What Is It About Today?

What is it about today? I have had 2.5 hours (4 patients) of missed appointments at my private practice. For two of the four, I have found them and they simply forgot. For the other two, I have called their mobile and home phones to no avail- just so you know, when you don't show up to see your psychiatrist and you don't answer your phone, she thinks you are 1. deathly ill, 2. suicided.

Preferably, I would like for people to just show up. The work I do with patients continues even when people don't show up, I review their files, brain storm about their resistance (are they upset and thus not coming?), and I also think about the most dreaded task of my practice: collect the fee for missed appointments. Since I can't collect money for missed appointments from insurance, I have to tell these people, who usually pay me their copays, that they need to pay my contracted rate. I shudder at the prospect of doing this, even though I explicitly tell people about this at their initial appointments: "The most important part of this treatment contract is the underlined portion, which explains my cancellation policy: If you don't cancel 48 hours prior, and you don't show up, I will charge you my contracted rate."

People usually say, "Wow, I better show up." And I say, "Yes, please remember this policy."

(BTW, I know an established psychiatrist whose policy is this: Unless I find someone to fill your slot, you still will be charged. Even if you're going on vacation and you told me MONTHS ago. I don't have this kind of chutzpah.)

The above poster comes to me from Western Australia and apparently, missed appointments keep people waiting there. For me, here in US, you missing an appointment with me means that your treatment is interrupted, and, I could have seen another patient during that time, which means food money for A&Z. I feel badly about charging for my time, however, I am sure my attorney friends do not even blink an eye for doing this. For professionals, we sell our time and someone has to pay. I much rather people just come, let me do my job, and then I will take your money.

While I can invest money in a appointment reminder system via phone calls, however, we are big people. The court does not call you to remind you to show up for jury duty, or any of its proceedings, and thus, I won't either. Use your phones, calendars, whatever! Just come in, so that I don't have to worry that you died.