Comments on: What are the most bothersome patient behaviors? http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2006/11/what-are-most-bothersome-patient.html medical blog Sun, 22 Nov 2009 22:50:49 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Anonymous http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2006/11/what-are-most-bothersome-patient.html/comment-page-1#comment-77459 Anonymous Tue, 10 Jul 2007 12:54:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2006/11/what-are-the-most-bothersome-patient-behaviors.html#comment-77459 Patients that are your typical "no show" appointments on a regular basis are usually your non-compliant patients as well. Document,charge them a no show fee , have them sign a note that they undestand they are in violation of your practice standards, if still non compliant then dismiss.Simple. Patients that are your typical “no show” appointments on a regular basis are usually your non-compliant patients as well. Document,charge them a no show fee , have them sign a note that they undestand they are in violation of your practice standards, if still non compliant then dismiss.Simple.

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2006/11/what-are-most-bothersome-patient.html/comment-page-1#comment-69097 Anonymous Mon, 27 Nov 2006 16:06:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2006/11/what-are-the-most-bothersome-patient-behaviors.html#comment-69097 I have never been a no-show.<br/><br/>I did once cancel a routine appointment with less than 24 hours notice because I came down overnight with a GI bug and had vomiting and diarrhea for 12 hours nonstop. I would have been incredibly pissed if I had been charged a penalty, and I probably would have paid it only under threat of being taken to small claims court.<br/><br/>Don't you think there should be a happy medium here? It's one thing if someone habitually blows off appointments or cancels at the last minute because they'd rather go shopping. It's quite another when someone normally keeps their appointments on time and has to cancel because of an unforeseen illness or some other problem. It's called life, folks, and it happens to all of us. We can't control everything.<br/><br/>Then again, maybe you'd rather have me puking on your waiting room floor or on your shoes. I have never been a no-show.

I did once cancel a routine appointment with less than 24 hours notice because I came down overnight with a GI bug and had vomiting and diarrhea for 12 hours nonstop. I would have been incredibly pissed if I had been charged a penalty, and I probably would have paid it only under threat of being taken to small claims court.

Don’t you think there should be a happy medium here? It’s one thing if someone habitually blows off appointments or cancels at the last minute because they’d rather go shopping. It’s quite another when someone normally keeps their appointments on time and has to cancel because of an unforeseen illness or some other problem. It’s called life, folks, and it happens to all of us. We can’t control everything.

Then again, maybe you’d rather have me puking on your waiting room floor or on your shoes.

]]> By: Okulus http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2006/11/what-are-most-bothersome-patient.html/comment-page-1#comment-69094 Okulus Mon, 27 Nov 2006 02:32:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2006/11/what-are-the-most-bothersome-patient-behaviors.html#comment-69094 Charging for missed uncancelled appointments or appointments cancelled within an unreasonably short time of the scheduled appointment (usually 1-2 business days) is common practice in private practices and is not in any way unprofessional. Whoever said it was unprofessional is either clueless or FOS, probably both.<br/><br/>Missed appointment charges are not charges for services rendered but are penalties for office time wasted. As long as the policy is posted for patients to see, the practice is both ethical and permissible.<br/><br/>Habitual no-show or cancellation may be cause for dismissal. How many incidents are allowed is again up to the practitioner. Some allow rescheduling but limit rescheduled slots to end of morning or end of day appointments only, others require non-refundable deposits on a third re-scheduling. All of these methods are permissible and ethical. Charging for missed uncancelled appointments or appointments cancelled within an unreasonably short time of the scheduled appointment (usually 1-2 business days) is common practice in private practices and is not in any way unprofessional. Whoever said it was unprofessional is either clueless or FOS, probably both.

Missed appointment charges are not charges for services rendered but are penalties for office time wasted. As long as the policy is posted for patients to see, the practice is both ethical and permissible.

Habitual no-show or cancellation may be cause for dismissal. How many incidents are allowed is again up to the practitioner. Some allow rescheduling but limit rescheduled slots to end of morning or end of day appointments only, others require non-refundable deposits on a third re-scheduling. All of these methods are permissible and ethical.

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2006/11/what-are-most-bothersome-patient.html/comment-page-1#comment-69089 Anonymous Sun, 26 Nov 2006 00:36:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2006/11/what-are-the-most-bothersome-patient-behaviors.html#comment-69089 Charging for missed appointments is unprofessional. I go by the 3 strikes and your out principal. 3 missed appointments and dismiss you. Charging for missed appointments is unprofessional. I go by the 3 strikes and your out principal. 3 missed appointments and dismiss you.

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2006/11/what-are-most-bothersome-patient.html/comment-page-1#comment-69077 Anonymous Sat, 25 Nov 2006 14:40:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2006/11/what-are-the-most-bothersome-patient-behaviors.html#comment-69077 We have a 2 MD office . We inform patients about our no-show policy of charging $25. My impression is that it probably reduces the problem, but does seriously piss off some others, who tend to seek care elsewhere if they are charged. We wish we did not need to do this but it is very costly to be idle while the office is open. We have a 2 MD office . We inform patients about our no-show policy of charging $25. My impression is that it probably reduces the problem, but does seriously piss off some others, who tend to seek care elsewhere if they are charged. We wish we did not need to do this but it is very costly to be idle while the office is open.

]]> By: Diora http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2006/11/what-are-most-bothersome-patient.html/comment-page-1#comment-69068 Diora Sat, 25 Nov 2006 01:05:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2006/11/what-are-the-most-bothersome-patient-behaviors.html#comment-69068 Is there any reason doctors cannot charge for missed appointments? Dentist do it or at least warn that they do - never had a chance to find out. Is there any reason doctors cannot charge for missed appointments? Dentist do it or at least warn that they do – never had a chance to find out.

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2006/11/what-are-most-bothersome-patient.html/comment-page-1#comment-69063 Anonymous Fri, 24 Nov 2006 17:03:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2006/11/what-are-the-most-bothersome-patient-behaviors.html#comment-69063 when they tell u that ur no better than (intellectually or skill wise) than a plumber, carpenter, or fireman<br/><br/>and then they present u with data that backs up their claims that docs operate in a cartel<br/><br/>dam thats annoying, but whatever, screw free markets i get paid the big bucks <br/><br/>go feudalism!!<br/><br/>(By 2014, the nation will have 212,000 physician openings due to population growth and retiring physicians, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.<br/>http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2005-03-02-doctor-shortage_x.htm) when they tell u that ur no better than (intellectually or skill wise) than a plumber, carpenter, or fireman

and then they present u with data that backs up their claims that docs operate in a cartel

dam thats annoying, but whatever, screw free markets i get paid the big bucks

go feudalism!!

(By 2014, the nation will have 212,000 physician openings due to population growth and retiring physicians, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2005-03-02-doctor-shortage_x.htm)

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