Missed Appointments Elimination Checklist

BPO—TRAC
Missed Appointments Elimination Checklist
Implement solutions from this list of 41 recommendations until you no longer have a missed-appointment problem.
r Someone is personally in charge of and responsible for patient appointments (called the receptionist in this checklist).
r The doctor really wants patients to keep their appointments.
r The receptionist really wants patients to keep their appointments.
r The missed-appointments percentage stat is kept by the receptionist and watched by the practice owner on a daily, weekly and monthly basis.
r The receptionist has a bonus plan tied to patients keeping their appointments (e.g., bonuses start at 95% appointments kept).
r Office procedures exist to prevent patients from falling through the cracks.
r Doctor is good at being on time and keeping his/her own appointments, so can therefore insist patients and staff be on time and keep their appointments.
r Receptionist is good at being on time and keeping his/her own appointments, so can therefore insist that patients be on time and keep their appointments.
r Practice over-schedules (especially for time slots of patients who are likely to miss) so practice production does not suffer when patients miss.
r Practice does all possible to not change patient appointments once made.
r Patients never wait longer than five minutes.
r Patient upsets are handled. Examples: Coffee mugs to patients who have to wait too long, sincere apologies for billing mistakes, discounts on next visit for scheduling goofs.
r Patients are called by doctor the evening following painful visits, to check on patients' comfort.
r Patient is called by a staff member within a few days of major visit to answer questions and resolve problems.
r Doctor makes patients aware of the benefits they will receive as a result of their next visits.
r The practice is comfortable, clean and convenient for patients to visit.
r Doctor earns patient confidence with technical expertise and excellent verbal skills.
r The practice is a joy and a pleasure to visit because of caring, friendly, uptone staff and doctors.
r All patients are given the office policy regarding missed appointments, both verbally and in writing.
r Doctor backs up receptionist in front of patients.
r First patient visit is made to occur as instantly as possible (the longer the delay, the less likely the new patient will keep the appointment).
r Doctor walks with patient to the front desk to agree with patient and receptionist about next patient appointment.
r Receptionist looks patient in the eye when getting agreement with patient about next appointment.
r Patient is never forced to set an appointment.
r Patient is given a reminder card about their next appointment.
r Receptionist tells patient about confirmation calls and gets all of patient's phone numbers.
r Receptionist confirms the appointment with the patient the day before the appointment. Additional reminder calls made one week and/or two weeks in advance.
r Receptionist talks directly to the patient before considering an appointment is actually confirmed.
r Receptionist locks in patient when confirming appointment: "Doctor will be set up for you; the time is set aside for you; the room will be arranged."
r Patient fills out their own appointment-reminder postcard for appointments scheduled one or more months in the future.
r Appointment-reminder postcard is mailed to patient to arrive one week before appointment date.
r Patient is scheduled for as many appointments as possible up to one year in advance; copy of schedule given in writing.
r Patient pays for appointments in advance, at a discount.
r Patients who keep their appointments are rewarded.
r When patient calls to cancel, receptionist does not easily accept cancellation, but makes every effort to help patient keep appointment.
r No-shows called five minutes after appointment time. Receptionist persists in tracking down patient until new appointment set.
r Receptionist knows how to lightly discipline patients who are late or who miss appointments with increasing penalties with each violation (e.g., direct confrontation, warning, missed appointment fee, lowered priority, undesirable appointment times, payment for appointment required before setting appointment).
r After disciplining a patient, receptionist ensures patient is not upset.
r Patients are comfortable with their financial arrangements.
r Patients are not allowed to build large, unpaid balances.
r Reasons the individual patient misses appointments found by asking questions and then resolved. Examples: financial barriers, fear of pain, fear of treatment, time constraints, embarrassment and so on.