Filling in the blanks

When a patient cancels an appointment at the last minute, it doesn't have to mean that time has to be wasted. You can set up a system that allows you to fill your schedule when patients cancel or reschedule without much notice.

Having a designated scheduler who deals with the daily intake of patients making and breaking appointments is key to this process. You should also consider making a waiting list of patients who would like to be on an on-call list. Ask patients ahead of time if they want to be on the list so you aren't calling your entire patient list looking for fill-ins.

Read similar tips monthly in Briefings on Outpatient Rehab: Reimbursement and Regulations.