NHS clinics clawed back millions of missed appointments with reminder texts

the problem

Patients booked, then never came

the move

SMS reminder programmes and opt-out rebooking against missed outpatient appointments ('DNAs'), which cost the NHS hundreds of millions a year.

the payoff

Trials repeatedly show reminder systems cutting missed appointments by roughly a quarter.

filed under

No-shows

was it genius?

same kind of clever

• 1978 · US airlinesUS airlines stopped eating no-shows by overselling seats and buying them back with vouchers
• 2011 · Next / TockAlinea's owners sold dinner like theatre tickets and no-shows collapsed