No-shows to hidradenitis suppurativa clinic visits: Patient perspectives.

ABSTRACT

Background: Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a debilitating chronic inflammatory skin condition that typically requires consistent care. Contributory factors to why patients with HS miss their clinic appointments have not been investigated. Objectives: This article seeks to characterise reasons that HS patients do not keep their appointments and identify strategies to minimise no-show rates and improve delivery of care to HS patients. Methods: An anonymous survey was distributed to online HS support groups. Results: Of the 254 respondents, 18.9% reported ever missing an appointment for HS. Common reasons for missing an appointment include patient was experiencing an HS flare (72.9%), prior poor experience with a healthcare provider (54.2%) or healthcare staff member (37.5%), embarrassment of condition (41.7%), and distrust that the appointment would help with management of HS (39.6%). Respondents who were non-White, who were disabled, or who had lower socioeconomic status were more likely to have missed an appointment (p < 0.05). Conclusions: This study highlights areas where dermatologists may help improve appointment attendance, including encouraging patients to seek care during flares and striving to optimise the patient experience.