Do you start off the day with a full schedule, and then before you know it, you have major gaps due to no-shows? A study by the MGMA estimates that most medical practices average between a 5-7% no-show rate. Regardless of the reasons why people do not show up, missed appointments can be one of the biggest money drains on a practice’s bottom line and can create frustration among medial staff. However, there is some good news – reducing no-shows in your medical practice can be easy. Find out how partnering with a medical answering service can help you reduce the number of no-shows in your practice.
Efficient Scheduling Process
Depending on staffing levels and how busy your office is, calling to schedule, reschedule or cancel an appointment may be more difficult than you think. When you work with a medical answering service, agents can assist with managing your appointment scheduling. This will enable you to have a scheduling department open and available 24/7, including weekends and holidays.
Your patients will no longer have to wait on hold for lengthy periods of time, call only during business hours or leave messages on your answering machine to make or change an appointment. The answering service seamlessly integrates with your scheduling platform, so when a representative enters an appointment or makes an update, your calendar is updated in real-time.
Automated Appointment Reminders
Another way a medical answering service can assist in decreasing the number of no-shows is with automated appointment reminders. Hectic schedules and booking appointments far in advance can make it hard to keep track of appointments. An answering service can send out automated notifications to all your scheduled appointments. They can be sent out to patients via SMS text, email, or automated outbound calls. Your office can choose the most effective notification for your patients and can also give them the option to contact a live representative to reschedule or make changes to their current appointment.
No matter the size of your office, big or small, no-shows will hurt your bottom line. Don’t let this issue continue to affect your medical practice. At AnswerNow, we will not only save your practice money and time, but we will provide your patients with a great customer service experience as well. Cut back on the chaos and enjoy the benefits of AnswerNow. Contact us today for more information on how we can help your practice!
