Client attendance rate is one of the key performance metrics in a private practice that needs close monitoring and management.
Simply put, it is the number of client sessions attended as a percentage of the total number of booked client sessions over a specific period.
Or even more simply put,
This means your attendance rate represents all sessions minus the DNA (Did Not Attend) sessions including cancellations, reschedules and no-shows.
So, how do you calculate it?
Calculating the client attendance rate in private practice is simple, as long as you know the following information:
- The total number of booked client sessions (i.e., NOT the number of available hours) in a given period
- The number of sessions attended within the same period
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And as the percentage represents a positive figure (i.e. attended sessions), the higher the percentage, the better.
Total number of booked sessions last month = 100
Total number of attended sessions last month = 90
90 / 100 x 100 = 90%
This means that 90% of your booked sessions were attended last month.
What can the client attendance rate tell you about your practice?
A low client attendance rate can be indicative of some major issues in the practice which could prompt an investigation into:
- Reception/admin scripts
- Practitioners’ rapport building skills
- Cancellation policy
- Appointment procedures/workflow
- And more.
And because session attendance directly relates to your income, it’s important to keep a close eye on your attendance rate and work on improving it.
For tips on increasing your client attendance rate, check out our article How to Improve Client Attendance in Your Private Practice.
And to see how client attendance rates can impact your bottom line, check out our Client Attendance Impact on Revenue Calculator.[/membership]
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