How to cut clinic no-shows with a reminder call the day before

Why patients don’t turn up

Most patients don’t miss appointments on purpose. They forgot, their plans changed, they felt better, or the clinic’s line was busy when they tried to cancel. The doctor’s slot is wasted, and someone who wanted it couldn’t book. A call the day before reminds the patient and makes “I can’t come” easy to say, so the slot is freed in time.

What to say in a reminder call

Keep it to about a minute:

1. 1Greet and check it’s the patient: “Assalomu alaykum, this is Malika from Oila clinic. Is that Dilnoza?” If someone else answers, give no details; say you’ll call back.
2. 2Name the appointment: “You have an appointment with the general practitioner tomorrow at ten.”
3. 3Ask one clear question with a way out: “Can you come, or shall we move it to another day?” Then “no” is easy to say.
4. 4If they’re coming, add only what helps: the landmark, what to bring, the clinic’s preparation rules, such as “please come 15 minutes early”.
5. 5Close warmly: “Thank you, see you tomorrow.”

Never discuss diagnoses, test results or treatment here: leave those to the doctor.

When the patient says “I can’t come”

That’s useful news: the slot is free a day early. Then:

• Offer another time at once, with two options: “Thursday at ten or Friday at three?” It’s quicker than “When suits you?”.
• Not sure yet? Agree when to call back. Cancelling? Thank them and don’t push.
• Give the freed slot away the same day: call the first patient on your waiting list for earlier times.

A recorded “press 1 to confirm” call couldn’t have moved it; the patient would have had to phone the clinic. The difference: what IVR is.

When to call

• The day before, afternoon or evening, even for morning appointments: on the day it’s too late to give the slot away.
• Not late: for example 10:00–20:00. The clinic sets the hours.
• For Monday appointments, call on Saturday if you’re closed on Sunday.
• Avoid Friday prayers and iftar time during Ramadan.
• No answer? Try once more two or three hours later, then send a text.

What to measure

The key number is the no-show rate: patients who didn’t come ÷ patients booked for those days. Timely cancellations don’t count.

For example: 300 appointments in a week, 36 no-shows: 36 ÷ 300 = 12%. Record it for two to four weeks before reminders and for the same time with them, then compare. These numbers are only an example.

• How many patients were reached, confirmed, moved or cancelled.
• How many freed slots went to other patients.
• How many confirmed but still didn’t come: call them earlier next time.

Handing reminders to an AI operator

A receptionist rarely has time to call dozens of patients a day. With Sado’s AI outbound calls you upload tomorrow’s appointments as an Excel file in the portal’s Auto-calls section (or your software sends them by API), pick “Visit reminder” and set the calling hours.

The operator, Malika or Shohruh, talks with each patient live in Uzbek or Russian. It rebooks patients who can’t come, calls back when asked and leaves medical questions to the doctor. A number that says “don’t call me” isn’t called again.

Each call’s recording, transcript and outcome are in the portal, and the call card goes into Bitrix24 if you use it. More: AI phone receptionist for clinics. Try it live or call 78 778 01 23.

Questions