Nearly 58,000 No-Shows for SUS Appointments and Exams in Presidente Prudente

In the first half of 2026, nearly 58,000 patients failed to attend scheduled appointments and exams within the Unified Health System (SUS) in Presidente Prudente, São Paulo. This significant number of no-shows, revealed by a Municipal Health Secretariat report, is occurring while thousands of residents are on waiting lists for specialist care. The monthly breakdown shows a consistent rate of absence, ranging from 14.8% in March to 16.6% in June. In June alone, 9,356 no-shows were for consultations and 1,605 were for exams. General medicine consultations saw the highest absolute number of absences, with 2,065 patients not appearing, despite a 22.1% absence rate. Laboratory exams also showed a concerning trend, with 1,605 no-shows, representing 25.4% of scheduled procedures, meaning one in four exams were not completed. Preventive exams had the worst proportional absence rate, with over half of scheduled patients not attending, totaling 203 no-shows. The Municipal Health Secretariat emphasizes that these absences not only affect the individual patient, who must reschedule and wait again, but also other patients in need of care. They urge patients to provide at least three days' notice if they cannot attend, allowing the slot to be offered to someone else, which can be done by contacting the health post directly via phone or in person.