When a recall program is instituted, it should be a planned approach rather than a panic reaction to decreased patient visits. Plan the intervals for patient contact. If you contact inactive patients every two weeks, your continual efforts could be viewed as harassment rather than concern. If you allow a year to elapse before contacting patients, a patient could legitimately wonder why you didn't care enough to contact him sooner. It is necessary to strike a happy medium, a balance which expresses concern without overwhelming the patient.
Most office choose two or three-month intervals as the happy medium.
Plan your approach. Letters and postcards are effective ways to reach busy people who are difficult to reach via the telephone. For many people, a mixture of approaches works best. You might send postcards or letters on a two-month interval and make a personal phone call after five months or ten months. To set up a plan, choose the postcard or letter that you intend to send for each specific interval.