A survey of appointment breaking in the Medical Clinic of the Boston Children's Hospital Medical Center showed that approximately 20% of patients broke their appointments. These patients were more likely to have shown evidence of social disorganization. Personal physician care appeared to lower the broken appointment rate although there appeared to be an irreducible minimum which in either the personal physician clinic or in the private office was a cancellation. Additional gaps in medical care noted in those who broke their appointments included inadequate immunizations, dissatisfactions with medical care, and ill-defined need to see a physician.