Measure before you change anything
Count bookings and missed visits for one month, per doctor and per day of the week. No-show rate = missed visits ÷ booked visits. Without this number you will not know whether anything you try is working.
Our no-show cost calculator turns that rate into money, which helps when you decide how much staff time this deserves.
Why patients miss appointments
- They forgot, especially when the booking was made long ago.
- They felt better and saw no need to come.
- They could not get through to cancel.
- The wait last time was too long.
- They were unsure of the time or the doctor.
Steps that help
- Book closer to the visit. The longer the gap, the more likely a patient is to forget.
- Confirm the day before. A short call or message from reception is enough. Message only patients who agreed to hear from you.
- Make cancelling easy. Give one number and tell patients that cancelling helps another patient.
- Give the follow-up date in writing and explain why it matters.
- Fix long waits. A patient who waited two hours last time has little reason to be on time.
- Keep a short waiting list. Call them when a slot opens.
Fill the gap when someone does not come
Decide in advance how long you wait before calling the next patient. Ten minutes is a common starting point; choose what suits your clinic. Keep a small allowance for walk-ins at the times your rate is highest.
A simple month-by-month plan
| Month | Do | Check |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Measure the rate per doctor and day | Your baseline |
| 2 | Start calls the day before | Rate against month 1 |
| 3 | Add a waiting list and one cancel number | Slots refilled |