A no-show policy has two jobs. It tells patients what you expect, and it protects the hour you held for them. Written well, it also keeps the relationship intact. Written badly, it makes a worried patient feel like a suspect.
This guide covers what to include, how to word it, and where to put it. A template is at the end.
Decide what you are really protecting
Start with the numbers that matter to your clinic, not a policy copied from somewhere else:
- How long is a typical visit slot?
- How often can you refill a late cancellation?
- Which patients are costing you most: new patients who don’t arrive, or regulars who drift?
A new patient who never shows has usually changed their mind, found another clinic, or forgotten. A regular who cancels at the last minute is often sore, busy or discouraged. The same policy should be firm on the first group and warmer with the second.
What a good policy includes
- The notice you need. A clear number of hours, such as 24, stated plainly. Make sure it matches the late cancellation setting in your booking software.
- What counts as a late cancellation and a no-show. Define both, so staff and patients read them the same way.
- What happens. A fee, a warning, or neither. If there is a fee, say how much or how it is worked out.
- Exceptions. Illness, emergencies and first-time misses. Say that staff may use discretion, and then actually use it.
- How to cancel. The easiest ways: a link in the reminder, a text reply, a phone number. If cancelling is hard, you will get more no-shows.
- What happens after repeated misses. For example, you may ask the patient to confirm each visit, or pause booking further ahead.
Think carefully about fees
Charging for missed visits is common, but it is not simple. A few things to check before you decide:
- Rules differ by province, state, regulator and payer. Some places restrict or require disclosure of fees. Check with your regulator or professional association.
- Many insurers and payers do not pay for visits the patient missed. If you charge a fee, it is usually billed to the patient. Check your payer agreements, and anything that covers government-funded or contracted patients, before you bill anyone.
- Patients must know in advance. A fee that appears for the first time on an invoice breeds complaints. Show the policy when they book, and repeat it in confirmations and reminders. If you use Cliniko, put the policy on your booking page. Train whoever answers the phone to explain it kindly, using the front desk phone script.
- Keep it proportionate. A fee that feels like a punishment loses the patient. Many clinics charge a portion of the visit fee rather than the whole amount, and waive the first miss. Decide what suits your clinic.
This is general information, not legal advice. If you are unsure, ask your regulator or an adviser.
Make the policy easy to find
A policy nobody sees can’t be enforced fairly. Show it in four places:
- Online booking. Many booking systems let you show a notice or require patients to agree to terms before booking. Check the settings in yours. Our guides for Jane cover the cancellation settings.
- The confirmation message. One short line, with the cancel link.
- Your website. A short section on the booking or first visit page, in plain words.
- The front desk. Staff should be able to explain it in one sentence without sounding defensive.
Reduce no-shows before you rely on the policy
A policy is the last line of defence. Reminders, easy rescheduling and a clear explanation of what the first visit involves prevent more misses than any fee. We cover the practical side in how to reduce patient no-shows.
A short template
Adapt the wording, amounts and notice to your clinic, and check it against the rules where you practise.
Cancellations and missed appointments
We hold each appointment time just for you, and other patients are often waiting for one. If you need to cancel or move your visit, please let us know at least [24 hours] before it starts. You can do this from the link in your confirmation, by replying to your reminder text, or by calling [phone number].
A visit cancelled with less notice, or missed without contacting us, may be charged at [amount or percentage]. We understand that illness and emergencies happen, and we are happy to talk about your situation. Your first late cancellation will be a reminder only. [Delete or change this if it doesn’t suit you.]
Many insurers do not pay for missed visits, so any fee would be billed to you directly.
If you have questions, please call us. We would rather hear from you than lose your slot.
A quick check
- Does the notice period in your policy match the setting in your booking software?
- Can a patient find the policy before they book, not only after?
- Is cancelling as easy as booking?
- Does every staff member apply it the same way?
- Have you checked your regulator’s and payers’ rules on fees?
If you would like us to look at the path from your website to a booked appointment, including what patients are told about cancelling, we will do it as part of your marketing audit.