Patients Who Flirt With Treatment: The Silent Population
ROGER L. GOULD M.D.1,
IRENE PAULSON M.S.W.2, , and
LOUISE DANIELS-EPPS PH.D.2
1 Head, psychiatric outpatient department, the Neuropsychiatric Institute, U.C.L.A. Center for the Health Sciences, Los Angeles, Calif. 90024
2 Staff member, psychiatric outpatient department, the Neuropsychiatric Institute, U.C.L.A. Center for the Health Sciences, Los Angeles, Calif. 90024
The authors conducted a study of people who call psychiatric clinics for help but fail to appear for appointments. Those with the most clearly defined reasons for seeking help tend to show up, while those with the vaguest reasons tend not to. The authors suggest that those who fail to follow through are possibly in greater need than those who do not. They recommend some simple clinic policy changes that can reduce the "no-show" problem.
