| Appointment scheduling is the lifeblood of any | | | | appointment. An important aspect of return visits |
| office. Your clients or patients rely on your office | | | | is to make your clients or patients aware of the |
| scheduling to gain access to your services, and | | | | importance of diligent follow-up. |
| you rely on an efficient appointment system to | | | | Participation/> |
| conduct your practice or business. Proper | | | | Clients and patients are much more likely to keep |
| appointment scheduling has been described by | | | | their appointments when they actively participate |
| many experts as one of the most important | | | | in their appointment scheduling. Reminder |
| aspects of your office. Keep the following | | | | postcards that are composed by the patient are |
| important principles in mind when scheduling | | | | one traditional method. However, online-based |
| appointments: | | | | programs may have features that allow patients |
| Scheduling Distant Appointments | | | | to arrange and change their appointments. |
| The longer the interval between the appointment | | | | Individuals who participate in the selection of the |
| and the time the appointment is scheduled, the | | | | date and time of their return visit are more likely |
| greater the likelihood of a no-show or missed | | | | to keep their appointment. Online-based |
| appointment. To reduce no-shows, many offices | | | | appointment programs have the potential for |
| do not schedule appointments beyond a few | | | | saving a tremendous amount of office work. |
| months. Instead, they ask patients to call back at | | | | Limited Resources |
| a later time to schedule their appointment. | | | | Your office staff has limited time for keeping up |
| Practice management consultants consider this a | | | | with the demands of a busy office. An online |
| grave error. Failure to schedule and remind | | | | appointment reminder system that is |
| patients of their appointments is a lost | | | | comprehensive and easy to operate may be a |
| opportunity and a setup for legal liability; you have | | | | welcome benefit. A reminder system that |
| a duty to advise your clients or patients of the | | | | incorporates all of the features you need to run a |
| need for appropriate follow-up, especially if they | | | | smooth practice is desirable. Printable calendars |
| have circumstances that require careful | | | | can be obtained for free from several online |
| monitoring. To learn more about effective | | | | sources. However, the best appointment systems |
| techniques for setting up future appointments, | | | | obviate the need for a paper calendar, provide an |
| see our article titled "Benefits of Targeted | | | | electronic trail of appointment confirmations and |
| Appointment Recall for Healthcare Professionals". | | | | reminders, and are able to integrate appointments |
| Tickler Systems | | | | made by telephone with those made online. Some |
| Individuals who call back for a follow-up | | | | online appointment scheduling systems deliver |
| appointment create additional work for your | | | | copies of appointment confirmations and |
| office. Instead, a simpler tickler system may | | | | reminders to a separate email inbox for archiving. |
| work well in your office. For example, some | | | | A service provider may access archived records |
| offices schedule a future appointment and have | | | | in case these records are ever needed for patient |
| the client or patient complete a reminder postcard | | | | management or verification in a legal proceeding. |
| that is sent in sufficient time. The drawback of | | | | Automation |
| this reminder system is the cost of materials, | | | | Offices who move to automate their appointment |
| postage, labor, and a patient who relocates to a | | | | scheduling with advanced and user-friendly |
| different address may never receive the | | | | technology create efficient practice management. |
| postcard reminder. Reminder postcards completed | | | | The savings when appropriate high-technology |
| by your clients or patients do not have a | | | | tools are appropriately used are considerable. Old |
| traceable trail for medical-legal documentation. | | | | fashioned appointment scheduling can be arduous |
| Online Appointment Scheduling | | | | and cost-ineffective. By eliminating labor intensive |
| For many, an online-based appointment reminder | | | | office tasks, your staff has more time and |
| system is an ideal method for appointment | | | | energy to perform other revenue-enhancing |
| scheduling. Sophisticated online appointment | | | | functions. |
| systems have automated functions that generate | | | | If properly implemented, appointment scheduling |
| recall by email or by printing reminder notices. The | | | | can be a huge benefit for your office. Carefully |
| better programs have defaults for appointment | | | | consider your appointment scheduling needs, the |
| recall that are modifiable by your office staff. For | | | | ability of your staff to adapt to change, and |
| example, clients or patients with internet access | | | | thoughtfully plan on improving your appointment |
| receive their appointment reminder by email and | | | | scheduling using some of the ideas presented in |
| are given directions for booking their appointment | | | | this article. An effective appointment scheduling |
| online. Individuals who do not have online access | | | | system will enhance your bottom line and make |
| are sent printed reminder notices on a monthly | | | | life easier for you and your office staff. |
| basis with instructions to call your office for an | | | | Copyright © DayClips. |