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If you frequently struggle with patients who don't show up for their appointments, you aren't alone. Chiropractic no-shows are a common occurrence that costs your business time and money. More importantly, they can signal a disconnect with your company's communication, so consider this an opportunity to evaluate your systems and find areas to improve.
In this guide, we explore five ways chiropractors can reduce no-shows, improve patient retention, and foster a more collaborative relationship with the people they treat.
Common Causes of No-Show Patients
When someone makes an appointment, chiropractors rightly assume they're interested in treatment. So it can be unclear when their scheduled appointment arrives and then passes. Minutes tick by, and you're stuck waiting for someone who doesn't come. You try to call them and reach out by email to no avail.
While you may not be able to prevent every patient from missing an appointment, there are some strategies for keeping patients connected and ensuring they arrive for treatment.
But first, it's important to know why some people don't show up. There are several common reasons:
Communication Issues
Patients who can't easily contact a practice are less likely to show up. They may grow frustrated when repeated calls and emails go unanswered. Lack of communication signals a lack of care and respect, so patients tend to return the sentiment by not showing up.
One of the simplest but most overlooked chiropractic no-show solutions is improving communication. This could be done by expanding resources, such as adding a voice answering system or online portal. It could also be done by training staff to ensure missed calls are immediately followed up on and emails are always responded to within 24 hours.
Scheduling Conflicts
Life changes quickly, and an appointment that seemed fine last week may no longer align with a patient's schedule. If they can't quickly change their appointment, they may forgo it altogether. This can lead to repeated no-shows that dwindle your business's revenue and lead to frustration.
Appointment automation for chiropractors is a game-changing tool that puts the power of scheduling in your patients' hands. Rather than deal with constant calendar conflicts, your company can run on autopilot, with patients easily updating their desired appointment time from an available calendar on your site.
Financial Worries
Many patients are concerned that care will be too expensive. It could be a copay that worries them, a high deductible, or uncertain out-of-pocket costs. Lack of financial transparency is stressful, so some patients avoid getting treatment even if they want and need it. Even well-intentioned patients can feel so stressed about money that they avoid seeing a chiropractor.
Transparent pricing is important to building trust. Giving patients easy ways to pay, such as financing plans and digital payment processing, also reduces stress and makes them more likely to show up for a visit.
Poor Practice Engagement
Patients need ongoing support to feel invested in your business. If you rarely communicate with them outside of treatment, they're less likely to feel a sense of obligation regarding their appointments. They may feel like you don't care if they show up or not, so they don't bother to call ahead and cancel. Improving patient relationships also improves retention, accountability, and attendance.
Most of these issues have one thing in common: communication. Chiropractic companies with poor communication often struggle with poor patient engagement, which leads to confusion, frustration, lost revenue, and negative brand reviews.
Understanding your patients is key. When you know why they don't show up, preventing that from happening again is easier. But you may be unable to reach out to each no-show and ask exactly what prevented them from arriving at their appointment.
That's why employing these five techniques can help you boost retention and prevent no-shows. With these strategies, you can even get patients who wouldn't show up rescheduled instead, saving your relationship and business.
1. Install a Call Answering System
A chiropractic answering service is one of the most effective chiropractic no-show solutions. Rather than leaving phone pick-ups to availability, you can guarantee that your patients have 24/7 access to your practice. Whether they need to reschedule at the last minute or have a question before arriving, your answering service is there to provide solutions and support.
Even if it's after hours, you can make it easier for them to leave a message and contact your staff ASAP. Adding this support layer to your patient communications can dramatically enhance their likelihood of showing up.
You can also implement missed call text-back solutions so your patients can instantly receive a response even if they couldn't get in touch with your practice the first time.
2. Add Online Scheduling
Make it easier for your patients to change their appointments. Online scheduling is a form of appointment automation that benefits both you and your patients. It reduces calls and staff demand while also allowing patients to adjust appointments whenever they want or need to.
Imagine it's late at night, and a patient realizes they won't be able to make it to their scheduled appointment in the morning. Instead of rushing through their day and not showing up, they can easily go on their phone and quickly adjust.
Your business's calendar is updated automatically, so there are no double bookings or confusion about who was supposed to arrive.
3. Send Out Email and Text Reminders
You can automate email and text messages to remind patients about their upcoming chiropractic appointments kindly. This solution is generally implemented through a chiropractic answering service, which can easily handle all of your patients' communication.
The message can also include instructions for rescheduling if the patient cannot make their appointment. Send out the reminder 24-48 hours before they're booked, so they have enough time to make any changes or call in if they have questions or concerns preventing them from arriving.
Make sure you also clearly state your company's policies on your website. Have a "Resources" section readily available so patients can find answers to common questions and guidance whenever they need it.
4. Implement a No-Show Fee
One way to reduce no-shows is to charge patients who do not call in and cancel or reschedule within 24 hours of their appointment. It may feel like a harsh penalty, but businesses must take appropriate measures to protect their revenue. No-show patients can even become habitual, leaving your practice unsure when or if a certain person will make it to their appointment on time.
A simple chiropractic no-show fee promotes patient accountability and preserves your business's revenue.
Mention the fee to patients in emails and text messages before their first visit, and remind them whenever you send a reminder. This can reduce their likelihood of cancelling. At the very least, it can ensure your business retains some profit if they don't attend their appointment.
5. Offer Digital Payments
Financial concerns are another reason why many patients don't make their appointment. They might worry they can't afford the out-of-pocket costs, so they don't attend to avoid stress and embarrassment.
Having a digital payment portal reduces time spent on administrative tasks and ensures your patients are fully aware of how much their treatment will cost. They can pay independently, from the comfort of their phone or computer, and have costs clearly broken down.
Improve Your Patient Experience Today
Start developing chiropractic no-show solutions today so you can keep patients happy. Implementing an answering service can ensure that every patient is supported by a missed call text-back system. With a few simple technology upgrades, your practice can go from losing business to enjoying long-lasting relationships with loyal patients.
