I HADN’T SEEN my dentist for over two years.
It all started when I was in the hospital and then rehab. I faithfully went to my dentist every six months for my cleaning and to my other doctor appointments. Then, I broke my perfect attendance record at my medical appointments. In rehab, there were in-house physical and occupational therapy sessions, care conferences, and other appointments.
I cancelled some appointments and rescheduled. Sometimes, I had to reschedule an appointment due to appointments in my rehab at least three times. My appointments were cancelled by my doctors, too. My podiatrist, dentist, and ophthalmologist called to cancel my appointments and I had to reschedule. I became very vigilant about keeping my next visits because keeping my appointments is critical to my good health.
I was lucky when I finally saw my dentist. I had my usual teeth cleaning and X-rays but discovered I had cracked a tooth on a piece of hard ginger candy. I did not feel anything but was told I swallowed the tooth. I was in rehab when it happened and thought I was fine because there was no pain. My roots were dead and had to be removed because they could become infected. I am glad they caught the roots and removed them!
It might not seem like skipping a medical visit is a big deal, but it is. I learned that keeping on a routine schedule helps my doctors watch what is happening in my body. It reminds me of getting a car winterized or changing the air filters in our homes. Maintenance matters.
When you skip a medical appointment, you can potentially disrupt your treatment plan, delay diagnosis of health issues, miss important medication adjustments, and ultimately worsen your health condition, especially if you have a chronic illness. Additionally, you might face a fee from the healthcare provider for missing the appointment and could potentially have difficulty scheduling future appointments with that practice if you repeatedly miss appointments.
We all probably receive a reminder text message or phone call telling us of our upcoming appointment. We can reschedule if we cannot get there and sometimes are reminded of a cancellation fee if we do not cancel the appointment or reschedule.
But does not keeping your doctor appointments really matter? Yes, it does. A friend of mine, a nurse-practitioner from a veterans hospital in Dearborn, Michigan, says some of her patients do not see their doctors because of lack of on-time transportation or confusion of the date or building (some doctors work a few days a week at one hospital and a few at a nearby clinic). Sometimes patients cancel at the last minute because they are nervous about seeing their doctor and getting bad medical news. Sometimes people feel they are not taken seriously when they tell their healthcare professional about recurring symptoms or how a member of the office staff treats them.
If you miss an appointment, depending on the situation, you might face consequences such as inconveniencing the person you were scheduled to meet with, potentially missing out on important information or services, being charged a “noshow” fee, and potentially impacting your future ability to schedule appointments with that provider, especially if it becomes a recurring issue. It’s always best to cancel an appointment in advance if you can’t make it. I have friends whose doctor refused to see them because they missed appointments.
According to Equiscript, a medical research company, a no-show costs in loss of revenue. While each health center differs in their rate of no-shows, an average of 42% of appointments result in a no-show. One study found that a hospital reported 62% of no-show appointments per day resulting in an estimated cost of $3 million. Another source estimates missed appointments cost the United States $150 billion annually.
If you have to miss an appointment, call the office and talk to the person who schedules appointments. Apologize, and be honest about why you missed it. Sometimes, the flu, a funeral, a family crisis, or a work emergency stands in the way of your getting to the medical office.
Doctors’ offices and hospitals are trying to educate their patients on the importance of showing up. First of all, it’s good for overall health. Early detection, adjusting medications, and answering questions that might be a concern for a patient could all be settled or addressed early. Also, it is important that your doctor gets to know you and your condition for better treatment.
Beingano-showsometimeshappens, but try to respect all the medical staff who really care about you and your well-being. Sometimes, talking to the office nurse can ease your anxiety about not wanting to come see the doctor. You might ask the nurse about a test you are scheduled to have, or explain that you are just nervous about seeing the doctor. They work with many patients and are familiar with the common reasons patients have “medical appointment anxiety.” You can do it. Talk to someone at the office. They are truly healers of heart, spirit, and body.
Sister Karen Zielinski is the Director of Canticle Studio. Canticle Studio is a part of the Sisters of St. Francis of Sylvania, OH’s overall advancement effort and has a mission of being a creative center where artists generate works, products, and services in harmony with the mission of the Sisters St. Francis. She can be reached at kzielins@sistersosf.org or 419-824-3543. ✲
