Why is it important to cancel a doctor’s appointment?

If you’ve booked a doctor’s appointment but can no longer attend, it is important and fair to cancel as soon as possible. Many patients wait weeks or months for appointments.

Cancelling in time means appointments can be reallocated. This shortens waiting times for other patients.(1) By offering the slot to another patient after your cancellation, the practice also avoids financial loss.

If you don’t show up without having cancelled, the practice loses income whilst still having to pay staff.

How do I cancel a doctor’s appointment correctly?

There’s no set way to cancel a doctor’s appointment. You can cancel online, by phone or by email.(2) If you’re calling outside office hours, you can usually leave a message on the answerphone.

Keep in mind: Only email or online cancellations can be used as proof in the event of a dispute.(3)

Cancelling an appointment through your Doctolib account

You can cancel your appointment online through your Doctolib account. Note that the cancellation deadline may vary by practice and that it may not be possible to cancel all appointment types via Doctolib.

Important information:

Switching to a video consultation: If your doctor offers this option, you can ask to change your appointment to a video consultation.
Online cancellation via Doctolib: You can only cancel through your Doctolib account if the practice has enabled online booking and cancellation. Check the practice’s profile for this information. If online cancellation isn’t available, contact the practice directly.

What if no one answers the phone when I try to cancel?

If you can’t reach the practice by phone, you can visit during opening hours and cancel in person. You can also email the practice to cancel.(2)

How late can I cancel a doctor’s appointment?

You can cancel a doctor’s appointment at any time.(4) Cancel as soon as you know you can’t attend.

There’s no universal legal rule about how far in advance you must cancel. Some case law mentions 48 hours’ notice, others 24 hours.(5,6)

Even if you cancel on the day of the appointment, the practice may be able to offer the slot to another patient, reducing their waiting time.

What charges apply if I cancel too late?

Some practices charge a “cancellation fee” if you don’t cancel at least 24 or 48 hours before your appointment and then fail to show up. It is unclear whether such fees would be upheld in court; case law has reached different conclusions.(5)

The practice must have made its policy on cancellation fees clear to you. This can be done by displaying a notice at the practice (7).

Appointment-only practices reserve slots exclusively for each patient. These practices can charge cancellation fees if you were given written notice of this policy when you registered and agreed to it.(7)

The practice must also tell you how much they’ll charge. Most practices charge a flat fee, though this varies. It’s often equivalent to what the doctor would have earned from the appointment.(7)

Good to know:

If you cancel at short notice due to illness or other unavoidable reasons, cancellation fees often don’t apply.(5)

Template: Sample German cancellation email

If you’re unsure how to write a cancellation email, here’s a sample in German:

Sehr geehrtes Praxisteam der Praxis [Practice Name],

am (date and time) habe ich (name, date of birth) einen Termin bei (doctor’s name). Leider muss ich den Termin absagen, weil (state reason if you wish – we recommend including the reason for short-notice cancellations). Wäre es möglich, einen neuen Termin auszumachen am (preferred date/time)? Darüber würde ich mich sehr freuen.

Ich bitte um Bestätigung der Terminabsage und ggf. Terminverschiebung. Ich entschuldige mich für die Unannehmlichkeiten durch meine Absage und hoffe, dass Sie den Termin anderweitig vergeben können.

Freundliche Grüße

(Your name)

The information provided is for general information only and must not be used as a substitute for a medical diagnosis or treatment by a doctor. Self-diagnosis and self-treatment are strongly discouraged.