D r a m a t i c P e r f o r m a n c e I m p r o v e m e n t Confirmation Call Toolkit What is included in this toolkit: Before you get started: a Primer for Confirmation Calls Confirmation Call Sample Script Confirmation Call Results Tracking Tool Before you get started: Confirmation Calls are a tried and true method to reduce the No-Show rate. Why is reducing the No-Show rate important? No-Shows eat up appointment slots and diminish capacity. Often, health centers employ other methods to maintain productivity and meet capacity with their current No-Show rate like overbooking. This can result in an unpredictable day leaving patients waiting for long periods of time and staff feeling frustrated. Booking around the No-Show rate is a patch method; and it doesn t get to the root of the No-Show issue. The root cause is likely, a lack of relationship between the patient and the health center. It means patients don t feel like they owe you a phone call to let you know they can t make it. Confirmation Calls, if executed well, have reduced No-Show rates by 50%. To be clear, Confirmation Calls are NOT reminder calls. How are they different? Coleman Associates 1
They voice confirm a patient plans to keep their scheduled appointment. (Rather than just reminding the patient of their scheduled time through voicemail, they reach the patient live to confirm their appointment and if the reason for the visit is the same). Confirmation Calls build on the health center s relationship with the patient. (Staff making Confirmation Calls introduces themselves and remembers things about the patient and brings them up on the phone call). They gather important information about the patient that will help streamline the visit the next day. A series of questions are asked that confirm financial and/or insurance information as well as past medical information that is not yet in the patient record). Think of it this way: if you are striving to become a patient centered medical home, than everyone working at the site is family. Think about how family and friends speak to each other on the phone: it s friendly and comfortable, there is voice recognition, and when you talk to a patient the day before, you acknowledge that conversation when you see them the next day. First, you need to build a Confirmation Call script suited to the personality and specific needs of your facility. It should sound like you, it should ask patients to bring in materials that are specific to your facility, (such as immunization cards for pediatric practices or proof of income if your site has a sliding scale) and it should relay key information a patient needs to know to be prepared to show up, on-time, for their appointment. The Confirmation Call script is important because it establishes a system or protocol that all staff are responsible for implementing, on a daily basis. Furthermore, it preserves all of the details of the Confirmation Call, which tend to wither away over time, as a symptom of human nature to find the quickest way to get a task accomplished. Also, it provides a framework so that when new staff are hired, they have a written process for training. Coleman Associates 2
What does a Confirmation Call script need? 1. It needs to be available in the language your patients speak. 2. It needs to introduce the staff person who is calling. 3. It needs to give patients the option to reschedule their appointment if it is no longer convenient. 4. It needs to introduce and identify name the name of the provider the patient is seeing. 5. It must verify reason for visit. 6. It needs to include the date and time of the appointment. 7. It needs to confirm the location of the appointment (especially important if your site has multiple locations). 8. It needs to verify demographics. Phone number, address, if anything else has changed like married name, for example. 9. It needs to ask for insurance information or self-pay status. 10. It needs to remind patient to bring in deliverables: for example, insurance card, copay, medication bottles, immunization card or records, etc. 11. It needs to ask patient if they have been to any other medical office in between this visit and their last so staff has time to request records. 12. It needs to ask patient if they would like any additional services at the time of their appointment. (This varies depending on type of visit, but can be STD testing, flu vaccine, Tdap, etc.) 13. It reminds patient to call if anything comes up so site can take them off the schedule if necessary. 14. It leaves the patient feeling invested in showing up the next day and with a positive impression of the practice. Coleman Associates 3
Confirmation Call Sample Script Good afternoon, my name is Maria. I'm calling from XYZ Health Center; may I please speak with "Mr. Jones". Hi Mr. Jones, we are working on a making some changes and working on a new process here at the clinic that will improve the access to your provider and the time in which you spend waiting here. You will notice that I am going to ask you more about your visit as well as give you more information on this call today. I'm calling to remind you of your appointment for tomorrow with Dr. (x) at 9:30 in the morning. Are you going to be able to make it to this appointment? o Yes: great, may I ask you a few questions to help facilitate your visit here? I see that you are coming in for... Please make sure to bring in your medication bottles and anything else that you might need to discuss your provider. Have you been in the ED/ hosp recently? For child, bring in immunization card, For patients who are fasting for fasting labs, f/u on radiology, consult, etc., did you get that work done? For adult due for well exam, or due for Tdap, if we don t already know: Do you know when you had your last tetanus shot (we could do that for you tomorrow when you come in)? Do you currently have health insurance? Yes, please bring in your current insurance card. No, is their eligibility up to date? Your copay will be $$. Please bring this at the time of your visit. Check for patient balance. If they owe, let them know what it is. You can pay that with us tomorrow at your visit, we can accept your check o or a credit card. Answer any questions they have regarding this balance. No: ok, would you like me to reschedule or is it better for you to call us back when you need to be seen? Verify demographics. What is a second phone number for you that if we need to get hold of you and can't reach you? email address? correct address? Please call us if you are unable to make this appointment. You can call us at xxx.xxx.xxxx. Please let us know in advance of your appointment time if possible. We look forward to seeing you tomorrow at 9:30. Have a great day. Coleman Associates 4
Confirmation Call Results Tracking Tool Week of ( ) Mon Tues Wed Thurs Fri # Hard Confirmed # LVM #Rescheduled/Cancelled # No Answer/Bad Number # Not Called TOTAL Provider: Notes: Caller Name: Coleman Associates 5