The Scheduling Dilemma: Managing Cancellations in ABA

The greatest impact canceled sessions have is on the individual client. Canceled sessions disrupt the continuity of client care. ABA therapy schedules are typically created based on medical necessity. To that end, a reduction in therapy hours may contribute to stalled progress, an increase in target behaviors, and weaken the rapport between staff and clients.  

Staff are also affected in many ways when cancellations occur. Behavior Technicians are often paid hourly. As such, they generally don’t get paid when clients cancel, which can be financially burdensome. With high rates of cancellations, inconsistent hours and financial strain can quickly compound, leading to frustration, burnout, and staff dissatisfaction. 

Another way cancellations impact staff is by adding a significant administrative burden. This is especially true when clinical staff are required to search for coverage, seek out a client to cover with, or reschedule sessions with the family. Whether handled by clinical or administrative staff, managing cancellations can take valuable time away from client care and other business-critical duties.

Cancellations, especially when mishandled by the organization, can decrease staff and client satisfaction. This often has a direct impact on retention, causing an increased turnover rate in behavior technicians and an increased likelihood of families looking elsewhere for care. This also harms the organization’s reputation, which has further implications for organizational health and sustainability. Additionally, loss of billable hours results in revenue loss, harming the practice’s bottom line. 

"The complexities and layers involved in ABA scheduling are immense and increase exponentially as you scale to serve more clients. There are overt losses to inadequate scheduling, like revenue and turnover, but also many hidden costs that practices are often unaware of until it’s too late.” –Chris Sullens, CEO of CentralReach.