Appointment reminders help reduce missed visits, improve patient outcomes, and allow your clinic to use your physicians’ schedules more effectively. While sending even one reminder can reduce the odds of a no-show, research shows that a well-timed sequence of reminders is even more effective. The best strategy for patient appointment reminders gives patients enough time to adjust their schedules while also providing a final reminder right before the appointment.
One Week Before
For appointments scheduled several weeks or months in advance (as is common for preventive care appointments), sending a reminder about seven days before the visit gives patients time to adjust their schedules, avoid scheduling conflicts, and ensure they’re available. This is especially valuable for things like annual physicals and gives your office time to refill an open appointment slot if the patient has to cancel or reschedule.
One to Three Days Before
A second reminder sent one to three days before the appointment should be your main reminder for getting patients to their appointments. At this point, the visit is close enough that the patient is unlikely to forget, but they still have time to cancel or reschedule if their plans have changed. One study showed that patients who received a reminder 3 days before their appointment had only a 5.8% chance of missing it. Patients who got a message 1 day beforehand only had a 5.3% chance of missing it. But patients who received reminder messages on both days had an even lower rate of missed appointments, at 4.4%. So, if you’re not sure which day to send the reminder, consider sending it on both days.
Include a Day-Of Reminder
Finally, send a brief reminder on the morning of the appointment. This gives the patient one final prompt to ensure the appointment is included in their busy schedule for the day. This should be a concise message that includes the appointment’s time and location, and the option to call or message your clinic if they’re running late. Keep in mind that day-of reminders are meant to supplement other types of reminders, and not to be used as your sole appointment reminder for your patients.
appointment reminders for patients are most effective when used in a sequence to help patients adjust their schedules and keep the appointment top of mind for the week. If you follow this reminder schedule, you should see fewer no-shows at your clinic.
