How to calculate patient no-show rate

Every healthcare provider feels accomplished when they reach a full schedule, booking new patient appointments weeks in advance to keep up with demand. But no-shows and missed appointments can cause a dent in your practice’s revenue.

One study of no-show rates discovered that a vascular laboratory suffered a gross loss of $89,107 with a 12% no-show rate. Another study found that 67,000 no-shows cost the healthcare system around $7 million. On average, providers lose about $7,500 per month from no-show appointments. 

No-shows also severely impact a provider’s quality of care. One study revealed that missed primary care appointments were related to poor disease control and later presentation. The higher the no-show rate, the more it impacts a practice. And these rates can be astronomical. 

The study Evaluating the Impact of Patient No-Shows on Service Quality found that no-show rates can be as high as 80%. Furthermore, a 2022 poll from the Medical Group Management Association (MGMA) revealed that 49% of medical groups reported an increase in no-shows. While some of these numbers are residuals from the pandemic, no-shows continue to burden individual practices with lost revenue and time. 

There are various reasons a patient may skip an appointment. Common reasons for missed appointments include:

Healthcare providers have some control over these processes and can reduce their no-show rate to improve cash flow. For example, an analysis of a vascular laboratory found that reducing the no-show rate by 5% could boost annual revenue by $51,769.00. 

However, the most significant benefits of decreasing no-show rates are reflected in the quality of care. When patients arrive on time, healthcare providers can diagnose and treat conditions earlier. This reduces the long-term patient costs while improving a practice’s cash flow and reputation — potentially leading to more referrals.

You can calculate the patient no-show rate fairly quickly. All you need are 2 pieces of information: the number of appointments over a period and the number of missing appointments in that same timeframe. The formula would look like this:

(Number of missing appointments / Number of total appointments over a period) *100 = No-show rate

Let’s look at an example. A physical therapist sees 35 patients a week. But 5 don’t show up. So, the calculation would be:

(5 / 35) *100 = 14.29%

The no-show benchmark rate ranges from 5% to 8%, depending on the practice’s specialty. 

Did you try out the calculation and find you have a high rate? The good news is there are ways to reduce the rate of missed appointments without taking on a significant workload.

Check out our guide on the top 10 ways to reduce no-show rates and cancellations at your healthcare practice.

Many factors that lead to no-shows stem from a poor patient experience, from long lead times to patient forgetfulness or changes in insurance coverage. Some of these reasons are within a healthcare provider’s control. Being proactive can help healthcare providers reduce their no-show rate, improve the quality of care, and decrease revenue losses. Implementing automated SMS reminders is one of the most effective strategies to combat no-shows and last-minute cancellations.

Medical practices can take simple steps to streamline the appointment process, such as maintaining clear communication with patients, scheduling reminders, confirming appointments, or even implementing a fee.

But there’s even more you can do to boost attendance. 

Discover how you can serve your target patient demographics, deal with persistent no-shows, and tap into financially rewarding strategies with Tebra’s recent report on Tackling Patient No-Shows.