Want to know how well your practice is doing? Then take a look at your patient retention rate. Retaining patients is essential to the profitability of your practice. Yet many patients fail to complete their course of treatment. When that happens, the patient suffers, and you lose out on the revenue from those unfulfilled visits. The good news is that low patient retention is rarely a reflection of your quality of care. By taking a few simple steps, you can address the causes of patient no-shows and increase your retention rate.

1. Increase the energy level

When a patient is involved in a recurring form of treatment, whether it’s physical therapy, counseling or anything else, they are often dejected about the effects of their condition. Depressing surroundings become all the more intolerable — while a break in the day that is filled with optimism and energy is all the more welcome. Take a look around your practice from a “patient’s eye” view: do they feel excited about what they are scheduled to experience…or is it a bit of a downer to check in?
You can start with the basic surroundings. Maybe your site needs a paint job, or artwork on the walls. If you are treating patients in a common treatment area, consider whether portable partitions might increase the privacy and improve the atmosphere of your practice.
Then work with your staff to review the entire patient experience. This starts with the reminder call or letter they receive about their appointment. Is it bland and business-like, or does it communicate that you are grateful to have the patient on board? When a patient checks in, are they greeted with a smiling, personable welcome, or a casual glance from an overworked or disinterested receptionist?
The therapist should be able to greet each patient by name and ask specific questions about the patient’s current state, based on notes in the patient documentation. At the end of the appointment, let the patient know it was great to have them and that you truly look forward to seeing them again.

2. Sell the sizzle, not the steak

An old marketing rule states that you should sell the benefits of your product, not the features. The same is true in your practice. Remember that no one comes to your office to get treatment — they come to get better. If you are a physical therapist, don’t talk to the patient about doing bends, stretches and lifts; talk about increasing strength, flexibility and coordination. Constantly repeat the benefits of what you are doing with the patient and help them see that what they are accomplishing is worth the pain and frustration.
Fear and urgency are two more powerful tools you should use in moderation. Don’t be afraid to point out the negative consequences of abandoning treatment. Many people drop out of program thinking in the back of their mind that some day they will go back. This almost never happens. Create a “now or never” sense of urgency about the importance of maintaining their course of treatment.

3. Prevent that first no-show

Patients often feel the urge to cancel or no-show an appointment for many reasons. You will find that once they miss an appointment the first time, it becomes easier and easier to cancel or no-show in the future. So do everything you can to prevent that first no-show. Install an automated system that delivers reminder calls and/or reminder emails to every patient. Reinforce the importance of consistent attendance during every session. Let the patient know that considerable time and resources have been reserved for the patient — in other words, your time is valuable! And if necessary, consider a strict cancellation policy, including charges for no-shows and last-minute cancellations.

4. Forgive and move on

Some patients don’t show up for an appointment because they are embarassed. Maybe they didn’t do the home exercises they were supposed to do, or they didn’t show for their last appointment. Someone from the practice (either at the front desk, or when possible, the practitioner) should follow up over the phone with each patient who misses an appointment, to find out the reason and to encourage that patient to attend the next scheduled session.

5. Make your patients feel at home

If you have patients that will be coming in on a regular basis, give them a brief office orientation. Show them where the coffee pot and the bathrooms are. Introduce them to the staff. In short: make them feel at home. Encourage the office staff and practitioners to display photos and memorabilia in their work areas, to create opportunities to share a little about themselves. Anything you can do to strengthen relationships with your patients is sure to improve not only retention, but the results you achieve.