Appointment reminders are a courtesy service the practice gives patients to remind them of an upcoming appointment. The reminder can be given via sms, email or phone - whichever is more convenient for the patient.
This is Not a Confirmation! We Do Not Confirm!
The reminder is not a confirmation call. Patients should be informed that appointments are considered confirmed at the time of scheduling. The golden rule of the reminder service is never to use the word 'confirm'. If we use the word 'confirm' during the reminder, we imply to the patient that the appointment is not confirmed until the patient says so - which gives the patient the opportunity to cancel, hassle-free.
Reminding Protocol
• General appointments should be reminded 2 working days in advance
• For longer appointments (more than 1 hour) which are high production appointments, the reminder should be sent 3 days in advance
• Appointments made in advance by one month or more should also be reminded 3-4 days in advance
• Appointments such as recalls made 6-12 months in advance should be reminded 2-4 weeks prior and again 2 days before
Procedure for Reminding 2 days in Advance
• Reminders must be completed first thing in the morning. This allows the most time for patients to respond.
• By the early afternoon, follow up with a phone call any patients who have not responded.
• The next morning, follow up again patients who have still not responded.
• Notify Recalls and Hygiene appointments one month in advance.
Verbal script for reminding over the phone
Identify yourself and the practice, state the appointment details including the date, time, provider and what will be done, then wait for the patient to respond positively before confirming you look forward to seeing them.
Script for reminding via SMS
Personalise the message by addressing the patient by name and including the provider's name, the date and time of the appointment, and a request for them to reply YES or call the practice to confirm receipt.
Learn more about appointment book management and appointment retention in Module 4 of the Front Desk Series.
0 comments