Smarter Scheduling Tips to Boost Reliability Without Increasing Headcount
Missed visits create a ripple effect across your agency. They impact patient outcomes, caregiver trust, and your bottom line — especially for Medicaid-based home care providers who operate on tight margins and strict requirements.
While staffing shortages are a real challenge, reducing missed visits doesn’t always require hiring more people. Sometimes, the solution lies in your systems and processes.
Here are three simple, effective ways to reduce missed visits without increasing headcount.
1. Improve Schedule Transparency for Caregivers
Missed visits often happen because caregivers don’t have clear or timely access to their schedules. This is especially true when agencies use outdated systems or require caregivers to juggle multiple tools to find visit details.
To improve visit reliability:
- Ensure caregivers can access their schedule and visit instructions from a mobile app
- Send reminders before scheduled shifts
- Update schedule changes in real time with push notifications or alerts
The more clarity you provide, the fewer missed connections you'll have.
2. Flag At-Risk Visits Before They’re Missed
Not every visit has the same risk level — and proactive tracking can help you step in before a shift is missed.
Use technology that allows your team to:
- See if a caregiver hasn’t confirmed or started a visit
- Track missed or late visits over time by client or staff member
- Receive real-time alerts when visits are skipped or incomplete
This data helps you identify patterns and take action before small issues become recurring problems.
3. Make It Easier for Caregivers to Communicate
When caregivers encounter issues — whether it's traffic, illness, or confusion about a care plan — they need a fast, reliable way to notify your team.
If the only communication options are texts or phone calls, things can fall through the cracks. Instead:
- Provide in-app messaging connected to the schedule or patient chart
- Set up a simple process for real-time shift updates
- Assign a point of contact who can assist with coverage or clarifications
The easier it is to reach you, the more likely caregivers are to notify you before a visit becomes a no-show.
Want to Take It Further? Try Match Scoring.
One of the most effective ways to prevent missed visits is assigning the right caregiver in the first place. Cubhub’s Match Scoring feature helps admin staff quickly identify the best-fit clinician for each visit — based on skill set, location, and client history. It’s a smarter way to prevent missed shifts before they even happen.
Give Your Team the Tools to Thrive
Reducing missed visits is about giving your team the tools, visibility, and communication channels they need to succeed — not just adding more staff to the mix.
At Cubhub, we’ve built a platform that helps Medicaid-based providers manage visits, streamline scheduling, and improve caregiver communication — all from one connected system.
Discover what smarter scheduling could look like for your agency.