Patients that FTA and charging of Cancellation fees

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Hello everyone,

I work in a clinc which confirms their patients the day before their appointment by phone. There have been a few cases recently where patients have confirmed but then FTA their appointment (not just with me but with the other pods also).

I am curious to know if any other privately practicing podiatrists have had trouble with patients missing appointments?

Has anyone had to introduce a cancellation fee as part of the clinic policy? Does anybody charge a fee to patients that FTA? If so how do you implement this? How do patients react to this charge?

I would appreciate your advice...

Cheers

M.

 

Hi Micco,

I too confirm appointments 1 day before appointment, and most patients see this as a really beneficial service.

We have a notice in reception stating our policy of 24 hour notice for cancellations else a fee will be applied.

I do however have a few who still fail to turn up. The difficult position to be in as a private practitioner is if you charge them and they have a ligitamate excuse, you will probably p them off and...lose a patient.
Too add to this difficulty, a number of these patients are elderly/have co-morbidities/15 children....etc, so sometimes I am lenient to their excuses.

However, a co-worker (non-pod) of mine does issue invoices to patients that have been reminded and fail to show up. This doesnt apply to new patients, or people who call with reasonable notice and excuse (eg. swine).
the people who recieve the bills are usually ok about paying it as they have been warned and relise they are in the wrong.

So basically it is up to you if you see it as reasonable, at the end of the day your time is worth money and certain individuals never value that and will take advantage of it if they get away with it.

Sally

 

Some people offer to pay for failed appointments. We tend to charge half the minimum fee. If, however they have Altzheimer's or senile dementia we absorb the cost entirely.

 

I generally give them a notice on their next visit explaining a few things and that if they fail to turn up to any further appointments (no matter how good of an excuse) they will be liable for a fee. Generally if they show remorse I charge 50% of a fee or if they don't even bother to say a simple sorry 100%. Have I lost a couple of patients from doing this = yes. Do I miss them = NO.

 

This is really interesting, I was thinking about this exact thing the other day when I cancelled my osteo appt at the last minute, wondering if they were going to charge me. I don't have a FTA fee policy at my clinic. I do reminder calls the day before, if people want to re-schedule it gives them the opportunity to do so. If they FTA I usually find it's b/c we failed to give them the reminder call (unfortunately they all seem to expect it now). I think it's a bit of a tricky one really. To insist on a 24hr notice for cancellations is a tad impractical...things happen, life gets in the way; we've all gone to bed feeling fine and woken up with a raging sore throat/head cold, been stuck in a traffic jam etc. If someone rings and cancels or re-schedules with a reason, even if it's when they are supposed to already be there, I let it slide. If people just FTA and don't call, I call them in case they genuinely forgot (like many of my elderly pt's do)...I tend to have a 3 strikes policy...if they're a serial FTArriver without calling or apologizing I tell them they can't be re-booked after that. The thing is, I wonder whether or not a FTA fee is actually enforceable? Just having a sign on your waiting room wall and telling people it's your policy may shame them into paying, but legally I don't think you can actually charge someone if you haven't supplied the service. As a patient, I certainly wouldn't pay, and I wouldn't go back. I think you have to differentiate between your "forgetful but faithful" patients and the "self-centred unreliable" ones and treat them accordingly.
Nat Smith

 

You have contracted with the patients to provide treatment. Treatment room is set aside, receptionist needs paying , instruments need to be sterilised in advance. so you have already rented out time, service and space. This professional time cannot be used to provide treatment to anyone else. If you don't turn up for a commercial flight you are the one who has breached contract. Likewise, if you don't turn up at a hotel or a hospital or a surgery without giving reasonable notice you will be required to pay. What constitutes reasonable notice could well be the subject of legal argument but anything less than two hours, in all examples provided above, would be extremely difficult to contest. There is nothing to stop a business charging an advanced deposit by credit or debit card at the time of booking. If the professional is ill or does not attend, this of course is refundable to the patient.

 

Hi, if you serach the threads you will find this topic has been around several times. You will find others opinions who may not join in again.
GP around the corner has $50. fee for FTA
Chiropractor around the corner for at least 15 years send the account in full that evening.
A staff members dentist(specialising) $150. fee. You think anyone misses these appointments?
do check out the other discussion they are worthwhile,

Cheers