A cancellation recall is an automated communication sent to patients who have cancelled their appointment. This feature is helpful for reminding patients to reschedule if they don't do so within a certain timeframe after their cancelled appointment.
These recalls can be configured to be sent either as an email or SMS.
Implementing cancellation recalls helps in reducing patient drop-off following a cancellation.
Here's how to set up a cancellation recall in Peptalkr, noting that the steps described here are for the email version, but the process is very similar for SMS recalls.
1. Create a Transactional email template:
Begin by crafting a dedicated email template for your Cancellation recalls. In Peptalkr, navigate to the 'Send Email' tab and choose 'Transactional'.
Design your email to be a friendly, personal reminder to encourage them to take action and reschedule.
2. Navigate to the 'Triggers' Tab:
For email recalls, head to the 'Triggers' tab within Peptalkr.
If setting up an SMS recall instead, you would go to the 'Send SMS' tab.
Create a New Trigger:
Click on the purple + button in the top right of the screen and proceed with the following steps, tailoring each part to suit DNA recalls
Step One: Name & Kind:
Give your trigger a descriptive name, e.g., 'Standard Cancellation recall'
Select 'Automated recurring' as cancellation recalls send them selves.
Step Two: Marketing or non-marketing:
Cancellation recalls may be considered non-marketing, but please use your discretion to ensure you are following the applicable privacy laws in your region. If you prefer only those opted in for marketing receive it, you can select 'marketing'.
Step Three: When should it send?:
From the available triggering events, select 'After an appointment is cancelled' - this means the trigger will fire after an appointment is marked cancelled in Cliniko.
Decide how long after the appointment is marked cancelled the recall should be sent. Generally, a few days window is appropriate to allow them time rebook on their own before reminding them.
You should choose to tick the 'is this a recall?' box - this will ensure we only send the reminder if they have not got an upcoming appointment.
You can also set some rules around what kind of upcoming appointment they should have:
Of any kind - as long as they have any upcoming appointment, do not send the recall.
Of the same category - as long as they have any upcoming appointment in the same category as the cancelled appointment, do not send the recall (great for multi-modality clinics).
Of the same type - as long as they have any upcoming appointment of the same exact types as the cancelled appointment, do not send the recall (great for highly specific appointment types that need recalling - such as an 'Annual review' or a surgery).
Step Four: Filters to apply:
For 'Cancellation reason' you may choose to exclude 'Feeling better' if you'd prefer not to recall patients who feel better as they likely don't need to reschedule.
You can also filter down further if this recall should only apply to specific appointment types, categories or even practitioners.
💡 Helpful hint - If a patient is 'feeling better' - perhaps now is a great time to request feedback! You could use this trigger to 'include' only patients who are 'feeling better' after a cancellation, and send them an email such as 'We're so happy to hear you are feeling better! Would you consider taking 2 minutes to leave us a review?'
Step Five: Frequency:
Select 'every time the conditions are met' to ensure they'll receive a cancellation recall each time they cancel an appointment in future.
Step Six: Select your template:
Select the transactional email template you created in step 1.
If sending an SMS you'd simply write in what you want the SMS to say. Use the personalisation dropdown to insert data specific to the patient.
👉 If you can't see your template in your dropdown you may not have pressed the 'Finish' button in the email builder. f this happens, just select any available template and continue, you can edit it and set the correct template before you turn it on. Then navigate back to the email builder and ensuring you hit the 'Finish' button on your draft template.
Step Seven: Summary:
Review all details of your trigger. Once satisfied, press finish to create the trigger. It will be turned off by default.
Step Eight: Summary and Activation:
Test your recall email by pressing the email icon.
If everything looks good, press the switch to turn it on.
3. Monitor and improve
Over time, monitor the performance of your cancellation recall emails (open rates, click rates and even online booking rates if you have integrated Cliniko bookings with GA4). Then adjust as necessary to improve your rebooking rate.
💡 Remember, the key to a successful cancellation recall is to be brief, direct and provide an immediate way. to reschedule such as the inclusion of a button that goes straight to your online bookings. Patients will appreciate the helpful nature of it which will contribute to stronger patient retention and a positive feeling about your practice.