Missed Appointment Policy

Missed Appointment Policy

To ensure each patient has a reasonable amount of time with their provider, it is very important that all patients be on-time for their scheduled appointments. When someone misses an appointment or calls last minute to cancel or reschedule, they have essentially taken away opportunities for other patients to get medical care. 

If you cannot keep an appointment, please contact us well in advance (at least 24 or 48 hours, see below), to reschedule or cancel your appointment. We understand extreme circumstances (sudden family emergencies, sickness, snowstorms, etc.) may cause you to miss your appointment or call us last-minute to cancel or reschedule. However, repeated missed appointments is detrimental to the smooth operation of the practice. To discourage habitual missed appointments, we have established this Missed Appointment Policy. All patients must read and agree to this policy before they can be seen at this practice.

Please note, priority is given to patients who are on-time. If you arrive more than 15 minutes late, you forfeited your appointment time. If you wish to be seen, you may have to wait until there is a break in the schedule, which can take considerable time on busy days. The final decision as to whether or not you can be seen depends on time left in the day’s schedule and the decision of the practitioner. If you arrive late and cannot be seen due to: (1) lack of time in the day’s schedule, (2) the practitioner cannot fit you into her schedule, or (3) you cannot wait to be seen and choose to leave, the appointment is considered a missed appointment.

THE FOLLOWING ARE CONSIDERED MISSED APPOINTMENTS:

1. Failure to show-up for an appointment.
2. Failure to reschedule or cancel any appointment, at least a 24-hours in advance for regular appointments or 48-hours in advance for pre-op, surgical consultations, surgical procedures, or ultrasound appointments.
3. Arriving more than 15 minutes late for an appointment, decide not to wait to be seen and leave, or cannot be seen due to a lack of time in the day’s schedule or the practitioner cannot fit you into her schedule.

MISSED APPOINTMENT PENALTIES:

A no-fee due, "Missed Appointment" notice will be sent for the first time missed appointment. Any additional missed appointments will be charged as follows:

Missed or late cancellation/reschedule Fee Schedule

• $50 for less than 24 hrs Notice: Weekday appointments
• $75 for less than 24 hrs Notice: Saturday appointments
• $75 for less than 48hrs Notice: MINOR procedures (IUD, Nexplanon, Colposcopy, EMB, etc.)
• $125 for less than 48hrs Notice: MAJOR procedures (hysteroscopy, LEEP, etc.)
• $125 for less than 48hrs Notice: ultrasound appointments

Please follow this Missed Appointment Policy Link to obtain a copy of this policy to sign and return before your next appointment.

PLEASE NOTE: Missed Appointment Fees are not covered by health insurance and must be paid out-of-pocket. Fees are due upon notification. Unpaid fees accrue and must be paid in full before scheduling your next appointment.  Warning: More than 3 missed appointments within a one-year period risks total dismissal from the practice.