The holiday season can be a tricky time to manage patient schedules in a private practice. Between staff taking time off and patients’ holiday plans, finding the right balance in your calendar can be challenging.
Here are some tips to help streamline scheduling so you can keep things running smoothly during the holiday season!
Start Planning Early
Holiday schedules can quickly become chaotic if planning is left until the last minute. Start reviewing your practice’s calendar as early as possible to determine your peak and low-demand days. Ask your staff about their holiday time-off plans well in advance to figure out when you’ll likely need additional staff or more flexibility in your schedule. Early October would be a time to start these conversations.
Encourage Patients to Book in Advance
Reach out to your regular patients and encourage them to book appointments early, especially if they need checkups or follow-ups before the end of the year. Send reminders through emails, texts, or phone calls to prompt patients to secure their spots before the holidays. This helps both you and them plan ahead and makes sure that your schedule fills up in a predictable way.
Optimize Your Appointment Slots
Consider adjusting your appointment slots to accommodate the season’s demand. For instance, offering slightly shorter follow-up slots or grouping similar types of visits (like quick consultations or medication refills) together can free up space for other patients. This small adjustment can help you serve more patients without feeling overloaded.
Offer Telehealth Options
Telehealth is a convenient way to provide care to patients who may be traveling or who prefer to stay home due to holiday busyness. For quick check-ins, follow-ups, or consults,
telehealth can be an excellent alternative. Promoting this option to patients during the holidays can help free up in-office appointment slots for patients with needs requiring in-person care.
Create a Flexible Cancellation Policy
With all the unpredictability of the season, patients may need to reschedule due to holiday conflicts or unexpected illness. Consider adopting a more flexible cancellation policy around the holidays to accommodate these changes.
Be clear about the policy in your reminders so patients feel comfortable rescheduling without feeling penalized. This flexibility can help you manage cancellations more gracefully and keep your calendar running smoothly.
Block Time for Emergencies
Holiday schedules can bring surprises, and it’s likely some patients may need last-minute care or have an urgent need arise.
Keep a few appointment slots open each day as “emergency spots” to help handle unexpected cases. This not only helps reduce the stress of trying to squeeze in
emergency appointments but also makes sure patients receive timely care when they need it most.
Communicate Adjusted Hours Clearly
If your practice has limited hours during the holidays, make sure this is clearly communicated to your patients and posted on your website, social media channels, and even your voicemail message.
Patients appreciate transparency, and making your holiday hours easy to find helps manage expectations while reducing the likelihood of missed appointments.
Use Automated Reminders
Automated reminders are a lifesaver during the holiday season. Use these to confirm upcoming appointments with patients, giving them the option to confirm, reschedule, or cancel if needed. Automating reminders reduces no-shows, helping you make the most of your available time slots.
Conclusion
A little extra planning goes a long way in managing patient scheduling over the holidays. By encouraging early bookings, optimizing your schedule, and using technology like telehealth and automated reminders, you can keep your practice running efficiently. With these tips, you’ll be able to enjoy a smoother holiday season while still providing excellent care for your patients.
