Have you ever had a client fail to show up for a therapy appointment or intake session? Right now you’re probably thinking, “Silly question, who hasn’t?!?!”
Of course, this common occurrence is a frustrating experience for practice owners, therapists, and clients, but it’s one that can be reduced with the right approach.
There is no secret formula to make this issue go away, but you can minimize the impact of no-shows and provide your clients with the best possible care with the following combination:
Implement a clear policy and procedure + A CRM for automation and tracking
Let's talk about why no-shows happen. There are a lot of reasons why someone might miss an appointment, from forgetfulness to scheduling conflicts to anxiety about therapy itself. Whatever the reason, it's important for therapy practices to have a clear policy in place for handling no-shows.
The protocol for handling no-shows can vary depending on the individual practice, but here are some common steps that therapists and practice managers might take:
Set expectations upfront: When scheduling an appointment, train your therapists to reiterate the cancellation policy and the consequences of missing an appointment. This can help to prevent no-shows in the first place.
Reach out to the client: If a client misses an appointment, reach out to them as soon as possible to see if everything is okay and if they would like to reschedule. Whether there was a miscommunication or that the client is dealing with a personal emergency, reaching out helps keep your calendar up to date, and most importantly, shows you care.
Follow up with a reminder: Prior to the next appointment, enable a reminder to the client via email or text message. This can help to reduce the likelihood of another no-show.
Enforce your policy: If a client misses multiple appointments without a valid reason, it may be necessary to enforce your cancellation policy. This could involve charging a fee or terminating the therapeutic relationship altogether.
So, how can a CRM like Practice Axis help with no-shows? Practice Axis is a powerful tool that can help to streamline the intake process and reduce the likelihood of no-shows pre and post intake sessions. Here are just a few of the features that can be helpful:
Automated reminders: Practice Axis can send automated reminders to clients prior to their appointments, reducing the likelihood of a no-show. This helps to reduce the chances of clients forgetting about their appointment or failing to show up.
Reporting and analytics: Practice Axis can generate reports and analytics that can help you to track attendance rates and identify patterns in missed appointments. This information can help you to refine your cancellation policy and reduce the likelihood of no-shows in the future.
Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs): Practice Axis provides customizable SOPs to help practices create clear and effective cancellation policies and procedures, minimizing confusion and improving communication among staff and clients.
Handling no-shows is an important part of running a successful therapy practice, and Practice Axis can provide valuable support in this area. If you'd like to learn more about how we can benefit your practice, schedule a demo here.
