Practice Management Alert

Question: Our practice has stopped charging patients for no-shows and same-day cancellations, but we're feeling the impact, money-wise. A colleague suggested taking a page out of airlines' book and overbooking appointments, so we're basically guaranteed a full schedule. I'm a little nervous, as I know patients get frustrated if they're waiting forever to see a clinician. What do you think?

Arizona subscriber

Answer: Maybe. First, look to the number of patients failing to show every day.

"If no-shows/same-day cancellations encompass 10 percent or more of your appointment schedule, consider overbooking (double booking) by a similar percentage," says Lucien W.  Roberts, III, MHA, FACMPE, administrator of Gastrointestinal Specialists Inc., in Central Virginia, in a presentation for Physicians Practice.

Look at your schedule and evaluate whether certain times of the day or days of the week are more prone to no-shows, Roberts says. If you find any consistent patterns, concentrate your double-booking in these slots, and try to focus your double-booking on established patients who are already committed to your practice and happy with your services.

If you have particular patients who are consistently no-shows, you have a few options, including terminating the patient relationship, Roberts says. But you don't need to jump to that measure right off the bat. If the patient makes it to an appointment, make a point to have a conversation about how not showing up affects other patients, and may prevent someone from receiving medical attention.

Another option is crafting and posting a policy that a patient who misses an appointment or fails to cancel or give notice must pay a $50 (or whatever amount you choose) nonrefundable deposit for the next visit when booking.

Look for next month's issue of Practice Management Alert for more information on crafting no-show policies, as well as guidance on coding that thorny issue.