Case studies / Healthcare
Case studyA patient appointment app for a clinic network
A dental and physiotherapy clinic network where patients phoned to book launched a secure appointment app, cutting calls to reception and reducing missed appointments.
Overview
A privately owned network of dental and physiotherapy clinics in New Zealand, serving families, older patients and sports clubs from suburban and town-centre locations.
Scale. Six clinics, each with a small reception team handling bookings, changes, reminders and arrivals for dentists, hygienists and physiotherapists.
The challenge
On Monday mornings, the phones at every clinic rang from the moment the doors opened. Patients wanted to book, move or cancel appointments, ask about costs or check what time they were due, and reception teams answered call after call while patients waited at the desk.
Phone bookings strained reception. Callers often waited on hold, some gave up and tried a competitor and reception staff struggled to give full attention to the patients standing in front of them.
Missed appointments were costly. Some patients forgot, some could not get through to cancel and others had booked months ahead and lost track. Each missed slot was lost income and a delay for another patient who could have taken it.
Reminders were inconsistent. Some clinics phoned patients the day before when time allowed, others sent texts manually, and none could easily confirm or rebook in response.
Patients asked for simple things the clinics could not offer: booking in the evening, seeing their upcoming appointments and sending a quick question without phoning.
Any digital service had to protect health information properly and be usable by older patients, who made up a large share of the dental patient base.
Reception teams were also hard to recruit and keep. The constant phone pressure was the part of the job staff liked least, and turnover at the busiest clinics was high.
The solution
Patients book appointments in the app, choosing the clinic, practitioner, treatment type and time from availability in the practice system. Rules make sure each treatment is booked for the right length of time with the right practitioner.
Automated reminders are sent ahead of each appointment and again the day before, with options to confirm, cancel or rebook in one tap. Cancelled slots are released immediately for other patients.
Secure messages let patients ask questions, send photos when asked and receive post-treatment instructions. Messages are handled by reception and clinicians in the practice system rather than personal inboxes.
Check-in on arrival lets patients confirm they have arrived and update their details and medical history before the appointment, so reception spends less time on forms.
After each visit, patients can leave short feedback. Deposits and payments can be made in the app, and analytics show bookings, reminders, cancellations and feedback by clinic.
Sign-in uses a secure identity service with verification, and parents can manage appointments for their children from one account.
Booking rules are set by each clinic, so new patients or complex treatments can still be directed to a phone call where a conversation is needed, while routine check-ups and follow-ups are booked directly.
The engagement
- Six months
- Five specialists
- Patient journey mapping, secure design and build of a mobile app for booking, reminders, secure messages, check-in and feedback, integration with the practice system, identity, messaging, payments and analytics, a one-clinic pilot and network rollout.
Integrations
- Practice system
- Identity
- Messaging
- Payments
- Analytics
How we delivered it
- 01
Map patient journeys
Four weeks
We mapped patient journeys for new and returning patients, families and older patients, and sat with reception teams to understand which calls could be replaced and which genuinely needed a conversation.
- 02
Build the app securely
Twelve weeks
We built the app with privacy and security designed in from the start: strong sign-in, encrypted data, minimal storage on the device and clear consent. Older patients tested every screen for readability and ease of use.
- 03
Pilot at one clinic
Five weeks
One clinic launched the app to its patients. We tuned reminder timing, booking rules and the check-in flow based on what reception staff and patients told us.
- 04
Roll out
Five weeks
The remaining clinics followed, with posters, reception scripts and help for patients setting up the app at the desk.
Results
- Fewer calls to reception
- Fewer missed appointments
- Better patient feedback
- Cancelled slots reused by other patients
Calls to reception have fallen. Bookings, changes and appointment queries now come through the app, and reception teams spend more time with the patients in front of them.
Missed appointments have fallen. Reminders with one-tap confirm, cancel and rebook mean fewer patients forget, and those who cannot attend release their slot for someone else.
Patient feedback has improved. Patients comment on how easy booking has become, particularly in the evening, and appreciate the reminders and secure messages.
Reminders delivered the quickest benefit. They went live first in the pilot and reduced missed appointments within weeks, which built support for the rest of the app among clinicians and reception staff.
Older patients have adopted the app in larger numbers than expected, helped by large text, simple screens and reception staff who set it up with them at the desk.
The reminders paid for the project before the booking screens were even finished.
What made the difference
Reminders delivered the quickest benefit.
