Caring for people and running a business: my late cancellation dilemma

I want to share another ethical challenge I face as a healthcare clinic owner. It's something that pulls me in 2 directions, between running a business and caring for the people we see.

This time, it's about late cancellations and missed appointments.

This year, my average waiting time has been around 3 to 4 weeks. When someone needs to be seen sooner, I often struggle to fit them in. Sometimes that means finding space during my lunch break or before or after work.

So when an appointment is cancelled at the last minute, or someone doesn't show up, I can't help thinking about the person waiting to be seen. Someone who might be in pain, struggling at work, or having difficulty getting through their day.

With enough notice, we can often offer that appointment to someone else. Without it, that opportunity can be lost.

But there's another side to this, and it's just as important.

I completely understand that life doesn't always go to plan. People become unwell, pain flares up, family commitments come up unexpectedly, work gets in the way, or sometimes we simply forget.

I've done it myself with my GP, completely forgetting an appointment or writing down the wrong day. We're all human!

I also recognise that many people we care for are dealing with significant health challenges, including severe pain, fatigue, disability, anxiety and low mood. For some, it's difficult to know how they'll be feeling from one day to the next.

The last thing I want is for someone to feel guilty about being unwell or needing to cancel for reasons outside their control.

At the same time, there's a business side to running a healthcare clinic. We have staff to pay, bills to cover and a responsibility to keep the clinic running so we can continue helping people. Unused appointments do have a significant financial impact.

It's one of the reasons we've introduced a firmer late cancellation policy. But just as importantly, we want to give people waiting for care the best chance of being seen sooner.

A few things that really help

• Let us know as early as you can. We ask for at least 24 hours' notice if you need to cancel or change an appointment. The more notice we have, the better our chances of offering that time to someone else.
  

• If it's within 24 hours, please call us anyway. You can reach us on 9934 6649. If nobody answers, leaving a voicemail counts, even after hours.
  

• Unwell or having a flare up? Please get in touch. Depending on your circumstances, we may be able to change the appointment or arrange a telehealth session instead.
  

• Sometimes things are outside your control. We understand that, and exceptions to our cancellation policy are considered individually. Please talk to us.

And before I finish, a thank you to the many people who already give us plenty of notice when their plans change. It really does make a difference.

I know this isn't the most exciting topic for a blog, but I wanted to share why something as simple as letting us know early can mean so much.

We don't expect everyone to attend every appointment, no matter what. Sometimes cancelling is absolutely the right thing to do.

Thanks for reading, and for helping us look after our community.

References

Nunes, G. S., Solner, M. W., de Oliveira, J., Wageck, B., & Dangui, A. J. M. (2026). A systematic review with meta-analysis of the association between changes in muscle strength and clinical outcome changes in patellofemoral pain. Sports Medicine, 56(11), 2717–2731. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-026-02473-w

Written by

Samuel Bulten

Exercise Physiologist | Masters in Medicine (Pain Management)

Director, Adapt Movement

Disclaimer

This information is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for personal medical advice. These blogs are written by Sam Bulten and represent his opinions and insights and are based on his experience and interpretation of the research. As Sam is a human, these opinions and insights are not absolute truths.