Cancellation Policy Dilemma

It can be difficult to determine if you should enlist and enforce a cancellation policy in your practice.  The reality is, No Shows are No Fun! They are inconvenient, costly, and can erode goodwill between client and therapist very quickly.

Let’s look at it from two perspectives – massage for the average person and massage for those with chronic and advanced illness.

Massage for the Average Person

As a provider of massage for the average person – those who are stressed from multi-tasking, pain relief for weekend warriors, and general relaxation – I have a cancellation policy in place. The nice thing about having a policy is that you, as the provider, can determine if you will enforce it as you consider each situation. It’s in place for those few who abuse my time. I’ve used it occasionally and it either stops the behavior, or the client moves on.

Massage for Chronic/Advanced Illness

As a provider of massage for those with chronic or advanced illness, I’ve learned that situations can arise very suddenly that are out of the client’s control. For this population, I do not have a cancellation policy.

Here is an example of a day I had recently. Seven patients scheduled, all of which required travel to homes or care facility, and were confirmed the day before.

Patient 1: massage provided.

Patient 2: massage provided.

Patient 3: fell during the night, broke her hip, and had been transported to the hospital.

Patient 4: massage provided.

Patient 5: declined massage – Alzheimer’s patient that did not want to be touched that day.

Because of the two cancellations mentioned above, I was ahead of schedule, so stopped at a park and waited 45 minutes.

Patient 6: caregiver met me at the door and said, “I’m sorry, I should have called you. She’s having major bowel issues and doesn’t want a massage.”

Patient 7: massage provided.

In my experience, a cancellation policy is not appropriate when serving this population. I can go weeks without having a day as described above.  However, I find that I must be flexible when such things do occur. What is your cancellation policy? Would love to hear from you to  better understand the process of other therapists who work with those who are ill.