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charge a fee?
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charge a fee? - April 10, 2007 4:26:00 AM
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USAPT
Posts: 278
Joined: January 14, 2004
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Do you all charge a fee for a no-show or cancelled appt within 24 hours and if so, what is a 'normal' fee?
I have brought this up to my company before and they said we could but couldn't enforce it.
So my next question...if you charge and the pt doesn't pay, do you send it to collections or how do you (as a mgr or owner) enforce this?
thanks in adv for your input
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Jason, PT
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Re: charge a fee? - April 10, 2007 6:00:00 AM
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joelkphysio
Posts: 27
Joined: September 25, 2006
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we use 25$ (55$ is normal patient fee with no govt subsidy). We have it in place but only use it for people who are chronically late/no show. Another way to do it, is if people are often no-show, is to have them pay to book an appt.
Yes you can send it to collections if you want, but I would think that by that time the patient is lost to you, and it liely isnt worth your time.
We will often leave it outstanding in our computer and then if the patient wishes to rebook (at a later date when they have forgotten about it and come back to you for help), they need to pay the outstanding amount before booking. But like I said rare, but it has happened.
The way i see it, if it gets to that point and the patient is sticky about that money (after they have repeatedly wasted my time), they dont value your time, and they can either buck up, or go waste someone elses time.
On a side note, I find these patients want passive treatment...not my thing.
Good luck
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Re: charge a fee? - April 10, 2007 6:13:00 AM
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USAPT
Posts: 278
Joined: January 14, 2004
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I agree with you on the wasting my time thing (especially passive rx). I generally just d/c them anyway.
Thanks Joel
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Jason, PT
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Re: charge a fee? - April 10, 2007 7:48:00 AM
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KIDPT23
Posts: 222
Joined: May 20, 2002
From: Illinois
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you can't charge a fee to medicare patients and if you are to work comp patients, it has to be stated in the particular contract with each work comp company...
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Re: charge a fee? - April 10, 2007 11:05:00 AM
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jlharris
Posts: 478
Joined: April 12, 2006
From: Nebraska
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And, in the area I practice, there are many clinics willing to scoop up the pt's I lost because I tried to make them pay for not coming in. Those pt's also tell there MD and that MD may think twice about referring to me.
So, while it stinks to miss out on that lost appt time, it may be more costly in the end to attempt to make pt's pay for not canceling >24hrs out. Especially when a pt is coming in 2-3 x week. Just my opinion.
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Jason L. Harris, PT, DPT
My PT Blog
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Re: charge a fee? - April 11, 2007 1:55:00 AM
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USAPT
Posts: 278
Joined: January 14, 2004
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Jason, that proves why we need to establish true direct access in all states and no longer rely on MD referrals.
[QUOTE]Most manager care organizations will not allow payment for services that were not provided.[/QUOTE]Nicole, then how do MD, DPM, DMDs, etc get away with charging a fee
Thanks all for your comments
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Jason, PT
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Re: charge a fee? - April 11, 2007 2:42:00 AM
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FLAOrthoPT
Posts: 1011
Joined: May 8, 2004
From: West Palm Beach
Status: offline
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partly because patients fear doctors, and they do not think they can just up and leave and go to another one as easy as they can with a therapist. just a society thing, people were taught to fear their physician...if they only knew...
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Re: charge a fee? - April 11, 2007 11:56:00 AM
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hmgross
Posts: 292
Joined: February 28, 2003
From: Minnesota
Status: offline
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Sometimes there can be a scheduling error and you don't want to piss off a patient if there was such an error. I always finish each visit with "when do we get to meet again? or when do I see you again this week?" in front of the receptionist so all 3 of us can confirm it. If someone is a no-show, the office staff calls them to see if "everything is all right" and sometimes it isn't!! We have had cases where there has been an seriously ill patient/spouse or worse yet, a death and it just doesn't pay to assume they just "blew us off" My cancel and no-show rate are way lower here than when I worked at a larger hospital outpatient facility. We seem to be in closer contact with the patients and 95% of the time we get calls well in advance "so someone can fill my spot" Has been working out good, so far. BTW, I usually see patients 1-2 times a week, rarely 3.
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Holly Gross PT
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Re: charge a fee? - April 12, 2007 4:21:00 PM
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savela
Posts: 63
Joined: October 7, 2004
From: toronto
Status: offline
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My clinic has a 24 hrs notice cancellation fee. When the pt books the first apt. they are told about it.
They are also reminded in a clinic policy form, that they are required to sign.
I normally let the first missed apt. go and give them a warning that they will be charged, and it is documented in their file.
Our charge is full fee, since I am busy and am paid pay per patient.
Lawyers, doctors, and hair stylists etc. charge... why shouldn't we??
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Re: charge a fee? - April 14, 2007 3:42:00 AM
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SJBird55
Posts: 2467
Joined: May 10, 2004
From: Michigan
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We take a completely different attitude. I have a cute little sign that indicates that we know physical therapy appointments are important and we aren't going to charge anyone for a missed visit because we know that the patient will contact us in the event that life happens.
We have a low cancel/no show rate and we do just as Holly does. Most patients call well in advance so we can fill the slot and schedule someone else.
If a patient is scheduled >72 hours out during the work week, my office manager provides a friendly phone reminder 24 hours prior to the next appointment. And... if the patient has dementia, she contacts that person the day of the appointment.
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