• Korea Journal of Hospital Management
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.50-60
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• 2017

Purposes: The purpose of this study was to identify the preferred types of the hospital reservation cancellation management to help reduce the reservation cancellations. Methodology: This study sampled 327 outpatients or their guardians who had reserved a university hospital and a general hospital located in the southwestern part of Seoul, and the responses from 300 of them were used for the final analysis. The subjects' preferences of reservation cancellation management types were analyzed in reference to their demographic variables. The timing and frequency of pre-notification preferred by the subjects were examined. A multidimensional scaling methods and correspondence analysis was used to identify preference for management methods of no-show and type of reservation guide. Findings: As a result, 77.3% of the respondents were perceived that the reservation cancellation was a habit. The most preferred method of managing the reservation cancellation would be refusal to refund the reservation deposit (61.7%), followed by payment for cancellation (16.0%), limit of future reservations (16.0%) and penalty (6.3%) in their order. 186 of the subjects (62.0%) preferred the texting for prevention of reservation cancellations, and 102 of the subjects (34.0%) preferred the phone calls. The preferred timing and frequency of the SMS were twice 3 days before, once a day before and three times 7 days before, while the preferred timing and frequency of phone call was once a day before. Practical Implications: The no-show rate can be improved by enhancing SMS pre-notification and by improving afterwards telephone counseling. For other factors, it needs to study on the service differentiation with the characteristics of each patient group.

• The Journal of Society for e-Business Studies
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.37-49
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• 2017

In order to maximize the efficiency and the quality of care in a hospital, hospitals in general operate by appointments. Patient no-shows or missed appointments waste the time of staffs who prepare for appointments, deprive patients of needed care, and increase burden on clinic capacity. The purpose of this study is to examine the importance and significance of factors that affect patient no-shows. The actual data of 50,000 outpatient appointments is compiled and analyzed from a VAMC in the United States with aims to identify the factors that contribute to outpatient no-shows and to draw meaningful implications. Random forest along with logistic regression analysis identify the factors affecting no-shows; appointment leadtime, show-up rate, travel distance, no-show rate in previous period, patient age, severity, complexity of disease, chronic pain, depression, drug dependence. The appointment leadtime, show-up rate, travel distance and previous no-show rate can be improved by enhancing SMS pre-notification and by improving afterwards telephone counseling. For other factors, it needs to study on the service differentiation with the characteristics of each patient group.