Here she offers several pointers for handling missed appointments without losing revenue:
DO:
1. Charge for missed appointments. Ms. Parham says practices should implement a well-publicized policy charging a reasonable, fair fee — perhaps $10 to $25 — for missing an appointment. Before implementing a new policy, check with the health plans you contract with to make sure it is allowed.
2. Institute a telephone reminder system. Implement a reminder system that uses person-to-person contact rather than an automated phone system. Ms. Parham recommends analyzing patterns of no-show days and making personal reminder calls for the days likely to have missed appointments.
DON’T:
1. Double-book appointments. This can lead to increased wait times and therefore more missed appointments.
2. Require an upfront deposit. This risks alienating patients and increases clerical bookkeeping time.
3. Only use an automated telephone reminder system. This may not decrease no-shows.
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