Jennifer McPhee
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Oct 26/01) - Ditched appointments are a continuing problem facing Yellowknife's four health clinics, despite efforts to reduce the number of no-shows.

Time-wasters July: 5,600 appointments 14 per cent missed August: 4,700 appointments 14 per cent missed Sept: 4,500 appointments 16 per cent missed

About 15 per cent of patients skip appointments each month, tying up space that could be used by other patients.

Last April, three clinics began sending out letters to repeat offenders. Frame Lake Family Physicians clinic has sent out letters for years.

And to raise public awareness, monthly no-show numbers are now posted in waiting areas.

Clinic services hired students, for the month of August, to call people the day before appointments. But the percentage of no-shows remained almost the same.

"It had a small effect," said Heather Leslie, director of clinic services for the Yellowknife Health and Social Services Board.

Leslie said clinic services has no plans to fine patients for not showing up.

The system is not billed for missed appointments because physicians in Yellowknife are paid a yearly salary or on a fee-for-service basis.

"The huge cost is that other people can't get into see doctors," she said.

Dr. David J.M. Butcher, medical director of the Yellowknife Health and Social Services board, said the impact of missed appointments is heightened by a doctor shortage.

"Currently we are understaffed," said Butcher, who works at the Frame Lake clinic. "We rely heavily on short-term locum coverage."