Achieving a 0% No Show Rate
No show appointments can be a frustrating issue for healthcare practices. Not only do they result in lost revenue, but they can also disrupt a practice's schedule and make it difficult to provide quality care to patients. According to the latest research, the current healthcare industry average for No Shows is 18.8% of all appointments*.
Based on our latest research, specialty practices such as Orthopedics, Bariatrics, and Fertility average between 7-10% of all appointments per year.
At an average revenue of $200 per new patient appointment, a high no show rate can cost providers significantly. Some estimates are that No Shows result in a loss of $150,000 per year per provider. In the US, the annual cost of no shows is estimated to be over $150 billion per year^. The population at greatest risk for no-shows are new patients as they have not yet established a relationship with the provider and are thus more susceptible to no show.
We have found that there are steps that healthcare practices can take to prevent no shows and improve their bottom line. In some instances, we have been able to help our clients achieve and maintain a 0% No Show Rate!
Here are some best practices on how to prevent no-show appointments for healthcare practices.
Confirm appointments via multiple channels: Confirming appointments is a simple but effective way to reduce no-shows. Healthcare practices can send appointment reminders via text message, email, or phone call to remind patients of their upcoming appointment. Patients can also be given the option to confirm, reschedule or cancel their appointment through these reminder messages. This helps patients remember their appointment and also gives them an opportunity to reschedule if needed. While tech-enabled confirmation tools work well, practices that also follow up with phone calls to all patients or those who do not respond to the reminder are the top performers.
Reduce wait times: Patients are more likely to miss their appointments if they have to wait a long time to be seen. For new patients, hold back available appointments so they can be seen by a provider in 4 days or less. This “hot zone” results in the maximum show rate and helps patients activate while it is top of mind for them.
Make it easy for patients to reschedule: Sometimes patients may need to reschedule their appointment due to unforeseen circumstances. By making it easy for patients to reschedule their appointment, healthcare practices can reduce the likelihood of no shows. This can be achieved by offering online booking or by having a dedicated phone line for rescheduling.
Use technology to track missed appointments: Healthcare practices can use technology to track missed appointments and identify patterns. By understanding the reasons behind no-shows, practices can make changes to their scheduling process, appointment reminders, or communication with patients to reduce the number of missed appointments.
Create or re-evaluate your cancellation policy - Many times a cancelation policy may unwittingly be the cause of increasing no shows. When life happens a patient may evaluate a cancellation fee as a deterrent to calling to cancel. Instead of giving you the courtesy of the call to cancel they may be willing to just walk away from the practice instead. Consider giving a 3 strikes rule or other limits to forgiveness to encourage partnership vs penalties.
Preventing no show appointments can be challenging, but with these tips, healthcare practices can improve patient outcomes, reduce lost revenue, and provide quality care to patients. By confirming appointments, reducing wait times, making it easy to reschedule, using technology to track missed appointments, and evaluating your cancellation policies, healthcare practices can create a more profitable practice.