Excluding cancellations
- most months we have a minimum 30 patients fail to show. If a patient fails to attend we are still providing space and staff to see that patient and we thus sustain a significant financial loss
We have up to 10 – 15 new referrals to this office per day – at least half of these will become follow up patients in the long term – everybody wishes to be seen as soon as possible yet we cannot achieve this when patients fail to show, yet at the same time we get 20 calls per day asking us to see patients urgently…..
This is enormously difficult as it deprives other patients of an appointment and costs the office many thousands of dollars in lost revenue each year. Kingston suffers from long rheumatology wait times.
- 4 -10 patients per day fail to show, or cancel within 24 hours.
- Some of these patients when not offered a new appointment are abusive to our staff
- 3 patients per day arrive more than 20 minutes late delaying the rest of our day
- No patients like being seen more than 30 minutes after their appointment
The number of cancellations and no-shows last year was equivalent to one full time nurse salary. The office space, equipment, and staff are funded entirely by OHIP fees for service. If you fail to attend you have had a direct effect on our ability to see patients and to remain open.
As such we now have the following policy:
- If you fail to attend without informing us you will not automatically receive a new appointment, and may be discharged
- Aggressive hectoring of our staff or swearing will result in discharge from our care
- If you arrive late for your appointment you may have it rescheduled
- For repeat no shows or cancellations you may need to be re-referred or sent to a different rheumatologist
- The OMA advises that a no show fee be charged:
- New patient appointment $100, follow up appointment $50.