Webley MD

An effective appointment reminder message is concise, clear and personalized.  When reminder calls are made by the front office staff, the message is personalized but highly variable.  Automated appointment reminders allow for easy mass customization of appointment reminders.  While the core script stays the same, the message can be customized by adding the patient's name, the date and time of the appointment, the practice name, the practice phone number and other custom elements, such as special instructions for patients (e.g., arrive 15 minutes early for the appointment), the ability to confirm or cancel the appointment, etc.

When appointment reminders are effective, you will see an immediate change in your no-show rates. That's not all though. There are three other important benefits of automated appointment reminders.

Comfort

Often a trip to the doctor's office is a stressful event, especially when a patient is in poor health. It's important that a practice make efforts to put the patient at ease.  The style of your waiting room, the manner of your receptionists, and even your appointment reminders can make a difference. When the personalized appointment reminder is delivered by a cheerful, professional voice rather than a tired receptionist, the patient is reassured.

Convenience

Personalized appointment reminders are no longer have to be restricted to telephone calls. Patients can also receive appointment reminders by email. For patients who desire email reminders, offering this option increases convenience and makes it more likely that the patient will receive the reminder.   

Confirmation

Automated appointment reminder systems typically offer a variety of "scripts" or patient message types.  One script that can increase your confidence in your patient's likelihood of showing up for the appointment is the appointment reminder with confirmation.  This message is interactive.  Patients can easily respond to the phone message or email by confirming or cancelling the appointment.  

To learn more about automated appointment reminders, visit Webley.