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Implementing a Standby Waitlist for New Mental Health Patients

Kershaw, Lindsey, MSN, BSN, RN
http://orcid.org/0009-0007-2344-9088
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=kent1741101372724546

Abstract Details

2025, DNP, Kent State University, College of Nursing.
No-show rates have historically been high in psychiatry (Long et al., 2016; Michell & Selmes, 2007; Mupparvarpu et al., 2022). Literature was reviewed for demographics noted to be predictive of no-shows and interventions to decrease no-show rates, such as reminders, booking multiple interdisciplinary appointments the same day, overbooking, and use of support services, with results either being mixed or minimally mitigating the occurrence of no-shows (Clouse, et al, 2017; Crable, et al, 2020; Doh, 2022, Oikonomidi, et al, 2022; Rastpour & McGregor, 2022). A standard recommendation from the literature is that more studies be conducted in the future. After synthesizing the literature, applying the theoretical framework of Orem’s Theory of Self-Care Deficit of Nursing, and working collaboratively with the site mentor, the Standby Waitlist Intervention (SWI) became the focus of the DNP Project. The DNP project was a quality improvement project focusing on an intervention to fill no-show slots and improve access to care for patients actively seeking services. The Standby Waitlist was a fully automated program driven by the provider, allowing patients to be placed on a waitlist for a virtual appointment. Findings showed one out of four patients responded to the text message system, and one of three of the patients who responded opted in. Eight providers who piloted the standby waitlist intervention found the median time saved for fifteen patients who used the waitlist was 10.8 days. Results also found productivity for standby waitlist providers improved by 13%, and no-show rates improved by 24% by the end of 3 months. The Standby Waitlist was an intervention with minimal cost to the organization. It focuses on increasing access to care for patients and empowering providers by allowing them to control their schedules. The program provided another intervention to increase sooner access for low-complexity, low-needs patients who may receive an initial psychiatric evaluation appointment week(s) out. Future recommendations would be to increase the Standby Waitlist program to every psychiatric provider within the organization, consider adding follow-up appointments to the waitlist, expand the time frame Standby Waitlist sends out invites, and offer the Standby Waitlist to other disciplines within the organization.
Andrea Warner Stidham, Ph.D. MSN, RN (Committee Chair)
Farah Munir, MD (Advisor)
Denise Palcholski, DNP, MSN, RN (Committee Member)
James Tudhope, DNP, MSN, RN (Committee Member)
79 p.
Behavioral Sciences; Mental Health; Nursing
Mental Health Patients; Standby Waitlist; Access to Care; No shows

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Kershaw, MSN, BSN, RN, L. (2025). Implementing a Standby Waitlist for New Mental Health Patients [Doctoral dissertation, Kent State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=kent1741101372724546

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Kershaw, MSN, BSN, RN, Lindsey. Implementing a Standby Waitlist for New Mental Health Patients. 2025. Kent State University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=kent1741101372724546.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Kershaw, MSN, BSN, RN, Lindsey. "Implementing a Standby Waitlist for New Mental Health Patients." Doctoral dissertation, Kent State University, 2025. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=kent1741101372724546

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

kent1741101372724546
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© 2025, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by Kent State University and OhioLINK.