acupuncture and phytotherapy

I will make a statement like an incredible breakthrough when in reality it is a simple truth. Patients miss appointments. Patients miss acupuncture treatments. Anyone with a minimum clinical experience already learned this lesson: patients miss acupuncture appointments.

The reasons for patients missing acupuncture appointments are varied: from travel, work commitments, recreation, or simply lack of will. In general the patients begin to miss more treatments from the time the complaint that brought them to the clinic is no longer so relevant.

When a symptom attenuates, and no longer constrain the quality of life of the patient begins to turn more to what he defines as is quality of life than for the treatment of the complaint/symptom. This means that it can be more advantageous, in patients mind, lacking the acupuncture treatment and save some money or a little more rest after a tiring day of work.

The real problem is not the lack itself. Obviously for an acupuncturist, not giving an acupuncture treatment is the same as not receiving, and, as such, it is important the presence of the patient. But the real problem is that patients simply do not warn that they are going to miss acupuncture treatment.

It has happened to me (and to the reader also, if acupuncture professional) going out a day with great heat, to an acupuncture treatment and the patient missed the appointment. It has happened to me conditioning one working morning to ensure a acupuncture treatment to a patient who decides not to show … and does not warn. Worse: it has happened to me does not scedulle treatments for acupuncture for certain patients to meet other patients who have failed to show without warning.

It is understandable that the patient needs to miss the appointment for several reasons. But, not warning, is a lack of respect for the work of the acupuncturist. How can the acupuncturist solve this problem in an assertive manner?

Personally I think the best answer lies in the working model of psychologists. Patients who go to psychology treatment also miss some treatments. But in this case are required to notify 1 days in advance or pay the treatment (there are other variants but here I’ll just use this one!).

In a less holistic and more economistic terms we have to face a simple truth: patients pay the consultation time. If patients decide to miss acupuncture treatment, without warning, this time can not be used for another patient who might need it.

I am thinking of using the methods of psychologists in clinical acupuncture: the patient is obliged to notify 1 day in advance, subject to certain exceptions, or else he will have to pay the treatment.

As an acupuncturist, student or patient what do you think of this model?