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There are two important factors that are affected by a
missed appointment:
- Time is set aside
by medical staff for specific appointments. When an
appointment is missed, it is a waste of both time
and money for the medical office.
- Even more
important, though, is the fact that when a patient
misses his or her appointment, it could cause
medical complications.
Looking further at the
second point, the fact of someone missing an appointment
means that the doctor is unable to do follow-up
examinations, check on medicine dosage for
effectiveness, or even discover if other complications
or worsening conditions are occurring. A doctor has a
better chance of catching drug interaction problems or
other complications when he or she is able to see the
patient as necessary. Missed appointments can definitely
be missed opportunities, particularly for the patient’s
well-being. All of these scenarios underscore the
importance of keeping medical appointments
Since keeping medical appointments is critical to one’s
health and welfare, patients can be assured of better
care when a qualified caregiver assists them. Caregivers
are an integral part of an elderly patient’s ability to
continue to live in their home, while providing support,
care, and general services, including helping the
patient take their medications and keeping their
appointments.
According to the Family Caregiver Alliance, “Caregivers
can play a key role in helping to identify when an
actual or potential medical-related problem is
occurring.”
They go on to point out that when “patients, caregivers,
doctors, and pharmacists function as a team,
medication-related problems can be avoided, contributing
to better outcomes and improved daily functioning.”
Having caregivers involved in making sure clients keep
their appointments is an important factor in helping
prevent wasted time and money in the doctor’s office as
well as staying on top of a patient’s health
maintenance.
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