The evidence layer
Missed appointments affect practices, patients, and access to care. Here’s the research behind the problem SureAppoint is designed to address.
Evidence about the problem
Published research is availableEvidence about SureAppoint
Product-specific outcomes are not yet publishedThe headline estimate
A 2024 peer-reviewed article in the Annals of Family Medicinecites missed-appointment rates of 15%–30% and an estimated annual cost of $150 billion. The article is available through PubMed Central, part of the NIH National Library of Medicine.
NIH National Library of MedicinePeer-reviewed researchView published researchThe estimate is cited by the article’s authors. NIH and the National Library of Medicine host the paper; they did not calculate or endorse the estimate.
Evidence by question
Findings are grouped around practical questions, with the source kept close enough to inspect without turning the page into a bibliography.
Cost and capacity
Missed appointments leave clinical time unused and create avoidable cost and resource inefficiency. Reviews describe reduced appointment availability, longer waits, underused staff and equipment, and added workflow pressure.
Patient Preference and Adherence · 2016View researchAccess to care
When a slot cannot be reallocated, available care goes unused. Research describes knock-on effects for appointment availability, waiting times, follow-up, and continuity of care.
Patient Preference and Adherence · 2016View researchHealth and continuity
Missed appointments are associated with disrupted follow-up and may delay diagnosis or treatment. Reviews discuss risks for chronic-disease management and hospital use, without treating every missed visit as a direct cause of harm.
Patient Preference and Adherence · 2016View researchPatient context
A systematic review found work or family and childcare commitments, forgetting, and transportation difficulties among the most commonly reported reasons. The evidence points to practical barriers, not a single kind of patient behavior.
British Journal of General Practice · 2021View researchWhat helps
A systematic review found consistent evidence that reminder systems improve attendance across healthcare settings. It also emphasizes cancellation, rescheduling, and reallocation as parts of a better appointment system.
Patient Preference and Adherence · 2016View researchThe patient side matters
Research describes overlapping personal, financial, logistical, and health barriers. That context matters: clearer expectations should support a fair conversation, not frame patients as irresponsible.
Source library
These are the published sources used for the material claims on this page.
SureAppoint is informed by published research on missed appointments, reminder systems, scheduling behavior, and healthcare access. SureAppoint-specific outcome data have not yet been published.
The sources on this page describe the problem and related interventions. They do not establish that SureAppoint itself reduces missed appointments or improves clinical outcomes.