Risk factors associated with nonattendance at new general dermatology appointments: a single-centre study

Reducing nonattendance at dermatology appointments is important to improve efficiency, reduce waiting lists and improve patient outcomes. We conducted a retrospective observational study to identify risk factors for nonattendance at new general dermatology appointments at our centre. We identified that waiting times were significantly higher for nonattendees compared with attendees (median 284 vs. 158 days, P = 0.005). This suggests that, for our service at least, interventions to reduce waiting times may improve attendance rates.