Minimizing Physical Therapy No-Shows: 7 Proven Methods

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Imagine owning a physiotherapy clinic. You’ve planned your roster for the whole day according to the list of appointments. However, as the day progresses, patients do not come for their appointments. This can be annoying for the doctors as well as for the clinic’s performance

This situation is not only frustrating, but patients not showing up can result in a waste of time, reduce revenue generation, and also result in delayed care for patients who need urgent treatment.

A recent survey found that 67,000 no-shows can affect the healthcare system by $7 million.

People think that reducing no-shows will only benefit the clinic. But this isn’t true. This will also ensure that patients who need immediate treatment are treated well and regularly.

In this blog, we’ll have a look at different reasons why patients tend to miss their appointments and different methods that clinics can adopt to reduce the number of patients not showing up.

7 proven methods to reduce no-shows at clinics

According to different surveys and reports, patient no-shows can significantly impact the overall productivity of the clinic, and the revenue generated takes a hit as well. Not only does it affect the clinic, but it also affects the patients, as their treatment is influenced and their health condition becomes worse.

Let’s have a look at some proven strategies to reduce no-shows at physiotherapy clinics.

1. Automated appointment reminders

It has been observed that one of the primary reasons for missing appointments is patients forgetting their appointments. Sending automated appointment reminders a day prior to the appointment makes the patient aware of their appointment so they can adjust their schedule accordingly.

+Physio brings out the solution to this problem. It takes care of sending appointment reminders via text messages, WhatsApp channels, and emails, which ensures you won't miss your appointments.

2. Implementing a no-show policy

Physiotherapy professionals should also keep in mind bringing out a no-show policy just to make patients more responsible about their appointments. The policy should mention the terms and conditions about when the appointments can be canceled (specified duration before the time of appointment after which it cannot be canceled). This would ensure that patients take their sessions seriously, which will directly result in fewer no-shows at clinics. These no-show policies should always be conveyed to the patients at the time of appointment booking.

3. Offering Virtual therapy sessions

Turns out virtual therapy sessions can turn out to be a game-changer for physiotherapy clinics. Patients who are not able to visit the clinics due to health or age issues or due to busy schedules can take advantage of these services. It’s a great way to make things more beneficial for patients, as they can be treated from a distance even when they are not able to visit the clinic due to any reasons.

4. Personalized follow-ups post-treatment

The realm of healthcare is not only about treating your patients. But it is also about how well you maintain your relationships with them outside the clinic. Just one call for follow-up after the treatment will also help to maintain a healthy and long-term relationship with the patient. In a way, this will also ensure that they stick to their medications and remedies. As a result, they will stay committed to the same doctor for a longer period.

5. Appointing a slot system for appointments

How does it sound when multiple patients are booked for a single time slot? Frustrating, right? This issue can be addressed by having a dedicated appointment slot system. Each patient should be given a particular time slot for his/her appointment to avoid overcrowding, which will also make tasks easier for the front desk staff. It will also help in reducing waiting times for patients and also avoid last-minute cancellations.

6. Offering flexible appointment scheduling options

Physiotherapy clinics should always keep in mind offering flexible appointment scheduling options. Offering rigid slots can turn down patients as they do not feel valued. But if one keeps the schedule of a particular patient in mind while scheduling his/her appointment, then that patient will feel valued and that the clinic is paying personal attention. Virtual sessions can also engage more patients.

+Physio takes care of its patients and offers you a user-friendly booking system that gives you the freedom to reschedule or book your appointments according to your convenience.

7. Providing discounts or special offers to regular customers

Special offers or discounts seem appealing to every patient. This method can be a great way to attract more patients. Regularity and consistency of patients should be rewarded to encourage and motivate patients to come back the next time. This will also help in maintaining a long-term relationship with them.

Common reasons for patients not showing up

It is a fact that even when people set reminders for their doctor’s appointments, they may tend to miss the appointments. This can happen due to various factors: when your schedule is too busy, you may tend to forget the appointment or due to some financial barriers, you may refrain from attending the appointment.

Let’s have a look at some more reasons that can be a hindrance in the way of patients in terms of showing up for appointments.

Due to busy schedules

It has been seen that people with busy schedules tend to forget their appointments or get occupied with prior commitments. They may be so piled up with work that without sending them proper reminders, they may not remember their appointments. This also addresses the need to have an automated reminder system to remind patients about their appointments prior to a day or so.

Financial Barriers and Insurance Issuess

Some patients may not have a busy schedule or trouble with transportation, but they might still miss appointments due to financial or insurance problems. Some unexpected expenses may occur that the patient may not be able to take care of and in those cases, they may rely on insurance claims.

If they don't have insurance, they may cancel appointments at the last minute and just procrastinate their treatment, for which they never show up.

Transportation Struggles

Not everyone in this world has access to transportation. It is possible that people may miss their buses, delayed transportation services, or may not get cab services available during that hour. Another issue that old people face is a lack of body mobility. They may not be able to travel much, which results in missed appointments.

For people with such difficulties, it is important to have a virtual healthcare system where patients can be treated online.

Miscommunication between the clinic and the patient

This is the most overlooked factor when considering why patients do not show up. It is not the patient’s fault but the clinic’s front desk staff’s fault since they did not communicate clearly about the appointment to the patient. Also, a mix-up in the scheduling process when the same slot is given to multiple patients can increase the number of no-shows.

Let’s have a look at an example of how one can reduce the number of no-shows in terms of patients.

John is a patient who visits physiotherapists often due to his back and knee pain issues. However, after a few months, John observed he was switching physiotherapists quite frequently and he did not show up during appointments.

After a few months, he met Dr. Brian, who has been a renowned physiotherapist for many years. After a few sessions, he felt quite comfortable with the doctor and began showing up regularly for appointments. The doctor used to regularly send him reminders before the time of appointment, took sincere follow-ups after every session, and maintain a healthy relationship with the patient. Dr. Brian also adjusted John’s appointments according to his schedule since he used to be busy at work sometimes.

So, this example showcases how small steps taken by the doctor encouraged the long-term engagement of John with the physiotherapist and also reduced the number of no-shows.

Conclusion

As we come to our final thoughts on this blog, the need to reduce no-shows at clinics and hospitals needs to be emphasized. By adopting practices like appointment reminders, implementing a no-show policy, promoting virtual therapy sessions for patients who are not able to visit the clinic, prioritizing a long-term relationship with the patient, scheduling appointments according to patients, and other ways. This will help physiotherapists in the long run, which will directly be proportional to increasing their revenue

With +Physio, all solutions are just one click away. It incorporates different measures to help you reduce patient no-shows and attract more and more patients. Clinics can manage appointment scheduling, send reminders which will ensure patients do not miss their appointments.

FAQs

1. How can one respond to a no-show appointment?

When responding to a no-show appointment, first one should understand the situation of why the patient did not show up, then offer rescheduling options according to the patient’s schedule and also brief the patient about the no-show policy.

2. Can offering virtual physical therapy sessions help reduce no-shows?

Yes, offering virtual therapy sessions can drastically help to reduce no-shows as they help in providing treatments to the patients who are not able to come to the clinic due to any factor. They will also be of help to old people.