The health-care industry is losing a staggering $150 billion annually due to a rarely mentioned challenge that affects providers and patients – no-shows. Surprisingly, 25% to 30% of all medical appointments, 40% of Medicaid appointments and 50% of primary-care appointments end in no-shows. Statistics reveal that transportation issues are cited as the reason for missing medical appointments 7% of the time, with seniors reporting this as the primary reason an overwhelming 65% of the time.
According to a study published in the NIH National Library of Medicine, transportation barriers are linked to a decline in continuity of care, reduced use of regular outpatient care, increased emergency department visits and higher readmission rates, all of which contribute to elevated costs for individuals and third-party payers.
The repercussions of patient no-shows extend beyond financial implications, affecting clinic revenue and staff productivity, while creating scheduling and operational stress. Moreover, patients suffer from disrupted continuity of care, further exacerbating the issue.
Recognizing the significance of addressing transportation challenges, Chris Ochs, chief development officer at Kerico, a nonemergency medical transportation (NEMT) company, said: “A community’s health can be positively impacted by improving accessibility. Providing reliable transportation is one of the easiest solutions.” Ochs highlighted the substantial savings resulting from investing in non-emergency medical transportation, noting that for every dollar spent on NEMT, $11 is saved in long-term care.
