacity attend. Themes emerging from data were: access barriers; failure recognise personal stigma FTA; bridging gap. demonstrate pivotal engaging reduce FTAs whilst helping become confident dealing There many why unable scheduled appointment. phrase has distinctly negative connotations can lead sense blame shame those complex needs. We propose use neutral "appointment did proceed" replace FTA. This article advocates further consideration collaborative models engage journey language used within acute setting, proposing term 'appointment proceed.'