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If you are asked 7 times if you're really coming, and you just ignore that...then I don't feel particularly badly that your appointment was canceled. The only reason I say this is that it is often very difficult for others to schedule a timely appointment.
I agree. Missing a text or email is one thing, not responding to 7 notifications by multiple modes is ghosting.
Looking at a dentist appointment reminder I got last week, there’s no mention of them cancelling if I don’t confirm. I always confirm when asked and I always show up. Mr. Dokie once had bad food poisoning and had to cancel the same day for the dentist. The receptionist assured me it was no problem, she had two emergency cases she could give his appointment time to.
If I remember I’ll ask the dentist tomorrow if they ever cancel appointments if you don’t confirm.
Ok, what would you prefer between the following options.
1) Doc sends confirmation emails, cancels if you do not confirm.
2) Doc sends confirmation emails, doesn't cancel but charges you a few if you do not show.
Maybe your doc cancels unconfirmed appointments because their system isn't designed to charge fees for no-shows.
I'm old fashioned. I make an appointment, and I will show up or reschedule if necessary. If not, then I deserve a no show fee. The doc needs to hold up his end of the bargain, too.
I appreciate reminders, and the option to fill out paperwork in advance. But forcing patients to confirm or you will cancel is adding another complication to a life already full of them, where I must be tethered to a device to live. It's another manufactured requirement, another brick on the wagon. The healthcare system is already arduous enough to navigate.
You just know that older, elderly people will have the most problems with this process. They are not watching their phone much, not checking emails often, and may not retrieve voice mails.
Even the Mayo Clinic doesn't have this policy. They will text reminders and email to offer a "Pre-Check In" process to confirm info, sign documents, complete questionnaires. But they won't cancel if you don't. Same thing with all of our many other doctors.
Last edited by KO Stradivarius; 08-22-2023 at 08:57 PM..
I do resent appointments when I am on time and they are VERY late. I have waited over an hour a couple of times for an appointment, and that is -- generally -- unneccessary. However, there are times that someone is desperately in need to extra time for their appointment. But general overbooking is irresponsible of doctors.
Overbooking is in general a side effect of a high no show rate.
My wife had this happen by our dentist recently. They made many attempts to confirm - one email, texted 2-3 times, and left 2-3 voicemails. No fee charged, she showed up on time but was told her appointment was cancelled due to not confirming in advance.
My wife is not tech savvy, cannot bring her phone into her workplace (security will not allow), and she is terrible at checking it after hours after working.
Most doctors will send emails and maybe texts, and may even call to confirm appointments. And of course it is not uncommon to be charged a fee if you do not show up for an appointment. But I usually do not confirm, and I have never heard of this policy of cancelling before if not confirmed. And between me, my wife and her mother, we go to a lot of doctors.
I have always had the doctor honor the appointment time, period. You make the appt, then you show up at that appt time and there is never a problem, whether you confirm or not. It always seemed that confirming in advance was only to fill out paperwork, which can be done upon arrival if necessary.
We switched to this dentist about 1.5 yrs ago, but I don't remember being informed about this policy. I'm sure that there have been other times in the last year and a half that we did not confirm, but this is the first time they have enforced it.
Is this a common practice? Or maybe the "new normal"?
They want to verify she was coming to the appointment. All she needed to do is respond back saying she will be there. Odds are they have many other patients trying to get appointments. So the staff is trying to find available spots for them. So they are trying to get conformations for all the currently scheduled appointments. If the patient doesn't confirm, they may lose their appointment.
This is nothing new, and it common practice. Some places are more anal about confirming, so just do it.
A better way of handling it imo is make the person give a small deposit which is refunded on appointment or cancellation with adequate notice. That way no need to bother with a phone call or email or sms. Not everyone has the time or forgets to respond to them.
Dentists are probably a little more 'predictable', but the threat of a $$ charge for not cancelling a physician appointment doesn't sit well with me. If you're not among the first two or three appointments of the day, chances are at least good that you'll be waiting long enough that the only impact of not being there would be to get the doc that much closer to being on schedule for the next guy.
I'm old fashioned. I make an appointment, and I will show up or reschedule if necessary. If not, then I deserve a no show fee. The doc needs to hold up his end of the bargain, too.
I appreciate reminders, and the option to fill out paperwork in advance. But forcing patients to confirm or you will cancel is adding another complication to a life already full of them, where I must be tethered to a device to live. It's another manufactured requirement, another brick on the wagon. The healthcare system is already arduous enough to navigate.
You just know that older, elderly people will have the most problems with this process. They are not watching their phone much, not checking emails often, and may not retrieve voice mails.
Even the Mayo Clinic doesn't have this policy. They will text reminders and email to offer a "Pre-Check In" process to confirm info, sign documents, complete questionnaires. But they won't cancel if you don't. Same thing with all of our many other doctors.
Well, if it's important to you to then find a different doc who is old fashioned too and will let you be device-free.
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Odds are they have many other patients trying to get appointments. So the staff is trying to find available spots for them. So they are trying to get conformations for all the currently scheduled appointments. If the patient doesn't confirm, they may lose their appointment.
