Morbidity, mortality and missed appointments in healthcare: a national retrospective data linkage study.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Recently, studies have examined the underlying patient and practice factors for missed appointments, but less is known about the impact on patient health. People with one or more long-term conditions who fail to attend appointments may be at risk of premature death. This is the first study to examine the effect of missed primary healthcare appointments on all-cause mortality in those with long-term mental and physical health conditions.

Methods

We used a large, nationwide retrospective cohort (n = 824,374) extracted from routinely collected general practice data across Scotland over a 3-year period from September 2013 until September 2016. This data encompasses appointment history for approximately 15% of the Scottish population, and was linked to Scottish deaths

SUBMITTER: McQueenie R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6329132 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature