SPANISH public hospitals are losing around nine million outpatient appointments every year from no shows.
And the main culprits are ‘young men’ who can’t be bothered to cancel their appointments.
The study by El Pais reveals that nearly 1 in 10 scheduled hospital appointments in Spain are wasted because patients just don’t turn up.
The worst offenders are in the Canary Islands, where no-shows can be 30% of appointments in some hospitals, followed by Andalucia at 17.4%.
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At the Hospital Valle del Guadalhorce in Malaga, staff say the issue is more than just annoying – it’s a logistical nightmare. “It wastes time, money and causes longer waiting lists,” said health expert Conrado Domínguez.
Data from 11 regions shows the problem hits psychiatry, dermatology, and gynaecology the hardest – with no-show rates of up to 18%.
Meanwhile, patients tend to keep their appointments for cardiology and general surgery.
Men under 44 are the most likely to not turn up, especially those who have to wait a long time for their appointment.
Younger patients were twice as likely to miss their slot as over-72s. And the farther people live from the hospital, the more likely they are to go missing..
Experts blame everything from poor planning and long delays to work commitments, transport problems, and even language barriers.
While some regions have tried SMS reminders, reducing missed appointments by up to 20%, others are calling for smarter scheduling – even using AI to predict who’s likely to offend.
But there’s resistance to tougher measures like fines. “It’s not always irresponsibility – sometimes life just gets in the way,” explained one health professional.
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