every month, out of 300 new patients.
a year, or KES 900,000 a month, in visits those patients would have made.
extra a year. That is 30 more returning patients a month.
How the calculation works
Patients who never return = new patients per month × (100% − return rate). Each of them would have made the stated number of visits a year at your average bill. "If 10% more came back" means ten more of every hundred new patients returning, which is the kind of improvement consistent reminders and follow-up can realistically aim for. It is an estimate for planning, not a guarantee, and it ignores the bigger prize: the patients who stay also bring their families and their next pregnancy.
What to do with your number
- Check your real return rate from last month's register. The six retention formulas take about an hour.
- Start with the service where one lost patient costs the most. For most facilities that is ANC: a mother lost after one visit is up to seven ANC visits, a delivery, PNC and a year of immunisations.
- Put one person in charge of calling overdue patients every morning.
- Send reminders patients answer. Use our free English and Kiswahili templates.
For comparison, HealthBridge's MCH system starts at KES 15,000 a month, messaging included. At an average bill of KES 2,500 that is six extra returning visits a month.
See the report owners receive every month
A real sample of the monthly retention report: returning patients, no-shows, ANC completion, immunisations and the patients slipping away. Fictional facility, real format. Free, no follow-up calls.