Reduce No-Shows, Boost Revenue with Automated Patient Recall

Key Takeaways

• Missed appointments cost the healthcare industry an estimated $150 billion per year.
• No-show rates can vary widely — between 12% and 80%.
• Automated patient recall can keep patients engaged on channels they already use, such as text messaging, voice reminders, or email. 
• Automating appointment reminders eases the burden on your administrative staff while helping to bring more patients through your doors.

Patient no-shows are a problem for providers, staff, and patients alike. When patients fail to show up for appointments, no matter the reason, it creates a ripple effect that can lead to wasted time and revenue loss — as much as $150 billion per year, by one estimate.

No-shows can significantly impact a practice’s revenue and efficiency.

It’s no surprise practitioners are actively seeking ways to reduce no-shows, and automated patient recall provides a suitable option.

Let’s explore the purpose and value of automated patient recall systems and how they can boost revenue, patient engagement, and your practice’s reputation.

Impact of No-Shows on Healthcare Practices

No-show rates range between 12% and 80% nationwide. With each missed appointment, providers typically lose about $200. Multiple missed appointments each day or week can be costly. 

This often leads providers to overbook appointments to compensate for expected no-shows, which can lead to longer patient wait times and costly staff overtime.

Every missed appointment is also a missed opportunity for doctors to provide essential care. Someone else could have taken the appointment reserved by the patient who didn’t show up.

Patients who miss their appointments are prolonging diagnosis and care, which may cause their complaints to worsen. 

Given that 88% of appointments are still handled by telephone, the data underscores the importance of looking beyond the phone to keep patients engaged.

What is Automated Patient Recall?

Automated patient recall offers medical practices a way to automatically remind patients about upcoming appointments. You might also hear it called automated appointment reminders or patient scheduling software.

Automated patient recall systems connect with patients via their preferred method of communication: phone, text, or email. They’ll notify patients about upcoming appointments and make it easy for patients to confirm, cancel, or request a change. 

This feature is often part of a larger healthcare practice management platform. You can use the platform to communicate with patients at every stage of the journey, from appointment reminders to reducing no-shows to following up with patients after a visit.

Benefits of Automated Patient Recall

Automated patient recall systems give your staff a hands-free way to keep patients engaged.

Based on upcoming appointments, you can send reminders in patients’ preferred format and get direct feedback from them in the text thread. This makes the appointment scheduling and reminder process more efficient, less time-consuming, and less costly.

As a result, you can expect:

• Improved patient engagement
• Higher patient satisfaction
• Reduced no-shows
• Streamlined office operations
• Reduced admin workload
• Higher quality of care

Rather than wasting time chasing patients and wasting resources when they don’t show up, you can use automation to bring more patients into your office.

How Automated Patient Recall Boosts Revenue

Every appointment scheduled is an opportunity to earn revenue for your practice. Naturally, when those appointments aren’t kept, revenue declines.

However, most practices say that automated patient recall reduces no-shows, which means fewer missed appointments and lower revenue losses. It makes the best use of your staff’s time, as they can spend their time working with patients and performing their duties rather than waiting for the next patient’s appointment.

Indirect benefits can also improve a practice’s financial health. When patients keep appointments, they can get the care they need and enjoy a higher quality of life. This can lead to greater patient satisfaction, retention, and referrals, all of which translate into more revenue opportunities.

Doctible provides a comprehensive patient communication platform that automates appointment reminders and other communications.

‍Practices can customize reminders, from choosing which channels to use (e.g., text, voice, email) to giving patients more control over their experience. Recipients can confirm, decline, or request to change their appointments, and their selection will be updated in your system so you’ll know what actions to take next. 

For example, you can send HIPAA-compliant texting to a patient. For those who confirm the appointment via SMS text, there’s nothing left for your staff to do. If they don’t confirm the appointment, you can choose to set up additional reminders or notify your staff to call the patient. 

This means fewer touchpoints for your administrative team so they can focus on other tasks.

Doctible also includes features like integrated digital patient intake forms to reduce manual effort for your staff and offer convenience to your patients. Rather than wasting time toggling between tools, your staff has everything they need at their fingertips to communicate with patients.

Reduce No-Shows with Doctible

No-shows can be costly to healthcare. Every patient who doesn’t show up for an appointment is delaying their care while preventing another patient from receiving theirs. With automated patient recall, practices can keep more patients engaged, allowing revenue and efficiency to thrive.

Doctible’s patient communication software puts automation in your hands with customizable features and comprehensive tools. Send compliant messages via text, voice, or email, allow one-touch confirmation, and make follow-up hands-free. Learn more about Doctible’s solutions when you schedule a demo.