How The Warren Clinic Cut No-Show Rates in Half and Improved Patient Engagement with Integrated Communication
Download the Warren Clinic Study (PDF)
Orthopedics
Providers: +600
Locations: 112
EHR: Epic
Key Results
- No-show rate reduced from >10% to 4.7%
- 3.4 million patient outreach messages sent annually
- 61% appointment response rate
- 59% SMS response rate
- Identified cancer in 4.6% of screened patients through targeted outreach
Why It Worked
- Integrated workflows improved operational visibility
- Automation reduced manual communication effort
- Real-time responses enabled proactive scheduling adjustments
- Targeted messaging improved patient engagement and outcomes
Key Takeaways for Healthcare Leaders
Healthcare organizations can improve access and outcomes by:
- Integrating patient engagement tools with EHR systems
- Automating appointment reminders and patient responses
- Using real-time messaging for operational and clinical outreach
- Leveraging population health campaigns to close gaps in care
The Challenge
As The Warren Clinic grew, several challenges emerged:
- No-show rates exceeding 10%
- Limited visibility into patient responses and cancellations
- Difficulty capturing updated patient contact information
- Inability to deliver targeted, real-time patient messaging
Result: Lost appointment capacity, inefficient workflows, and gaps in patient care
How The Warren Clinic Achieved These Results
1. Implemented Integrated Patient Engagement with EHR Connectivity
The Warren Clinic deployed an engagement platform integrated with Epic EHR:
- Connected directly to scheduling workflows
- Surfaced patient responses within daily operations
- Enabled real-time visibility into cancellations and confirmations
This allowed staff to proactively manage schedules and reduce gaps
2. Enabled Automated Appointment Reminders and Responses
The platform automated patient communications:
- Appointment reminders via SMS, voice, and other channels
- Real-time patient responses (confirm, cancel, reschedule)
- Immediate visibility into schedule changes
Result: Improved attendance and reduced missed appointments
3. Activated Real-Time Population Health Messaging
The Warren Clinic expanded beyond appointment reminders:
- Broadcast alerts for emergencies and closures
- Targeted campaigns for specific patient populations
- Outreach for preventive care and screenings
Example – a colon cancer screening campaign:
- Reached 1,500+ patients
- Generated 600 completed screenings
- Identified cancer indicators in 4.6% of patients
4. Improved Backfilling with Scheduling Visibility
Integration with Epic’s reporting tools enabled:
- Identification of open appointment slots
- Rapid backfilling of cancellations
- Better utilization of provider schedules
This ensured fewer wasted appointment slots
Summary for Healthcare Executives
Healthcare organizations can reduce no-show rates by more than 50% and improve patient engagement by integrating communication platforms with EHR systems, enabling real-time scheduling visibility and targeted patient outreach.
“We do about 1.2 million visits a year, so decreasing our no-show rate by more than 5% means today we’re able to see a lot more patients.”
– Steve Davis, Vice President of Operations
Warren Clinic
The Relatient Difference
The Warren Clinic uses the Epic EHR system used by many top hospitals – in fact, it touches more than half of patient records in the United States. When considering implementing a new patient engagement and communication system, Epic integration was a core, crucial functionality The Warren Clinic needed. Of particular importance to The Warren Clinic is Epic’s Department Appointments Report (DAR), a reporting dashboard key to the daily workflows for practice managers, administrators, and scheduling managers.
Steve Davis, Vice President of Operations at The Warren Clinic explains: “It doesn’t matter if you remind a patient of an appointment 100 times—if the patient cancels and the office doesn’t have the ability to manage appointments and backfill from the DAR, you haven’t solved anything.”
Frequently Asked Questions
How can healthcare organizations reduce no-show rates?
Healthcare organizations can reduce no-show rates by using automated reminders, enabling patient responses, and improving scheduling visibility. The Warren Clinic reduced no-shows from over 10% to 4.7% using these strategies.
Does patient engagement software improve appointment attendance?
Yes. Patient engagement software improves attendance by sending reminders, enabling confirmations, and allowing patients to easily reschedule. This increases response rates and reduces missed appointments.
What is population health messaging in healthcare?
Population health messaging involves sending targeted communications to specific patient groups to encourage preventive care or follow-up actions. The Warren Clinic used this approach to drive cancer screenings and identify early-stage conditions.
How does EHR integration improve scheduling efficiency?
EHR integration allows staff to view appointment schedules, patient responses, and cancellations in real time. This enables faster decision-making and better management of open appointment slots.
Can automated messaging improve patient outcomes?
Yes. Automated messaging can improve outcomes by encouraging patients to complete screenings, follow care plans, and attend appointments. In this case, targeted messaging helped identify cancer in 4.6% of screened patients.
What is patient access in healthcare?
Patient access refers to how easily patients can schedule and receive care. It includes appointment availability, communication tools, and the ability to connect patients with providers efficiently.
