How to Reduce No-Shows

According to an MGMA survey of practices that track no-shows and late cancellations, these practices used the following patient appointment reminder techniques to reduce the number of no-shows:

• 75.7% have staff make telephone calls
• 19.3% send postcards/mailers
• 18.8% have an automated attendant system make calls
• 5.9% have a vendor handle reminders and confirmation

When patients miss an appointment:

• 69.8% of practices do not charge the patient
• 9.8% charge only for chronic cancellations and no-shows
• 8.4% charge for all missed appointments
• 6.5% charge after one missed appointment

A missed appointment is a missed opportunity that amounts to reduced billing and lost revenue. A practice can employ some very effective methods and techniques to reduce the number of no-shows:

• Develop a strong personal relationship with patients to increase their loyalty.
• Send patients cards for holidays and patients’ birthdays
• Provide the patient with a written reminder card with special instructions for cancellations.
• Use telephone or automated patient reminder devices 2 or 3 days prior to the appointment.
• Use open or advanced access scheduling to provide same- day appointments.
• Overbooking could be an efficient way to deal with the extra time created by patient no-shows.
• Remind patients, when they want to cancel, that they may not be able to get another visit for a couple of months from now.
• Extend a thank you to patients who keep their appointments or who call to cancel or reschedule their appointments.
• Monitor your no-shows and determine why a patients’ cancel their appointments.
• Develop a no-show policy to deal with appointment cancellations.

About Medvertex Client Education Center

Medvertex Client Education Center (CEC) was developed to assist and educate our current and future clients to be good stewards of their clinics’ business and financial health. Our CEC has a library of articles on wide spectrum of topics, tools, processes, latest updates on insurance and government regulations. For more information, please email our Client Education Center at cec@medvertex.com.