Reduce Patient No-Shows by up to 90% With Smart Scheduling Tools and Custom Communications

It’s not just about tech—it’s about the human stuff tech makes possible

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Sometimes, life just happens and people miss appointments. But more often, it’s a symptom of a greater issue: People show up to appointments that are important to them, and they don’t show up to those that aren’t. 

That’s why it’s so important to create an experience patients want to engage with, and an experience that staff can sustain. When you successfully reduce no-shows, it’s rarely about fixing one isolated element of your care. It’s about optimizing the full patient experience, from scheduling to check-in to the appointment itself. It’s about delivering high-quality healthcare that’s worth showing up for. 

By using Promptly’s smart scheduling and custom communication tools, practices can deepen engagement, educate and inform patients before their appointment, and anticipate up to a 90% reduction in no-shows as a result. 

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Make every message count

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If people show up to appointments they want to go to, the question becomes: How do we help them remember they want to be there?

It starts with communication. Not standard 160-character text reminders, but automated messages that are personalized and thoughtful, reflecting the personality of your practice. 

A generic reminder text that says, “Your appointment is Thursday at 2:30,” doesn’t do much. But a message that says, “Hi Mark, we’re looking forward to welcoming you at 2:30 for your annual eye exam. Don’t grab coffee on the way. We’ve got an espresso machine in the office.”—that’s memorable. (By the way, I used to run a LASIK practice—hence the eye-care examples!)

With Promptly’s customizable messaging options, you can send text messages of any length. You can control the cadence, adjust content based on the type of appointment and information you want to include, and even change the medium based on patient preferences. Does a patient prefer email? An automated phone call? You can control that, too.

Beyond creating a welcoming environment, automated communications featuring educational materials and videos can answer questions before your patients even ask. Will my eyes be dilated? Should I take my contacts out beforehand? Can I drive home? When you meet those needs proactively, you build trust and deepen engagement before the appointment even starts. It's the foundation of long-term patient retention.

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Let patients schedule appointments themselves (but guide them well)

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Scheduling an appointment should feel as easy as online shopping. That’s not an exaggeration. It’s what people expect today. If someone searches “eye exam near me” and lands on your site, they shouldn’t have to call and wait on hold. They should be able to click “Schedule now” and book in a few simple steps. Promptly’s healthcare automation tools make that frictionless. 

Not all appointments are created equal. LASIK consults, for example, are high-value and high-demand. It’s great if someone self-schedules and shows up, but it’s costly for your practice when they no-show. For those appointments, Promptly gives practices the option to require a deposit. And when someone puts down a deposit, they’re far more likely to show up, just like with a dinner reservation or a haircut.

Promptly’s appointment scheduling platform also offers a digital decision tree that mimics the guidebook your front desk uses to schedule over the phone. It asks the right questions—What’s the issue? What is your insurance? What kind of appointment do you need?—and guides the patient to the right appointment or prompts them to call if necessary. It’s smart, scalable, and ensures patients schedule appointments correctly. Better for their health, better for your practice.

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Ditch the clipboard

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We’ve all had the experience of filling out the same familiar forms at the doctor’s office, appointment after appointment, wondering where they go. It’s frustrating for patients and inefficient for staff.

Promptly’s healthcare automation features include pre-registration. Before their visit, patients get a message inviting them to check in faster by completing forms, and even make payments, ahead of time. Our system keeps track of which forms need to be signed and which are current. No more wasted staff time digging through records. No more need to fill out forms for 30 minutes right before an appointment. Just a smoother experience for everyone.

When patients fill out forms or make payments before an appointment, it does more than save your staff time—it deepens your patients’ investment in their upcoming appointment, reducing their chances of no-showing.

(Want to learn what Promptly’s healthcare automation tools can do for the staff experience? You can save 1,700+ staff hours annually!)

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Use waitlists to fill gaps

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Even with the best systems, people do cancel. But that doesn’t mean the slot has to go empty.

Promptly’s automated waitlist feature fills those gaps. If someone cancels, our platform automatically sends messages to other patients waiting for a similar appointment. It’s a simple way to recover lost time and revenue, and keep your schedule full.

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The bigger picture

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If you want to reduce no-shows, you have to create a healthcare experience that feels human. One where patients feel seen, informed, and valued. One where staff aren’t buried in paperwork or constantly on the phone. One where technology does what it’s good at—so people can do what only people can do.

That’s what drives me. That’s why Promptly exists. And that’s why I’m convinced we can make healthcare better, one appointment at a time.