Care good - Policies need urgent review
I used this clinic for 3 years and overall had good experiences with many of the practitioners. Unfortunately, it’s increasingly let down by the setup and policies.
I recently missed an appointment due to an emergency ED trip with my child. The follow-up call from reception was notably frosty. The focus was immediate payment, with little acknowledgment of the situation. Thumbs down for the level of empathy you’d expect from a healthcare provider.
A practical point: reminder emails for Monday appointments are sent 48 hours in advance (on Saturdays). In reality, a simple 24-hour text reminder (as many providers use) would be far more effective, especially in real-life situations where emails aren’t being checked in emergencies or weekends.
There’s also room for more judgement around missed appointment fees. Applying the same policy to loyal, returning patients as to first-time no-shows feels unnecessarily rigid.
A more human approach would go a long way. As it stands, I’ll be taking a break until there’s a more balanced approach to customer experience and cancellation policies, which is a shame, as it’s ultimately the practitioners who will lose returning patients.