Mediclinic see a large number of patients, and due to increasing no shows, we are required to review our "Did Not Attend" policy. We are committed to providing quality care, and that involves having appointments available for our clients in need. We understand it can be difficult to book a routine appointment with your doctor, and as such, we need all patients to play their part.
For some context and transparency, Mediclinic have over 2,800 patients that have visited us since 1st of June 2022. Majority of these are regular patients. Your doctor has a limited number of appointments per day to ensure they are meeting legal and ethical requirements.
When you don't show to your appointment without cancelling, there are a number of flow-on effects.
The DNA patient takes the appointment slot of another patient who could have attended
Patients on the waiting list for cancellations cannot be contacted in time to fill the spot
The time and personnel required to follow-up and rebook DNA patients diverts Practice staff from other duties and is therefore a waste of resources
New patients that fail to attend their initial appointment may not be offered another
What are the changes?
We will send a reminder message 1 week prior; 24 hours prior, and on the day 45 minutes before your appointment to allow you to cancel if you are not attending. You can respond "No" or call to reschedule. You may also respond "No" and book online via Hotdoc.
If you fail to attend without cancelling, you will receive a message from our staff and there will be a $50.00 fee payable before your next appointment.
Why are you doing this?
Simply because almost every day, we have between 5-10 patients on our waiting list for a cancellation. Enforcing this policy is the only way we can accommodate patients that need appointments, but miss out because others do not attend.
FAQ
What if I don't have credit to reply or call? All Telstra phone boxes are free, and many are now providing free wifi. Otherwise, come to the clinic to reschedule.
What if I have a genuine reason I can't attend, or I'm running late? Call and let us know. We need to know what's going on so that other patients can be seen by the Doctor. As we mentioned, we have many patients trying to be seen and you can play your part.
What if I don't have the additional funds to pay the cancellation fee?
If you made your appointment at least one week in advance, you will have had 3 reminders that it's coming up. Or if you made your appointment the day before, you will still have 2 reminders about the time. We value our patients and are committed to having availabilities for those that need it. Please respect our service and the people that provide it, just as much as we respect you and your health needs.
How are you notifying patients about this policy change?
This review will be posted on the information board at Reception, as well as on our Website. We will also notify patients who have had problematic attendance in the past to ensure everyone who does not seen the signage, or the website, is up to date.