Patients who did not turn up for outpatient appointments cost Cork University Hospital (CUH) approximately €2 million last year. Figures released reveal that 5,125 new patients, and 18,800 return patients did not show up for their appointments throughout 2009. The number of non-attendances amounted to 13.6 per cent of new patients and 14.8 per cent of return patients appointments during the time period.

Given that the average individual cost of CUH outpatients who do not attend appointments is €86, the total cost to the hospital was €2,057,550 in 2009.There were 3,050 (9.3 per cent of all appointments) no shows for first time outpatient appointments and 3,016 (8.2 per cent of all appointments) no shows for return patients in CUH Maternity Hospital last year.

In reply to a Parliamentary Question from Fianna Fáil TD, Michael McGrath, interim Hospital Network Manager for the HSE South Mr Ger Reaney said that CUH has recently established an outpatient department review group which is examining how to address the high number of outpatient no shows.

A text messaging system and the possibility of sending email reminders to patients are some of the initiatives being considered by the group. Currently, reminder letters are issued to the patients two to three weeks before their designated appointment date.

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