Oncology clinic attendance at an inner city hospital

Compliance in oncology clinic attendance was prospectively evaluated over a 12-month period at Harlem Hospital Center, an inner city municipal facility serving a predominantly black population. One hundred patients were followed (97 blacks, 2 Hispanics, 1 white) with an average age of 60 years. There were 41 men and 59 women. Thirty-one patients had breast cancer, 23 lung cancer, 26 miscellaneous solid tumors, and 20 hematologic malignancies. Forty-two patients received chemotherapy, 14 hormonal therapy, and 44 supportive care alone. Of the 657 appointments scheduled for the total group, 583 (89%) were kept. All scheduled appointments were kept by 53% of patients and 80% or more were kept by 69% of patients. There was no statistically significant difference in clinic attendance according to sex, age younger than 50 years, tumor category, or mode of therapy. Reasons for missing appointments included the patient forgot or was confused (7 cases), weather (5), transportation difficulties (5), clerical error (3), and refusal of further chemotherapy (1). A high rate of clinic attendance is reported in this group of patients with multiple social and financial problems. Such patients are appropriate candidates for treatment protocols requiring frequent clinic visits.