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April 10, 2026 · 4 min read
The economics of a TMS no-show
A no-show isn't just lost revenue — it's a missed treatment session in a time-bound course. Here's how to think about it.
By Polaris team
A 30-minute treatment slot at $250 has a clean opportunity cost. But the deeper cost is clinical: a missed session in week three is a missed session that can't be made up without extending the course.
Three controls that work
- A confirmed card on file with a missed-appointment fee disclosed at intake.
- Reminders 48 and 24 hours out, not 2 hours.
- A waitlist of intake-ready patients who can take a 24-hour-notice slot.
What changes when no-shows drop
Chair utilization goes up, course completion rates improve, and the team stops absorbing a daily margin hit that compounds across the year.