Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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632. To ask the Minister for Health the details of efforts being made to minimise, in so far as possible, the number of "did not attends" in respect of scheduled outpatient hospital appointments across the health service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45672/17]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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In order to ensure that outpatient services are used to best effect, it is important that the HSE progresses initiatives to reduce the number of people not presenting for outpatient appointments. Consequently, the HSE is investing in digital and technological systems to ensure that patients are appropriately reminded.

One of the solutions eHealth Ireland has proposed is to provide a standardised national patient reminder service using SMS or email. This solution has the potential to reduce the number of people who do not show up for appointments and reallocate those appointment slots to other patients. This standardised national text reminder service project has already been initiated.

In addition, under the new Outpatient Reform Programme, the hospital system will be moving to advanced booking systems which will allow patients two choices of appointment time. This process has been shown internationally to dramatically reduce patient failure to attend.

These initiatives are being progressed in conjunction with the HSE's Outpatient Waiting List Action Plan 2017.