7 Ways You Can Increase Appointment Compliance

7 Ways You Can Increase Appointment Compliance

Posted by Positive Impressions on Jun 6th 2022

No matter how good your staff and your services are, they won’t do any good if your patents aren’t visiting your clinic. Appointment compliance should be a top priority, both to keep your schedule full, and to maintain your patients’ health. Even if the client knows why a visit is important, it’s always easier to skip visits. These tips will encourage your clients to keep up with their pet’s health care, while helping you keep your practice busy.

1. Send Reminders for All Care, Not Just Booked Appointments

Is it time for heartworm, flea or tick treatment? Has the client’s pet had a dental cleaning lately? There’s more to keeping a pet healthy than an occasional wellness visit. Encourage clients to book appointments for these services alongside their regular clinic visits. This helps you keep their pets’ health on track, while keeping your practice busy.

2. Automate and Categorize Reminders

A good practice management system should handle the scheduling of reminders for you. However, there’s more to scheduling than sending a generic reminder. Every pet needs different health care, depending on their species, age, size and other factors. Building your reminders around care plans helps your clients stay on schedule.

3. Make it Easier to Book Appointments

If you only book appointments by phone, clients can only contact you during business hours. Adding online booking lets them schedule appointments after hours, or as soon as they receive a reminder.

4. Go Multi-Channel

While clients may have one preferred way to be contacted, you’ll have better luck getting them in by doubling your points of contact. According to a study conducted by Vetstreet, combining postal and email reminders can increase compliance by almost one third.

5. Always Forward Book When Possible

Make sure your clients book their next appointment before they leave their office. It’s easier to get them on the schedule while they’re thinking about their pet’s health, and its on them to cancel or reschedule the appointment at a later date.

6. Give them a Window

Giving clients a list of available times can sound daunting, especially when there are several slots available. Instead, give them a window of time when appointments are available. Mentally, it’s easier to deal with “between 8 and 11 am” than a list of several times. From there, they can choose what time is best for them.

7. Schedule in Blocks

Handling the same type of appointment in a given time frame saves time on setups, and helps you manage your clients and patients. This cuts down on clinic times for clients, and helps you manage problems connected to these appointments, like interactions between pets.

We Can Help You Improve Client Compliance

Positive Impressions, LLC has the products you need to build relationships with clients and keep your practice on their minds when they need pet health care. We carry reminder cards and business cards, as well as promotion products like bandannas and leashes. Many of these items can be customized, so you can add your practice information and your choice of graphics. See how we can help your clients stay on track with their pet’s care by visiting our website to see what we offer, or by checking out our Facebook page to see our latest specials.

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