Financial Policy

Cancellation and Missed-Appointment Policy

Please understand this practice recognizes there are times a patient has no other option but to cancel an appointment. However, such cancellations or missed appointments have a cumulative effect on our practice. Because our practice is a busy one, usually with a 1-3 month wait for most visits, and because it is a surgical practice with surgical block-time occupying time available for patient visits, each time slot reserved for a patient is considered valuable. Dr. Sparano intentionally has not hired ancillary physician extenders so that he can see each of his patients, pre- and post-operatively, as a fundamental core value of the practice. Thus, appointments are for dedicated time Dr. Sparano has reserved for each patient, and missed appointments leave hollow voids in the practice schedule. In addition to loss of available appointment time, the practice maintains the cost of staffing employees and supplies, both of which are consumed during missed appointments.

At the time of scheduling any appointment, our staff is clear to express there is a 24-hour cancellation or missed-appointment policy. Additionally, we reserve staff members to call each patient 48-hours in advance of their scheduled visit, reminding them of the date and time, and of the cancellation policy.

For clarity, our cancellation and missed-appointment policy is as follows:

  • Our office requires a valid credit card on file to schedule any elective cosmetic appointment. The card would be charged a fee for violation of the cancellation policy.

  • Any patient cancellation beyond 24 hours from the date and time of an appointment yields no charge.

  • A patient cancelling a medical visit (typically billed to an insurance company), less than 24 hours prior to the appointment, will be charged a fee of $50.

  • A patient cancelling any elective cosmetic appointment (including elective injections, consultations, laser procedures, other minor elective procedures) less than 24 hours prior to the appointment, will be charged a fee of $125.

  • A patient cancelling any elective service scheduled at our Skin Sense Spa, whether with Dr. Sparano or one of our skin care specialists, less than 24 hours prior to the appointment, will be charged a fee of $50.

  • A separate cancellation policy is applied to more significant elective surgeries, and is reviewed independently.

  • The federal government has acknowledged this is an issue of concern for many physician practices, and has authorized the charge of such fees.