Strategies to Prevent No-Show Appointments in the New Year

No-show appointments are one of the most frustrating things rehab providers can encounter. You create a plan for your day and when a patient doesn’t show up for their scheduled appointment, that plan no longer works. There are a variety of reasons patients don’t show up for appointments, but the most common is that they forget they have one scheduled. And while this can be frustrating for you and your staff, it is also something that can be easily corrected by improving the way you communicate with your patients.  

So, what strategies can you employ to help your patients remember their appointments, so they show up when they’re scheduled? We’re here to help you answer that question. 

Create Multiple Touchpoints 

While it may seem like a simple process, many rehab providers don’t have a plan to contact their patients to confirm they have an upcoming appointment. Some don’t ever follow up with the patient to confirm their appointment. Even making a simple phone call a day or two before the appointment to remind the patient can drastically reduce the instances of them not showing up. Be sure to engage with patients more than once to help them remember any upcoming appointments.  

Automate Your Reminders If Possible 

There are many enhancements that can be made to your appointment and office systems that can automate your appointment reminders. These can include automated calls to the patient days before the appointment, sending HIPAA-compliant text messages with appointment information and email reminders. Check with your provider to see what capabilities your system has to streamline your processes.  

Follow Up with Missed Appointments 

This is a step that is often skipped by providers because it takes extra time. But whenever possible, you should try and follow up with patients who have missed their scheduled appointments to find out why the appointment was missed and to help them reschedule it. Ask how you could have helped prevent the missed appointment as a provider and use that information to improve your organization in the future. 

If you are interested in becoming a NARA member, please contact us to speak with our team and get your application process started.