Factors Associated with Scheduled Endoscopy Non-Compliance – A Literature Review

Non-Compliance with endoscopy appointments places a major burden on the healthcare system and can lead to delay in the diagnosis and treatment of potentially life-threatening conditions. Although several studies have investigated causes, trends, and interventions to improve compliance with endoscopy appointments, we present a comprehensive, high-quality, and focused literature review on this important topic. A search of the PubMed database revealed 72 papers that were screened for eligibility according to their title and text; among these 72, a total of 42 papers are focused on non-compliance with endoscopy, and 12 investigated ways to improve compliance. The average non-compliance rate for endoscopy was found 22.25%. Patients’ age (younger than 60-year-old), low socioeconomic status, history of healthcare visits non-adherence, medical history, and season/month of the appointment all contribute to non-compliance with endoscopy appointments. On the other hand, decreasing scheduling lead time and some specific modes of appointment confirmations could improve appointment-keeping behavior.