Cancellations and no-shows are a direct reflection on a practice’s scheduling and patient communication capabilities. These disruptions hinder profitability, waste resources, and adversely affect practice efficiency. Reducing them demands a proactive approach.
Trust, need, urgency, and value are four pillars that constitute a healthy patient–practice partnership. The nurturing and strengthening of these pillars impacts patients’ decision-making regarding treatment as well as their level of commitment and loyalty to the practice and the appointments they schedule with it.
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When considering these pillars, a practice must ask itself: Do our patients trust us and our treatment recommendations? Do they feel a sense of urgency to receive treatment or stay active in our practice? Do they see the need for keeping their hygiene appointments or showing up for treatment? Do they see the value in the treatment and care we provide?
This article focuses on three pivotal points of communication a dental practice has with its patients that can potentially build commitment to future appointments—and, thus, reduce cancellations and no-shows.
The Telephone
How patients are treated on the telephone impacts their decision as to whether they will schedule and keep appointments. Practices need a plan of execution that allows persons answering the phone to deliver their very best every time they answer a call. Powerful, service-oriented words should be used instead of weak, retail-oriented words. Examples include: “reserve an appointment” instead of “schedule an appointment”; “fee” or “investment” instead of “cost” or “price”; “courtesy reduction” or “reduced fee” instead of “discount.” Also, so-called minimizing words, such as “just,” “kind of,” or “a little,” should be eliminated.
Here’s a sample phone scenario: “I am thrilled that we were able to reserve an appointment for you with Dr. Jameson so quickly, Mrs. Jones. To confirm, we have you reserved for 90 minutes with Dr. Jameson and our team for a new patient appointment next Thursday at 9 a.m. We will be ready for you then and will look forward to taking care of you. Do you see any reason that you would not be able to keep this appointment? Can we count on you to be here? You can count on us to be prepared for you, and we look forward to meeting you in person.”
Follow-up and well-executed confirmation processes are important to keep the appointment front of mind and to continue to instill in the patient a sense of need and value for the appointment.
The Doctor Hygiene Evaluation
Communicating and executing an evaluation thoroughly, intentionally, and clearly can enhance patient education, treatment acceptance, and patient retention. A well-executed evaluation comprises a hygienist debriefing the doctor with the patient present, which helps repeat needed messages and support the evaluation. Photographs and scans, which should already have been taken, are shown on a monitor for the doctor to review. Every visual aid and verbal communication must be intentional for repetition, building value, and to help the patient process information. Guiding patients through the evaluation—informing them what is happening, utilizing visual aids, using intentional body language and verbal skills, and partnering with them through the process—allows them to experience the value of the evaluation at a higher level, leading to better patient education, motivation, activation, and retention.
The Patient Check-Out
Repetition of the message you want to convey to the patient is the key to a successful patient check-out. The primary clinical provider (doctor), secondary providers (hygienist and assistant), and business team all play a role in communicating what happened at today’s appointment, what to expect in the next appointment, answering any questions the patient may have, making financial arrangements, and scheduling what’s next. Repetition is crucial to learning and retention. Scheduling an appointment face to face is optimal.
While scheduling the next appointment, provide the patient a reason to come back. For example, mention that the treatment will help alleviate the patient’s pain and allow them to be comfortable again, or that you’ll be able to save the patient’s tooth. Reiterate that you will count on seeing them then and that the doctor will be ready to take care of them, and ask if they have any questions about the appointment or the procedure.
Building value with a patient through communication skills is critical. Consider how your team communicates the value, need, and urgency of appointments to gain trust and a stronger commitment from patients for not only their next appointment but also their continued future relationship with the practice.
About the Author
Carrie Webber
Owner and President, The Jameson Group (jmsn.com), a dental management, marketing, and hygiene coaching firm
