The persistent problem of no-shows is detrimental to healthcare providers as it diminishes the utilization of resources, potential revenue, and the overall quality of healthcare services.
According to a 2022 MGMA Stat, 49% of medical groups reported their no-show rates have increased since 2021. For medical groups that have seen an increase in this rate, the top drivers were:
- Patients hesitant to seek care due to the cost
- Lack of transportation to appointments
- Patients going elsewhere due to long waiting times after scheduling the appointment
- Forgetfulness or apathy
A recent article stated that no-shows alone could cost the U.S. healthcare system more than $150 billion a year. This research also estimated that a physician loses about $200 per no-show.
Adopting a proactive approach towards minimizing no-shows, effectively handling cancellations, and filling vacant appointment slots can improve your practice’s revenue and enhance its operational efficiency.
Here are four strategies you can implement in your practice to reduce your no-show rate:
1. Analyze your no-show rate
Review your no-show rate to identify trends within your medical practice. Identify if there is a particular provider, day, or specific season where your practice has the most no-shows. Monitoring this metric can help you identify areas of improvement and set action plans to reduce your rate.
Understanding the story and causes behind your data and addressing the problems is essential. Do not try to tackle every issue at once. While it might be tempting, it might be too much to manage, reducing the effectiveness of your efforts.
Read more about tracking your no-show rate and other relevant metrics in our blog Three Key Performance Indicators to Track Weekly.
2. Implement appointment reminders
Appointment reminders can allow you to reduce no-shows and save staff time spent confirming appointments. Eventually, this strategy will improve your practice’s efficiency and productivity. Phone, email, or text reminders are ideal for patients.
A 2019 MGMA Stat Poll stated automated appointment reminders lead to fewer no-shows. The data showed that 88% of the healthcare leaders surveyed use these reminders in their organizations. They said that using these reminders results in a lower no-show rate, higher revenue, fewer unfilled appointments, and the ability to see more patients.
3. Create / Enforce your no-show and cancellation policy
Having a cancellation policy in writing helps patients understand the consequences of a no-show or last-minute cancellation to their health outcomes, other patients, and your bottom line. Every medical practice has its own needs, so define your no-show and cancellation policy based on it.
Here are some best practices you must keep in mind when creating or reinforcing your no-show policy:
- Have a cancellation window: Establish a prudent timeframe for patients to cancel or reschedule their appointments without getting penalized. Many practices have a long wait list; therefore, getting a cancellation notice in advance allows enough time for the staff to fill the slot with another appointment.
- Establish your fees: You might need to start charging for no-shows. It may be challenging to discuss these charges with patients; however, it is essential to explain before they book an appointment that last-minute cancellations and rescheduling fees may apply.
- Communicate your policy: Ensure your patients know your no-show and cancellation policy. You can do this through your online booking portal, on your website, via email when your patients set appointments over the phone, or even when your patient shows up to the appointment.
4. Reschedule your no-shows as soon as possible
Be sure to reschedule your no-shows. While this strategy will not prevent no-shows, it will show your patients you are concerned and caring.
Remember that it is crucial to reach out 10-15 minutes past the appointment time and not immediately. Remember to use a kind and non-accusatory tone rather than reprimanding your patient for missing the appointment or mentioning no-show fees.
The goal is to get that patient back in the door. If your office does charge a no-show fee, wait to discuss the fee until the next appointment when the patient is right there with you at check-in.
Read more about effective strategies to reduce your no-show rate in our whitepaper Reduce your No-Show Rate & Increase Collections in your Medical Practice.
At Health Prime, we can help!
Even if patient no-shows are unavoidable, you can establish strategies to prevent them and reduce your rate significantly. If you need more assistance with reducing no-shows, we can help.
At Health Prime, we understand that for doctors, time is money. If your practice receives an execrable amount of no-shows, you might want to consider outsourcing with an expert partner.
Health Prime’s holistic approach allows you to monitor your no-show rate with Datalytics, our business intelligence platform that focuses on insights that other BI platforms neglect.
We also offer appointment scheduling and confirmations. We can schedule regular appointments or preventative care appointments to fill missed appointments. Our team can call your patients and confirm appointments on your behalf. If you want to manage the calling, we can help you with the list of patients to call. Our add-on service of outbound calls to patients can also help you collect those due balances.
Contact us at [email protected] and learn more about our services. Our team will set up a meeting to discuss how we can maximize your revenue by cutting costs, saving time, and collecting more!
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