I
But the best ways to reduce no-show rates,
Dr. Langdon said, are to be on time, courteous,
and personal yourself.
"Overall, the best ways to reduce no-shows
are to run on time, have a courteous staff that
answers the phones promptly, and designate
one person to manage the schedule, someone
who can bond with the patient and make it per-
sonal," she said. "People do not like to disap-
point and will more likely call in and reschedule
if they sense the person on the other end is
positive and reassures them that they under-
stand that canceling and rescheduling is just a
normal part of extremely busy lives."
discussion with the patient before implement-
ing this. I also find that terminating relation-
ships with particularly disruptive patients can
boost staff morale significantly," she said.
There are other strategies to reduce no-
shows, in addition to appointment reminders,
said Kim Langdon, MD, a retired obstetrician
and gynecologist. Social media, for example,
can be used to remind patients of the general
policies regarding cancellation or reschedul-
ing, which could in turn remind them of an
upcoming appointment. Offering the ability to
reschedule online (versus over the phone) can
reduce the hassle or embarrassment of needing
to call, Dr. Langdon said.
JULY 2019 | EYEWORLD | 57
Financial interests
Fishman: None
Langdon: None
Weiner: Solutionreach
