Drop in no-shows for mental health services after introduction of telehealth

Doha, Qatar: A recent study has revealed a significant reduction in no show rates for mental health services following the introduction of telehealth,...

Doha, Qatar: A recent study has revealed a significant reduction in no-show rates for mental health services following the introduction of telehealth, marking a notable improvement over prior in-person appointment attendance.

The data, which includes both new and follow-up cases, highlights a marked shift in patient engagement, with telehealth proving especially effective in reducing missed appointments.

However, certain exceptions were observed, notably in child and adolescent mental health service psychology and forensic psychiatric services, where no-show rates remained largely unaffected by the shift to virtual care.

The study ‘Telepsychiatry implementation in Qatar: A three-year analysis of no-show rates and its impact on mental health service delivery’ is published in the latest edition of the Qatar Medical Journal.

“Telehealth has proven instrumental in improving access to mental health services in Qatar post-pandemic. Its integration shows the potential for reducing no-show rates and enhancing continuity of care. These findings are important for healthcare policy-making and practice in Qatar and provide valuable insights into the global discourse on the evolving role of Telehealth,” the study suggested.