Appointment Booking Automation for Healthcare Practices

No-shows cost the NHS an estimated 1 billion pounds per year. For private clinics, every missed appointment is revenue lost directly.

The Cost of Manual Booking

• Missed calls during consultations
• After-hours enquiries go unanswered (40% try to book outside hours)
• Reception staff spend 60-70% of time on booking calls
• No-show rates average 15-20% without reminders

The Automated Booking Stack

1. Online Booking

From your website, Google Business Profile, and email links. Under 60 seconds to complete.

2. Automated Reminders

Two-stage system reduces no-shows by 40-60%:

• 48 hours before: SMS with details and reschedule link
• 2 hours before: brief SMS reminder

3. Intelligent Scheduling

Account for different durations, buffer time, practitioner availability, and room allocation.

4. Waitlist Management

Cancellation triggers automatic notification to waitlisted patients.

5. Follow-Up Automation

• Aftercare instructions
• Review requests
• Rebooking prompts
• Recall reminders for periodic check-ups

Choosing the Right System

Cliniko, Jane App, and Pabau offer GDPR compliance, practice management integration, SMS automation, payment collection, and reporting.

Implementation Tips

1. Start with reminders alone - dramatic impact
2. Offer online alongside phone booking
3. Train your team on the new system
4. Monitor no-show rates and adjust

Booking automation is one component. See the full system in our complete marketing guide for clinics.