In a project that took place at Sørlandet Hospital, we tested a method for its impact on attendance rates for patients who had been offered outpatient drug treatment.
The intervention consisted of a therapist calling the patient before the first appointment as a reminder and providing brief information about the appointment/treatment.
The short telephone intervention did not lead to increased attendance at the first class, and it did not affect early withdrawal from the treatment.
Many patients taking part in substance abuse treatment struggle with complex problems. It may be more appropriate to have a more targeted and adapted approach to promote participation in treatment than a short telephone reminder.