Draft reference — content review pending
Appointment Cancellation Rate
The percentage of eligible scheduled appointments recorded as cancelled under the agreed cancellation classification.
Business question
What share of eligible scheduled appointments is cancelled during the selected period?
Formula
Appointment cancellation rate = eligible cancelled appointments ÷ eligible scheduled appointments × 100.
Calculation notes
Define cancellation status, the cancellation timestamp, scheduled cohort, rescheduling handling, and provider-caused cancellation handling.
Edge-case guidance
Keep walk-ins, blocked administrative slots, appointments moved without cancellation, and duplicate booking records outside the numerator unless the documented rule says otherwise.
Required data
| Input | Type | Status | Available source hints |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eligible cancelled appointmentsAggregate count of eligible scheduled appointments classified as cancelled. | Number | Required | Appointment system · Excel · Google Sheets · Manual records |
| Eligible scheduled appointmentsAggregate count of eligible scheduled appointments in the selected cohort. | Number | Required | Appointment system · Excel · Google Sheets · Manual records |
Interpretation
Use the aggregate rate to understand changes in scheduled capacity. Distinguish patient-choice cancellations, late cancellations, provider-caused cancellations, rescheduling, and cancellations made for administrative reasons.
Caution
Use aggregate records only. Do not include names, individual record identifiers, or other personal health information. Implementation must follow applicable privacy, healthcare, and insurance requirements. Exclude records that cannot be classified consistently.
Implementation recommendation
Use one aggregate cancellation taxonomy and record whether an appointment was rescheduled so the rate is not confused with lost capacity.
Target guidance
Set a context-specific target for appointment cancellation rate from comparable historical periods, then adjust it for scheduling policy, operating capacity, seasonality, service mix, and data quality. Review the target with the accountable operations owner; reducing cancellations without allowing reasonable rescheduling can reduce service flexibility.