Call to cancel: P.E.I. diagnostic staff frustrated with no shows

Staff with Health PEI are frustrated with the number of people not showing up for diagnostic imaging appointments — 225 people that were booked for appointments in June did not show up and gave no warning.  

That's across all diagnostic imaging that requires an appointment across the Island — ultrasound, CT, MRI, nuclear medicine tests, mammography and bone mineral density tests. Gailyne MacPherson, the provincial director of diagnostic imaging for Health P.E.I. said that over the last six to eight months, there have been about 200 to 230 no-shows per month.

"By the time we are sure that you're not just late and that you're actually not coming, the appointment gets lost," said MacPherson. It leaves staff with no time to try to find someone else to fill that empty slot.

This has been happening so frequently that front-line staff formed a committee and counted the actual number of occurrences. They put that number on a poster and have posted it in the hospital.

'Phone and cancel'

Staff do send out reminders in the mail weeks in advance, and make reminder calls the day before the appointments, MacPherson explained.

"We want people to phone and cancel. We have a huge cancellation list in almost every area where we can get someone else into the appointment," said MacPherson.

Health PEI said that it's hard to say if the problem greatly impacts wait times, but that there are many people who are waiting for appointments, who could fill a no-show spot on short notice.

"We have patients calling all the time wanting to get in quicker, really anxious for an appointment," said MacPherson.

"When we see spots going empty that someone is desperate to fill and because we don't know in time to put someone in the spot, it is really hard when people are really anxious for an appointment."

Slowing down the process

Health PEI said the missed appointments slow down the process down the line, because the faster a physician can get diagnostic images, the faster the treatment can begin.

"In the grand scheme of things, patients aren't getting their results in a timely fashion. Their physician is not getting their results from a test that they needed. Someone else is waiting a longer time for 225 people not to come, so everyone is waiting a little longer," said MacPherson.

"And then, it puts a lot of pressure on us to try and find you a new time for your scan and you've had to wait longer as well."

MacPherson asks that the public please help by calling in to cancel their appointments if they know they won't be able to make it.

"An hour's notice would be helpful. It's never too late to call us and let us know," she said.

"There are a multitude of people out there who would love to have your appointment."

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