3. Reduce costly no-shows
up to 80% no-show rate
Missed appointments are an ongoing problem in healthcare. One review found that no-show rates varied from 12% to 80% across healthcare settings. Common reasons patients cite for missing appointments are forgetfulness and scheduling conflicts.
The impacts of no-shows on your practice, patients, and the healthcare system include:
- Lost revenue
- Decreased access to care for other patients
- Dissatisfaction among providers
- Increased use of emergency room services
- Poorer health outcomes
Appointment reminders are a consistent strategy to reduce no-shows, but many practices are still using time-consuming manual phone calls. Automated appointment reminders are a more efficient option that can be equally, if not more, effective when optimized for a patient’s preferred type of communication — whether that’s by phone, text, or email.
With automation, you can send the right messages at the right time. A customized reminder might include detailed instructions with a request to confirm or cancel.
For full effect, you may opt for a sequence of reminders, such as:
An early reminder seven days before the appointment
An primary reminder 2 days ahead of time
A nudge the day before the appointment
A day of appointment reminder
