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How a 12-clinic physiotherapy group cut no-shows and added 9,000 appointments a year.
A Skillfi fractional COO rebuilt how patients book, confirm and rebook across every clinic, with automated reminders, one central scheduling team and a waitlist that fills cancellations in minutes.
Patients who couldn't get through, and therapists waiting for patients.
The group had grown to 12 clinics and 70 therapists, but each clinic still ran bookings its own way. Nearly one in five patients didn't turn up for their appointment, and most of those slots were never filled. Mornings were the worst: schedules were half-empty before lunch.
At the same time, front desks were overwhelmed. About a third of calls went unanswered, so patients who wanted to book or move an appointment simply gave up. Therapists were paid for hours they couldn't fill, and the business was losing revenue it had already earned the demand for.
Our therapists were sitting idle at 9am while patients couldn't get through on the phone to book.
CEO, client
Fix the front door, then fill every slot.
We treated scheduling as an operations problem, not a front-desk problem. Every clinic moved to the same booking rules, reminders and rebooking ran on marketing automation, and patient recalls were managed through the group's AI CRM.
Reminders that make rebooking easy
Text and email reminders at 72 and 24 hours, one-tap confirm or reschedule, and online rebooking any time of day.
One scheduling team for 12 clinics
A central team answering one number for every clinic, so calls are picked up and front desks can focus on patients in the room.
Waitlist backfill and standard booking
Cancelled slots offered to waitlisted patients automatically, and a templated booking flow with the same appointment types in every clinic.
Sixteen weeks, step by step
From 12 clinics booking 12 different ways to one system that keeps every schedule full. Here's how the rollout unfolded.
- Week 1–212 clinics mapped
Clinic diagnostic
We mapped how every clinic booked, reminded and rebooked patients, and where no-shows and missed calls were highest.
- Week 3–41 booking flow
Booking templates
Standard appointment types, lengths and booking rules agreed with clinic leads and set up in every location.
- Week 5–772 & 24-hr reminders
Reminders & online rebooking
Automated reminders with one-tap confirm or reschedule, and online booking for every clinic.
- Week 8–101 team, 12 clinics
Central scheduling team
A central team hired, trained and given one phone number for all clinics, with call routing and scripts.
- Week 11–12Auto-filled slots
Waitlist backfill
Cancellations offered automatically to waitlisted patients by location, therapist and time of day.
- Week 167% no-shows
Fuller schedules
No-shows had more than halved and morning slots were filling, across every clinic in the group.
Four fixes that filled the schedule
Most no-shows aren't patients who don't care. They're patients who forgot or couldn't get through to move a time. Every fix made it easier to keep, move or take an appointment.
Automated reminders
- Texts at 72 & 24 hours
- One-tap confirm or reschedule
- Online rebooking 24/7
Every call picked up
- One number for all clinics
- Call routing & scripts
- Front desks free for patients
No slot left empty
- Cancellations offered instantly
- Morning slots prioritised
- Matched by therapist & location
One way to book
- Standard appointment types
- Same rules in every clinic
- Utilisation dashboard per therapist
Twelve months on
Patient no-show rate
No-shows cut by more than half, and most remaining cancellations now refilled.
Mornings used to be dead time. Now the schedule fills itself, and our front desks can actually look after the patients in front of them.
Director of Operations, clientEmpty slots and missed calls costing you?
A fractional COO will standardise how your locations book and schedule, set up a central team and keep every slot full. Reminders and rebooking run on marketing automation, with patient recalls in your AI CRM.
- Automated reminders & online rebooking
- A central scheduling team
- Waitlist backfill for cancellations
- A standard booking flow & dashboard
30 minutes. No obligation.
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