Quiz | What’s your rehab practice’s efficiency score?

The non-clinical side of your job – documentation, scheduling, billing – can eat up a surprising amount of time. You know efficiency is important, but how does your practice actually stack up? 

This quick quiz is a pulse check for your practice, helping you see how your administrative workflows compare to industry benchmarks. Go through the questions, tally your points, and see your score at the end. 

The rehab therapy efficiency quiz 

Ready to see how you score? Grab a pen and paper (or open a notes app) to track your points for each question. 

1. How long does it take you to complete daily documentation for a single client? 

A) Over 20 minutes. I often finish notes after hours. (1 point) 

B) About 15-20 minutes. It feels like it takes longer than it should. (2 points) 

C) Around 10-15 minutes. It’s manageable but could be faster. (3 points) 

D) Less than 10 minutes. I have a streamlined process. (4 points) 

E) Less than 5 minutes. My process & templates are fully optimized. (5 points) 

Efficient therapists often finish daily notes in under 15 minutes – sometimes much faster with good templates and systems. The goal is to complete notes right after a session while details are fresh, helping you avoid “pajama time” – finishing charts late at night. To help, many are shifting from manually typing long narratives to using digital tools for standardized note entry – with features like quick phrases and pull-forward notes to speed up the process. 

2. What is your client cancellation or no-show rate? 

A) Over 25%. My schedule is rarely full. (1 point) 

B) Around 16-24%. Happens too often. (2 points) 

C) Between 8-15%. It’s okay, but I know we can improve. (3 points) 

D) Between 5-7%. We have a solid reminder system. (4 points) 

E) Less than 5%. Cancellations are rare & spots are filled. (5 points) 

Cancellations and no-shows are a major drain on revenue and productivity. While an 8-15% no-show rate is average, leading practices work to get this under 10%. They use automated reminders, clear cancellation policies, and active waitlist management (contacting clients on the waitlist as soon as a spot opens).  

3. How would you describe your claims submission process? 

A) We submit claims, but I couldn’t tell you how many are denied vs accepted. (1 point) 

B) Around 20% of our claims get denied first time, and it’s a manual process to fix them. (2 points) 

C) About 10% of our claims are denied on the first pass; we spend a lot of time double-checking. (3 points) 

D) Our denial rate is low, around 5%. Our software auto-submits claims. (4 points) 

E) Over 98% of our claims are accepted on the first try. Our billing software scrubs claims for issues before auto-submitting them. (5 points) 

A financially healthy practice should aim for a 98% first-pass acceptance rate. High denial rates don’t just delay payment; they mean your team is wasting time chasing payments, correcting coding errors, and resubmitting claims. Practices are tackling this by using EMRs that auto-check claims for errors before submission, moving from reactive denial-fixing to proactive prevention. 

4. How easy is it to coordinate care with a client’s entire care team? 

A) Very difficult. Lots of phone tag, faxes, & lost information. (1 point) 

B) Challenging. We mostly rely on email – sometimes information gets lost. (2 points) 

C) Okay. We have a system, but it’s not seamless & requires manual effort. (3 points) 

D) Pretty easy. We use a shared platform with secure messaging & file sharing. (4 points) 

E) Effortless. Our EMR enables real-time communication & everyone’s on the same page. (5 points) 

Whole-person care relies on strong teamwork – and teamwork depends on quick, secure communication. We know from the results of our Future of Therapy survey that whole person care isn’t yet the norm, but certainly a future goal for many therapists. However, too many practices still spend hours swapping voicemails and searching for faxes, which risks client safety and creates confusion. Across the industry, there’s a shift toward shared digital platforms and EMRs that bring all care team communication into one place.  

5. How does your practice manage its appointment schedule? 

A) Entirely manual. I (or staff) spend hours weekly on calls, emails, and updating a personal calendar. (1 point) 
B) Mostly manual. We use spreadsheets or a basic calendar app, but appointment changes and reminders are handled manually. (2 points) 
C) Partially automated. Digital calendars and CRM tools handle reminders, but changes and waitlists require manual effort. (3 points) 
D) Client-assisted. Clients request appointments online, but staff still manage confirmations and bookings manually. (4 points) 
E) Fully automated. Clients book online, get automated reminders, and are added to a digital waitlist with minimal staff involvement. (5 points) 

Scheduling can be a major administrative drain, but it’s also one of the easiest to automate. Studies show that practices that use online booking can save up to 80% of staff time. It also boosts client satisfaction, as 70% of people prefer booking online. What’s more, automated reminders reduce no-shows by 50%, and practices often see a 26% increase in overall bookings.  

Tally your score 

Add up the points from each of your answers to get your final therapy efficiency score. 

5-10 points: It’s time for an operational reset 

You’re working too hard for your results. Manual or outdated systems are likely slowing you down and putting a cap on your growth. Start by pinpointing your biggest administrative hurdle – is it documentation, billing, or scheduling? For billing issues, try a one-week “denial audit”: track every denied claim, note the reasons (e.g., coding error, missing info), and focus on fixing just the most common issue first. For documentation, look into customizable EMR templates designed for rehab specialists. Small changes here can free up hours every week. 

11-17 points: Solid foundation with room to grow 

You’re on the right track, but information gaps are creating extra work. If you use different platforms for scheduling, billing, and notes, you’re likely re-entering data. Map your workflow, spot the repetitive steps, and consider integrating your systems or switching to a single platform built for rehab therapy. You’ll eliminate both frustration and room for error. 

18-25 points: You’re an efficiency champion 

You run a tight ship. Your systems automate routine admin work, letting you focus on clients. Now, dive into your data. Use your EMR’s reports to see which referral sources or services are most profitable. These insights can help you refine your strategy and continue to grow. 

Ready for better efficiency? 

No matter where you score, there’s always a next step. If you’re noticing areas for improvement – especially with note-taking, billing, or how your team communicates – don’t try to overhaul everything at once. Start with the one thing that drains you most and look at solutions designed specifically for rehab therapists. If you want to talk through options or need a fresher look at your workflows, schedule a no-pressure chat with our team at Ensora Rehab Therapy Suite.