The accelerated intake: a method for increasing initial attendance to outpatient cocaine treatment.

The clinic compared two ways to book the first appointment. One group got a same-day slot. The other group waited one to seven days.

Both groups were adults seeking cocaine treatment. Staff tracked who actually showed up.

Same-day intake lifted attendance from 33 percent to 59 percent. That is almost double the show-up rate.

No extra staff or money were needed—just faster scheduling.

Peskin et al. (2025) tried online forms and shorter surveys to boost parent-training intake. Only the public survey link helped, and it did not raise actual attendance. Their mixed result shows that paperwork tweaks alone are weak; speed beats forms.

Geurts et al. (2008) later used small cash rewards to keep cocaine patients coming back after intake. Their positive outcome pairs well with S et al.—first get them in fast, then pay for return visits.

Winters et al. (2026) saw HIV patients crash back to baseline the moment cash incentives stopped. S et al. used no ongoing reward, so the long-term risk is unknown. You may need a follow-up plan after that first same-day visit.

If your intake desk can hold even one open slot, offer it the moment a referral calls. You will turn three no-shows into five arrivals out of every ten calls. Pair this with a later contingency plan—like Geurts et al. (2008)—to keep the momentum going.