The 2pm Problem
8am: Schedule looks great. Full day.
9:37am: Text comes in: "Sorry, can't make my 2pm."
Now you either spend 30 minutes calling patients hoping someone can come in, or accept the $150 loss.
Why PT Gets Hit Harder
Physical therapy means 2-3 visits per week for weeks. That creates:
- ✓Treatment fatigue — By week 4, motivation fades
- ✓Schedule conflicts — Recurring appointments compete with life
- ✓Feeling better — "I feel fine today" = "do I need to go?"
PT clinics see 12-18% same-day cancellation rates. For 40 visits/day, that's 5-7 empty slots daily.
The Old Way vs Smart Way
Old way: Cancellation → check schedule → call waitlist → leave voicemails → wait → slot probably stays empty
Smart way: Cancellation → system texts waitlist: "Opening at 2pm! Reply YES" → first YES gets it → confirmation sent → filled in under 2 minutes
Building an Effective Waitlist
Add people who:
- ✓Want earlier/different times
- ✓Can come with short notice
- ✓Explicitly ask to be contacted
- ✓Are near end of their plan (motivated to finish)
Real Numbers
Venice clinic before automation: 6 cancellations daily, 1.5 filled manually
After: Same 6 cancellations, 4.8 filled automatically
Annual savings: $130,680