The Tech Doctor: No More No-Shows
It’s easier than you think
By Rosemarie Nelson You know that each no-show patient per day creates a gap in your schedule, and you may be among those physicians who breathe a sigh of relief when a few extra minutes are freed up during a busy day. You have an unexpected break during which you can return phone messages, attack that pile of test results on your desk, or just take some time for yourself.
But you also know the impact that no-shows can have on your bottom line. Like some physicians, you may think that such patients are simply inconsiderate, but in today’s fast-paced world it’s easy for the most conscientious of patients to forget a trip to the doctor’s office scheduled long ago. So how can you help your patients keep their scheduled appointments and help your practice run more efficiently?
Technology to the rescue
Automated telephone reminder systems have been around for several years and have proven to be an easy-to-use, effective technology with a rapid return on investment. They require no special interface, which means no tacked-on fees after they’re purchased. In general, the bigger players operate by using an output file from your practice management system — your daily schedule report. If you’re still using pencils and an appointment book to schedule, you can opt to fax your handwritten schedule to a vendor, which will generate the calls. That’s right — no more excuses!
If your staff is personally making appointment reminder calls, you may find that this task typically gets pushed back until the end of the day, and it may not always get done. An automated reminder system can be programmed to call patients at whatever time of day you wish, freeing your staff to spend more time attending to the daily needs of patients and providers. Such automated systems also document the results of each reminder call, giving you extra liability protection within the patient-care arena. Most systems generate a report that tags each call with a date-time stamped result, informing you if the patient was reached, if the phone went unanswered, or if the message was picked up by voice mail. Continued...
