How to deal with unprepared patients

Dealing with patients who come in without the things they need is tough. So how should you handle it when patients come in without their referrals and such?

The best way to deal with these situations is to avoid them altogether by helping the patient remember his or her important items. Preparing patients starts when the appointment is scheduled – You have to be very specific as to what you need when the patient comes in.

Calling patients to remind them of their appointment is also crucial. It might be a little time-consuming, but it’s worth the extra effort because that is your opportunity to ask patients if they have everything together for their appointment the following day and to remind them of anything they may have forgotten. This way, patients can remember to get that referral form, find their new insurance card or bring in their co-pay. And that way, you don’t have to deal with an overly emotional patient who forgot his things.

The bottom line: Preparation is key. So help patients (and yourself) by telling them what they need from the beginning when they schedule an appointment and then call to remind them again the day before.