NO SHOW POLICY

Do you have a “No Show” policy for your office?  If not, you get need one!!

 

 

Especially in mental health, as you can only see one patient at a time.  In life and business your most valuable asset is your time.  That hour or forty-five minutes is valuable, because you could have used that hour to accomplish another item(s) on your task list.  The economic term of opportunity cost of any action is simply the next best alternative to that action – or put more simply, “What you would have done if you didn’t make the choice that you did.”

As a provider you can define that simply by the rate you would have received for the session or by using more intangible values.  Examples of intangible values are the following;

• Marketing my practice to attract new patients
• Review the accounting is for your business
• Review of insurance claims and/ or unpaid claims ( if, you had a biller we do this)
• Update your continuing education
• Research for a patients’ case
• Run some personal and/or personal errands

In my practice as a Mental Health Biller servicing the East Cost of the US, I have dealt with varying degrees of business owners.  Some providers feel uncomfortable with this practice, however, people become accustomed to any relationship, in which, they interact.  Hopefully, respect is a two street; meaning the patient will respect your time as they expect you the provider to respect their time.  Some time in business you may have to ask yourself “if this is the right patient for you?”

“No Show” policy should be included on your intake forms.  Or you can add a separate page describing the policy and obtain the credit card number to be charged for the missed appointment and the amount.  For efficiency, 30 minutes into the scheduled time, you may charge the card.

All this is food for thought and given for your review to see how it fits within your business mission and practices.  Please refer to all applicable laws and regulation to the best practices allowable.