2026 Report · Data
A single missed new-patient call has a price you can put a number on. Below is a transparent, sourced 2026 model of that number, by specialty, plus the math so you can check it against your own practice.
Published July 20, 2026 by Zuzis LLC · Model, not a measurement of your practice
85%
of unanswered callers never call back
62%
of those callers book with a competitor instead
80%
who reach voicemail hang up without leaving a message
Figures from published call-handling research. Sources cited below.
The number, by specialty
The per-call figure is the expected value of one unanswered new patient or client. The annual figure models a representative practice (40 calls/day, 25% unanswered, 30% new callers).
| Specialty | New-patient value / yr | Lost per missed call | Annualized loss |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medical practice | $900 | $279 | $220,968 |
| Dental practice | $1,200 | $372 | $294,624 |
| Med spa | $1,500 | $465 | $368,280 |
Your practice is not the average. Run your own numbers in the calculator →
Methodology
The model is intentionally simple and conservative. For a single unanswered new-patient call:
loss per missed new-patient call = new-patient value × 0.62 (go to a competitor) × 0.5 (would have booked)These are estimates, not guarantees. For context, the annual figures above dwarf $1,188 a year for Lydoh After Hours, which answers the calls you forward when you're closed, at lunch or when every line is busy.
Sources
FAQ
For an unanswered new-patient call, our model puts the expected loss at about $279 for a typical medical practice, $372 for dental, and $465 for a med spa. That is the annual value of a new patient multiplied by the share of missed callers who go to a competitor (62%) and a conservative 50% who would actually have booked. Most calls are not new patients, so this applies to the new-patient share of missed calls.
The caller-behavior figures are from published call-handling research: of callers who don't reach a person, roughly 85% never call back (PATLive) and 62% call a competitor instead (Dialzara), both as compiled by Aira. New-patient value is anchored to Zocdoc's 2024 survey of 351 medical groups, which found a first-year new-patient value of $538 to $1,395. Every source is linked below, and the model is deliberately conservative.
No. It is a transparent model built from public benchmarks, not a measurement of your practice. Use the interactive missed-call calculator to put in your own call volume, miss rate, and patient value and get a number that is yours.
Three ways: we count only new-patient calls (not existing patients who will call back), we apply the 62% competitor-loss rate rather than the higher 85% never-call-back rate, and we assume only half of those lost callers would have booked. Each choice pushes the estimate down.
Keep reading
Lydoh Frontdesk answers every call you send it on the first ring, 24/7, books appointment requests, and runs after-hours on-call triage for medical teams, for $249/mo. If your staff answers and only the misses leak, Lydoh Text texts every missed caller back for $49/mo. See it for dental, dermatology, pediatrics, and more specialties, or compare what traditional answering services cost.
