Missed Appointment & Late Cancellation Policy

Missed Appointment & Late Cancellation Policy

Purpose

• Our clinic strives to provide timely access to surgical consultation and procedures. Missed appointments and short-notice cancellations limit access for other patients and disrupt scheduled care.

• Appointment reminders may be provided as a courtesy; however, it remains the patient’s responsibility to attend or cancel within the required notice period.

• This policy applies to all in-person, telephone, and written interactions within the clinic 

Definitions

• No-show: A patient does not attend a scheduled appointment or procedure and does not provide notice.

• Late cancellation: Cancellation with less than:

  • 24 hours’ notice for consultations

  • 72 hours’ notice for gastroscopy and minor procedures

  • 7 days’ notice for colonoscopy and elective surgery

Administrative Fees

Missed appointments and late cancellations may be subject to an administrative fee.

• Consultation / Follow-up: $50

• Gastroscopy / Minor procedure: $100

• Colonoscopy / Elective surgery: $150

These fees:

• Reflect lost clinical time and administrative costs

• Are not charges for insured medical services under Medical Services Plan (MSP) of British Columbia

• Are not punitive in nature

Exceptions

Fees may be waived at the physician’s discretion for:

• Medical emergencies or sudden illness

• Unforeseen circumstances (e.g., severe weather, transportation issues)

• Compassionate grounds

Patient Acknowledgment

This policy is communicated at booking and through clinic materials. Scheduling an appointment constitutes acknowledgment of this policy.

Billing

• Fees are billed directly to the patient and are not submitted to MSP

• Receipts will indicate:
  “Missed appointment / administrative fee (not an insured service)”

• Patients may contact the clinic to request review of a charge

Non-Payment & Repeated Missed Appointments

• Payment of outstanding fees may be required prior to booking non-urgent care

• Missed appointments may be tracked

• Repeated no-shows or late cancellations may result in:

  • Modified booking conditions

  • Declining to book non-urgent services

  • Referral returned to the primary care provider, with appropriate notice

• Administrative fees may be waived at physician discretion in situations where care is clinically time-sensitive or expedited.

We appreciate your cooperation in supporting timely access to care for all patients.