Dear Abby: Why do doctors’ offices send multiple emails or text messages to confirm appointments?

DEAR ABBY: It seems that doctors’ offices have it set up to automatically send you emails and/or text messages to confirm your appointments. It is convenient, but they send them repeatedly, starting a week or two prior to the appointment. Why? It seems like overkill to me. Once should be enough, unless they feel we’re unable to remember when we have an appointment.

Before the internet, we made our next appointments, if required, at the doctor’s office upon leaving and were given a card showing date and time. That was all we got! You marked it on your calendar at home, and life went on. Abby, do you agree with my frustration? -- BLUNT GUY IN NEVADA

DEAR BLUNT GUY: No, I do not. Sometimes folks forget to enter that information into their calendar and the result is that the medical and dental professionals get stood up. If the reminders become annoying, you can always delete them when they pop up. If this is your biggest problem, consider yourself lucky.

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Dear Abby is written by Abigail Van Buren, also known as Jeanne Phillips, and was founded by her mother, Pauline Phillips. Contact Dear Abby at www.DearAbby.com or P.O. Box 69440, Los Angeles, CA 90069.