DNA (Did Not Attend) Policy

Complete Skin Solutions is committed to ensuring that the best possible service is provided to all Patients registered with the Practice.  We understand that it can sometimes be difficult to get an appointment with a Doctor or Nurse however, one thing that makes this increasingly difficult to overcome is the problem of missed appointments ie DNAs (Did Not Attend’s).

It is disappointing when an appointment is not utilised when a Patient does not turn up and has not contacted the Clinic to cancel the appointment in order for it to be allocated or refilled with another patient.

Patient non-attendance at a booked appointment adversely impacts on Practice staff and our Patients in the following manner:

• The DNA Patient takes the appointment slot of another Patient who could have attended.
• Increases waiting time for appointments.
• The time and personnel required to follow-up take payment and rebook DNA Patients diverts Practice staff from other duties and is therefore a waste of resources.

DNA Policy

A DNA occurs when:

• an appointment is not attended;
• the Patient has not contacted the Practice in advance to cancel it or
• where the cancellation is so late that it makes it impossible to allocate that time to another Patient who needs treatment.

DNA Fee

Due to the high number of non-attendances and cancellations for our appointments, a fee will be nominated by your doctor to reflect the allocated time missed. This will be charged for all appointments not attended or not cancelled within 24 hours of the appointment time without a valid reason.

If there are two or more accounts not paid, a letter of suspension of services and the outstanding account will be issued. This letter will see your access to all services suspended until accounts are paid. There may also be the possibility of permanent suspension from the practice at the Doctors’ discretion for repeat offenders.
If your care is not completed or there are outstanding results to be actioned, a referral will be written to whomever you choose to follow up on your care.

Avoid Becoming a DNA

If you cannot attend or no longer need an appointment, please let us know in advance.

We understand that mistakes do happen and that appointments can be forgotten or overlooked.  In such cases, the Practice will take into account the reason given by Patients.  However repeated offences are unacceptable.

Preference, of course, is for the Practice to know in advance so we can offer the appointments to other Patients in need.

If you need to cancel an appointment you can do this in any one of the following ways:

(1)   In person at the Reception Desk

(2)   Telephone: 07 4928 9495

(3) Via Automed (text message service), pending enough time given.

Reducing DNAs

As a Practice we are doing our utmost to reduce DNAs as much as possible.

If you make an appointment over the telephone, we would suggest that Patients’ record/document the date and time in a way that can be easily accessed – in a diary, on a calendar or on a mobile phone.

It is the Patient’s responsibility to:

• Advise the Practice of any change to their contact details
• Attend their arranged clinic appointment or reschedule with reasonable advanced notice.

 

To help us improve the system and make more appointments available for Patients to book routinely, please adhere to our Practice Policy.