Clinic nonattendance is associated with increased emergency department visits in adults with congenital heart disease

OBJECTIVE To determine the prevalence and predictors of nonattendance in an ACHD outpatient clinic, and to examine the relationship between nonattendance and emergency department (ED) visits, hospitalizations, and death. METHODS Patients ≥ 18 years who had scheduled appointments at an ACHD outpatient clinic between August 1, 2014 and December 31, 2014 were included. The primary outcome of interest was nonattendance of the first scheduled appointment of the study period, defined as "no-show" or "same-day cancellation." Secondary outcomes of interest were ED visits, hospitalizations, and death until December 2017. RESULTS Of 527 scheduled visits, 55 (10.4%) were nonattended. Demographic and socioeconomic characteristics such as race, income, and insurance type were associated with non-attendance (all P values