Healthcare professionals understand that no-shows and last-minute cancellations can have costly consequences. They can deprive your clinic or practice of valuable revenue and may also cause serious patient health issues if untreated. In addition, patients that miss appointments often experience anxiety and fear about their procedures or are concerned they won’t be heard by their physician. Other factors contributing to missed appointments include language and age-related barriers, logistical problems, and transportation challenges. For example, an elderly patient with a life-threatening condition might find themselves without transport after a vehicle breakdown or unforeseen changes to their transportation plans.
When it comes to preventing no-shows and cancelations, healthcare providers need to take a holistic approach that considers all the factors that contribute to appointment adherence. To do so, it’s important to know what your patients want and value. The following healthcare trends are key to keeping your appointment adherence high:
Patients prefer easy and convenient methods of scheduling, canceling and rescheduling. In fact, a recent survey showed that 80% of patients now place a premium on convenience factors like texting and self-scheduling. Make it easy for your patients to contact your clinic via phone, email or live chat, and provide multiple options for them to reschedule an appointment.
A flexible and transparent appointment cancellation policy is a must for reducing no-shows and late cancellations. Patients of all generations value the ability to cancel an appointment in-person or over the phone, and 74% of Gen Z and Millennials surveyed said they’re more likely to show up for their appointments if their provider offers same-day or next-day availability. healthcare trends to avoid missed appointments
