Late, Cancellation, No-Show Policy

DESCRIPTION

Temecula Medical Group strives to provide excellent care to each patient in a timely manner. To achieve this goal and ensure fairness for all patients, it is essential to maintain a well-organized clinical schedule.

To better manage appointments, we define the following terms:

• Late Arrival: A patient who arrives 10 minutes or more after the scheduled appointment time.
• Cancellation: Any instance in which a patient cancels an appointment, with or without rescheduling.
• Same-Day Cancellation: A cancellation made less than 24 hours (one business day) before the scheduled appointment.
• No-Show: A patient who fails to arrive for a scheduled appointment without prior notice.

POLICY

It is the policy of Temecula Medical Group to monitor and manage late arrivals, cancellations, and no-shows to maximize appointment availability for all patients. While we understand emergencies can arise, consistent adherence to your scheduled appointments helps us provide the best possible care.

POLICY DETAILS

Late Arrivals

• Definition: Patients arriving 10 minutes or more after their scheduled appointment time.
• Actions Taken:
  a. We will attempt to fit the patient into the provider's schedule. However, this may require significant waiting time and is subject to provider availability.
  b. If no providers are available, the patient will be rescheduled for a later time or another day.
• Rescheduling Fee: If a patient must be rescheduled due to a late arrival, it will be treated as a same-day cancellation/no-show and subject to a $40 rescheduling fee.

Note: Patients who have not completed pre-registration are advised to arrive 20 minutes early for their appointment. Failure to do so may result in rescheduling and a rescheduling fee.

Cancellations

• Definition: Any cancellation made prior to 24 hours (one business day) before the scheduled appointment.
• Policy: Patients are encouraged to notify the clinic by phone or voicemail as soon as possible. This allows us to offer the appointment slot to another patient in need.

Same-Day Cancellations

• Definition: Cancellations made less than 24 hours (one business day) before the scheduled appointment.
• Impact: Same-day cancellations significantly impede our ability to adapt our schedule and provide timely care to other patients.
• Rescheduling Fee: Same-day cancellations will be treated as no-shows and subject to a $40 rescheduling fee.

No-Shows

• Definition: Failure to arrive for a scheduled appointment without prior notification.
• Actions Taken:
  a. A no-show will be documented in the patient’s chart.
  b. The patient must contact the clinic to reschedule their appointment.
• Rescheduling Fee: Rescheduled appointments due to no-shows will be subject to a $40 rescheduling fee, equivalent to a same-day cancellation.
• Frequent No-Shows: Patients with a history of frequent no-shows may be subject to discharge from the practice. Taking an appointment without attending deprives other patients of access to timely care.

IMPORTANT NOTES

• Fees and Insurance: Rescheduling fees for late arrivals, same-day cancellations, and no-shows are not billable to insurance and are the patient’s responsibility. Medicare and Medicaid patients are held to the same policies regarding scheduling, but rescheduling fees are their personal financial obligation.

• Discharge Policy: The clinic reserves the right to discharge patients who have a history of excessive no-shows, cancellations, or late arrivals. Patients will receive written notice before discharge, following regulatory guidelines for patient-provider relationships.

• Emergencies: We understand that emergencies may occasionally prevent timely cancellations or arrivals. In such cases, patients are encouraged to notify the clinic as soon as possible, and rescheduling fees may be waived at the clinic's discretion.

If you have questions about this policy, please contact our office at calling 1-951-302-2526; our contact form; or by mail at 27555 Ynez Road, Ste 102, Temecula, CA 92591.