71
OPHTHALMOLOGY BUSINESS
digital.ophthalmologybusiness.org
August 2016
managers. Remind managers that
avoiding one missed appointment a
day can cover the annual salary for a
receptionist or technician. EW
for a family with which you are
familiar. This avoids a larger gap
in the schedule if they don't show.
5. If your systems allow, find the best
reminder method for each patient,
e.g., automated text, email, phone
call, or postcard reminders. In
purely geriatric practices, no-
show rates may come down if you
experiment with live calls rather
than automated calls.
6. Consider charging a fee of $25 to
$45 and waive the fee liberally to
avoid ill-will. This was first trialed
in pediatrics and is now seen in
perhaps 5% of practices overall.
Some practices keep a credit card
on file to facilitate such charges,
just as we now commonly see in
hotels and restaurants.
7. Establish enough appointment
slots so that based on your average
no-show rates you will usually
have a full clinic (and live with
the fact that sometimes the no-
show rate will be much lower,
creating a stressful day).
Here are 3 final considerations.
Patient satisfaction is a key
driver for improving no-show
rates. Strong, bonded relationships
between doctors (and staff) and
patients help to reduce the number
of no-shows.
No-show rates can accelerate
quickly when not being monitored
regularly. Generate a report at least
monthly to keep close tabs on any
internal changes that may happen
subtly.
Make a reduction in no-show
rates a priority for your staff and
Ms. Wohl is president of
C. Wohl & Associates Inc.,
a practice management
consulting firm. She earned
her Masters of Health Ser-
vices Administration degree
at the George Washington
University and has 30 years of hospital and
physician practice management expertise. Ms.
Wohl can be contacted at at czwohl@gmail.com
or 609-410-2932.
Mr. Pinto is president of
J. Pinto & Associates Inc.,
an ophthalmic practice
management consulting
firm established in 1979,
with offices in San Diego.
His latest ASCRS•ASOA
book, Simple: The Inner Game of Ophthalmic
Practice Success, is now available at www.asoa.
org. Mr. Pinto can be contacted at pintoinc@aol.
com or 619-223-2233.
About the authors
