How to reduce no-shows and late cancellations in a therapy practice

• They forgot, or got the time wrong.
• Something came up and cancelling felt awkward.
• Cost: an unpaid session is easy to skip.
• Avoidance or low mood: the very symptoms you are treating.
• The booking was made weeks ago and plans changed.

The first three are practical and easy to fix. The last two are clinical, and worth talking about in session.

Send a reminder a day before and another a couple of hours before, with the time, the clinician, the address or call link and how to reschedule. SMS and WhatsApp are read far more than email in India.

Asking for payment at booking (by UPI or card) is one of the most effective ways to cut no-shows for online sessions. For in-clinic visits, pay at the clinic still works for many clients; consider a limit on how many unpaid bookings one person can hold.

• Set a window, commonly 24 hours, before which cancelling is free.
• Decide what happens for later cancellations: a fee, a part fee, or a warning first.
• Show the policy when the client books, not only after they cancel.
• Apply it consistently, with discretion for genuine emergencies.
• Never charge a client when you cancel.

Clients who can move a session in two taps reschedule instead of disappearing. A link in the reminder that shows real available slots works better than "call the clinic".

Booking a series (for example weekly for six weeks, same day and time) keeps momentum and protects the client’s slot. It also makes it obvious when a session is missed.

Reach out the same day, warmly and without judgement. A missed session can be a sign of risk, especially for a client with depression or recent suicidal thoughts. Record the no-show and your follow-up in their file.

Track your no-show and late-cancellation rate each month, overall and by clinician. If one day, time or type of session stands out, change it.

MindConnect sends patients reminders a day and two hours before each visit, takes UPI and card payments at booking (or pay at the clinic), and lets you set a cancellation window and a late-cancellation fee that patients see before they book. Patients can reschedule or cancel from their own app. You can book a series of visits at once, mark no-shows, and see no-show counts on each patient and across the clinic. See appointment booking and payments.