Handling cancellations and delays

When the patient cancels

Inevitably, cancellations occur. If a list is kept of patients with advance appointments who would like to come in sooner, the medical assistant can begin calling to try to get one of them in to fill the available opening. By keeping a list of patients willing to take the first canceled appointment, the medical assistant can readily identify which patients to call to fill the vacancy. Each cancellation should be noted in the medical record, along with a reason for the cancellation if that information is available. If the patient simply reschedules an appointment, a notation need not be made in the health record unless a pattern develops that might be significant to the patient’s medical treatment.

When the provider is delayed

Some days the provider will be delayed in reaching the office. If advance notice of the delay is received, start calling patients with early appointments and suggest that they come later. If some patients arrive before the office learns of the delay, explain that an emergency has detained the provider.

Show concern for the patient, but do not be overly apologetic, which might imply some degree of guilt. Most patients realize that a provider has certain priorities. The patient in the office may be inconvenienced, but it is not a “life or death” matter. If this kind of situation occurs frequently, however, consider devising a different scheduling system.

When the provider is called to an emergency

Providers are conscious of their responsibilities for responding to medical emergencies, and most patients understand if the medical assistant takes time to explain what has happened. The medical assistant may say, “Dr. Wright has been called away due to an emergency. She asked me to tell you she is very sorry to keep you waiting. There will be at least a 1-hour delay.”

The medical assistant should then ask the patient, “Would you like to wait? If that is inconvenient, I’ll be glad to give you the first available appointment on another day. Or perhaps you’d like to have some coffee or do some shopping and return in an hour.”

It is also possible that another provider may be able to see the patient.

As quickly as possible, call the patients scheduled for a later hour. In many offices, especially those of obstetricians, surgeons, and general practitioners, a whole day’s appointments must be canceled. For this reason, it is particularly important to have the daytime telephone number of each patient available so that the appointment can be rescheduled. If at all possible, cancel appointments before the patient arrives in the office to find that the provider is not available. The expediency of the office staff in contacting patients who will be affected by an emergency is appreciated.

When the provider is ill or out of town

Providers get ill, too, and patients scheduled to be seen during the course of the provider’s recovery must be informed of this and their appointments rescheduled. They need not be told the nature of the illness.

When the provider is called out of town for personal or professional reasons, appointments must be canceled or rescheduled. Customarily, the patient is given the name of another provider, or possibly a choice of several, who will provide care during such absences. For security reasons, merely state that the doctor is unavailable. Stating over the telephone that the provider is out of town could lead to attempted burglary or other unauthorized intrusion on the premises.

Patient processing

The patient reception area should be an inviting place where patients feel comfortable. Visits to the provider can be times of great stress, and the staff must do everything possible to make the experience pleasant for patients. A patient usually has a choice of healthcare providers and should be given excellent customer service. Good patient relations result in referrals to the provider, and this helps the practice grow. When patients have a good experience with a provider, they are likely to tell others. When the staff is committed to making the patient feel welcome and the focus is on care of the patient, success of the practice is inevitable.