No-Show
When a scheduled caregiver fails to appear for their shift without prior notice. No-shows are more disruptive than call-offs and may put vulnerable clients at risk if not caught quickly.
Also known as: no-show · missed shift · absent without notice · AWOL shift
A no-show occurs when a caregiver does not arrive for their assigned shift and has not communicated a cancellation. The agency typically detects a no-show when the caregiver fails to clock in via EVV by a certain tolerance window after the scheduled start time.
No-shows are more serious than call-offs because the client is unattended and may be in a vulnerable situation. The scheduler must immediately identify a replacement or contact the client/family.
Repeated no-shows are typically a terminable offense. No-show rate is tracked as a caregiver reliability metric.
In home care, this means…
EVV systems can auto-detect no-shows when check-in doesn't occur within the tolerance window. Triggers an immediate escalation to the scheduling team.
Related terms
Call-Off →
When a scheduled caregiver notifies the agency that they cannot work their assigned shift, typically with some advance notice. Call-offs trigger the open shift backfill process.
Open Shift →
A scheduled shift that does not yet have a confirmed caregiver assignment. Open shifts represent both a scheduling risk (potential revenue loss) and an urgent operational task for the scheduler.
EVV (Electronic Visit Verification) →
A technology system that electronically verifies caregiver presence, time, and location at a client's home at the start and end of each visit. Federally mandated for Medicaid and VA home care services.
Shift →
A single scheduled work assignment: a specific date, time, client, caregiver, duration, and task list. The shift is the fundamental unit of service delivery and billing in home care.
Scheduler →
An office staff member responsible for assigning caregivers to shifts, managing open shifts, and handling real-time cancellations. Fill rate — the percentage of scheduled shifts that are covered — is the scheduler's core performance metric.