Officials from Akron (Ohio) General Health System said missed appointments add up to roughly $18,000 in lost revenue each month — and that’s only for Akron General’s cancer program. The cancer center had a no-show rate between 15 and 20 percent. When volunteers began calling patients in September to remind them of their appointments, the no-show rate dropped by 25 percent that month, according to the report.
Cleveland Clinic has a system-wide no-show rate of roughly 12.5 percent. It’s launching a new pilot program in which patients will receive texts reminding of their appointments at Stephanie Tubbs Jones Health Center, which largely cares for the uninsured. Patients will then be able to confirm or cancel their appointments via text message.
The Cleveland Clinic also has a same-day appointment pilot that launched earlier this year and is designed to fill empty slots from patients who made last-minute cancellations, according to the report.
Cleveland-based MetroHealth System, which is county-owned, has no-show rates up to 25 percent for some service lines. To combat this, MetroHealth is employing care coordinators who will act as concierges and help patients set up appointments. MetroHealth also has a van service that transports patients to its main campus. The system hopes to expand this service to community health centers in the next few months.
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