Managing patient appointments effectively is crucial for any healthcare practice. Studies show that 53% of appointment cancellations occur within the last 48 hours, leaving clinics with unfilled slots and lost revenue. While reminder SMS messages sent 48 hours prior help reduce no-shows, they do little to curb late cancellations.
By implementing a 7-day email reminder automation, you can significantly decrease last-minute cancellations, giving your clinic enough time to fill vacant slots and ensuring patients are mentally prepared for their appointments. Automation plays a vital role in streamlining this process, reducing administrative workload, and improving patient engagement.
Strong Recommendation: Implement a 4-Day Reminder for Confirmation
To further strengthen your cancellation reduction strategy, we strongly recommend adding a 4-day SMS reminder in addition to the 7-day email. This secondary reminder prompts patients to confirm their appointment, reducing the likelihood of last-minute cancellations and giving your clinic more time to fill any potential gaps.
For the 4-day reminder, click the button below to set up another automation.
Setting Up the 7-Day Reminder Automation
Step 1: Create the Reminder Email
The first step in any automation process is crafting the message. In this case, it will be an email.
Sample Email:
Subject: Reminder: Upcoming Appointment with {NEXT_PROVIDER_FIRSTNAME} {NEXT_PROVIDER_LASTNAME}
Hi {FIRSTNAME},
We would like to remind you that your next appointment with {NEXT_PROVIDER_FIRSTNAME} {NEXT_PROVIDER_LASTNAME} is on {NEXT_START}.
Please reply to this email or contact us at 12345678 to confirm your appointment.
PS: We require a minimum of 48 hours' notice for cancellations, or a cancellation fee may apply.
We look forward to seeing you at our clinic.
Clinic Name
Step 2: Automating the Reminder
Go to Automations in your Cliniq Automation account.
Click New Automation.
Name your automation clearly, e.g., "7-Day Reminder" (avoid special characters).
Select an unsubscription category (e.g., "A" for easy management).
Choose Cancellation/DNA Reducer as the automation type.
Select Recurring Automation so the reminder is sent every time a patient has an upcoming appointment in 7 days.
Click Continue.
Click SELECT and choose Patients with Appointments.
Select either a specific clinic location or All Locations.
Click the green AND button, then select Their Appointment.
Keep the "More Than" condition.
Change the unit from minutes to days.
Set it to 6 days.
Change First Appointment to Next Appointment.
Click the white AND button and choose Appointment Date.
Set the condition to "Appointment date is between 6 and 7 days in the future" (this ensures the patient’s appointment is within this timeframe).
Step 3: Sending the Email Message
Click Then → Communicate with my patient or my team.
Select Communicate with patient.
Choose Send email and select the email you created in Step 1.
Set a delay of 1 hour after the patient enters the automation.
Click Apply Changes.
Click Save Automation.
Step 4: Activating the Automation
Click the PLAY (▶️) button to activate your 7-day reminder automation.
Once activated, this automation ensures that patients receive a 7-day reminder email, allowing them ample time to plan for their appointment or reschedule if necessary. This reduces last-minute cancellations and optimizes appointment slots.
Additionally, Cliniq Apps makes this entire process seamless, allowing clinics to manage their schedules efficiently and improve patient communication. By utilizing both 7-day and 4-day reminders, your clinic can maintain a high appointment retention rate while reducing last-minute cancellations and no-shows.
Need Assistance?
If you have any questions or require further support with Cliniq Apps, please chat with us via the Cliniq Apps messenger or email us at support@cliniqapps.com.
Enjoy growing your practice with Cliniq Apps! 🚀
