Provide Comprehensive Services
Some treatment centers offer comprehensive services and take a holistic view of patients' needs. They include DOT as part of their strategy. One of the earliest comprehensive programs held clinics at times and places that were convenient, changed appointment schedules to reduced waiting times, referred persons who needed social services, scheduled nurses to make home visits to patients who missed appointments, educated community groups and health department personnel about the need for specialized services, and established health care teams that worked well together and held positive views of their patients. After 5 years of the program, missed appointments decreased from 34% to 6%.
