Handling cancellations, no-shows, and patients running late

Patients are informed of Rula’s cancellation policy when they join the platform and via appointment reminder emails. Providers must follow these steps to ensure proper billing, documentation, and communication. This step-by-step guide covers the cancellation fee, required missed appointment notes, handling late cancellations and no-shows, and best practices for scheduling.

Cancellation fees

• For cancellations requested less than 24 hours before the appointment, the patient is charged $150.
• No fee is applied if the cancellation is made more than 24 hours before the appointment or if the provider does not show for the appointment.

Patient Notifications:

• Providers are encouraged to message the patient in the portal, via email, or call to inform them about the cancellation or rescheduling.
• Telehealth Appointments: Telehealth links are tied to specific appointments and will be invalidated if appointments are deleted or moved.

Handling no-shows and patients running late 

A no-show occurs when a patient does not attend an appointment without prior notification. Specifically, a no-show is defined as when a patient arrives more than 15 minutes late to an initial visit or 10 minutes late to a follow-up visit.

• Waiting Period:
  • Initial Visits: Wait for 15 minutes.
  • Follow-Up Visits: Wait for 10 minutes.
• Patient Contact:
  • Resend the telehealth link after 3 minutes.
  • Call the patient after 5 minutes.
• If the Patient Does Not Join:
  • Log off the Zoom call
  • Complete a missed appointment note and cancel the appointment.
  • This will trigger a no-show fee
• Missed Appointment Note for No-Shows
  • Please review section Missed Appointment Notes below

Before Canceling an Appointment

Before canceling, you must complete a missed appointment note. This ensures that the patient is appropriately charged for a no-show or late cancellation. 

Missed Appointment Notes

These notes are required when:

• A patient cancels less than 24 hours before the appointment.
• A patient arrives more than 15 minutes late (for initial visits) or 10 minutes late (for follow-up visits).
• A patient does not show up for the appointment.

Steps to Complete:

1. Click on the appointment that did not happen.
2. Click the three dots to view more options.
3. Click Appointment did not happen.
4. Select and confirm the reason for cancellation:
   1. Note: Only select EHR/teleconferencing did not work if persistent technical issues prevented the appointment from occurring. As a reminder, conducting the appointment over the phone is a viable alternative if video conferencing is not an option.
5. This will take you to a Missed Appointment Note
   
6. Once completed, click Sign Note.
7. You will be asked to confirm with your electronic signature on the note. Click Sign and Submit Note to submit.
8. Once complete, you will see a message confirming the note was signed and the action taken depending on if the appointment was canceled late or if the patient did not show up. 

Rescheduling and Canceling Appointments

Rescheduling Appointments

1. Select the appointment on your schedule
2. Click the three dots to view more options
3. Click Reschedule
4. Select a new time and date
5. Click Save
6. Confirm you'd like to reschedule the appointment by clicking Yes

Canceling Appointments

1. Select the appointment on your schedule
2. Click the three dots to view more options
3. Click Cancel appointment
4. Select a reason for canceling.
5. Click Yes
6. The appointment will disappear from your schedule

Follow-Up Appointment Scheduling

1. Log in to the Rula provider portal.
2. On your Schedule tab, click Create Event in the top right corner OR click directly on the the time slot you'd like to schedule the appointment for.
3. Select the patient from the drop-down
4. Confirm the date and time
5. Click Create

Best Practices for Scheduling and Missed Appointments

• Monitor Your Calendar: Regularly check for changes or cancellations.
• Schedule follow-up appointments promptly to maintain patient engagement.
• Keep your availability current for new patient bookings.
• Document Thoroughly: Record all cancellations, no-shows, and patient outreach to ensure accurate records and billing.

By following this guide, you help maintain a smooth scheduling process, ensure proper billing, and uphold high standards of patient communication. If you have any questions or need further assistance with these procedures, please contact our Support Team at support@rula.com. 

Updated August 20, 2025 16:40