Why allied health practices lose bookings
Most allied health practices run on sessions. A physio is in a treatment room, an osteo is with a client on the table and the front desk is handling the one person at the counter. The phone rings in the gaps, and the gaps are short.
The calls that go to voicemail are often the ones that convert best. Someone with a new injury who wants to be seen this week. A parent asking whether a speech assessment is covered before booking a second opinion. A client who needs to move a session because their roster changed, and who will book somewhere else if they cannot get through.
An AI receptionist answers those calls, every time. It books what can be booked, answers the questions that come before a first visit and passes clinical questions to the practitioner with a clear note.
Initial consults and rebooking
An initial consult is longer than a follow-up and often needs a specific practitioner. Your AI receptionist knows the difference because you tell it. It offers the right length, the right person and the right time of day, then sends the intake form and directions in the same message as the confirmation.
Rebooking is where practices lose the most time. A client who calls to move a session should not have to explain their whole plan again. The AI finds the booking, checks the next available times with the same practitioner and keeps the spacing between sessions within the range your practice sets.
- Initial consult and follow-up appointments, each with the length and practitioner your team sets.
- Rebooking for course sessions, with the same practitioner where possible.
- Waitlist entries when the preferred practitioner is full, with the caller's preferred days noted.
Referrals, fees and rebates
Referral and fee questions are the ones people ask before they book, so they need a clear and correct answer. Your AI receptionist answers from the information you approve: which referrals you accept, what a first visit costs, how long sessions run and what a client should bring.
Rebate questions depend on each client's own health fund cover, and the AI cannot see that. It explains how your practice handles rebates, such as whether you claim on the spot where your system supports it, and points the caller to their fund or your front desk for their own entitlement. Pricing for the receptionist itself is set out on the main page.
Practitioner availability
Callers often ask for a particular person. A new client may only want a practitioner who works with a certain age group, and a returning client may want the same person who saw them last time. Your AI receptionist checks each practitioner's roster and offers the nearest matching times.
When the practitioner they want is full, it does not simply say no. It offers the next best option, a different practitioner who does the same type of work, or a place on the waitlist with the days and times the caller prefers. That keeps the caller in the process rather than handing them to a competitor.
Psychology practices and people in crisis
Psychology calls need a different level of care. Some callers are looking to book, some are asking about the practice and some are not safe. The AI does not try to judge which one it is hearing. It does not counsel, assess or ask questions about a caller's mental state.
If a caller says they might harm themselves or are in crisis, the AI tells them to call 000 if they are in danger, and to call Lifeline on 13 11 14 at any time. It then alerts your practice so a clinician can follow up. We agree the exact wording with your practice before anything goes live.
After hours and what the AI does not do
When the practice is closed, the AI still answers. It takes messages for the morning team, books the next available session if the caller wants one and explains your after-hours arrangements in the words you approve. Calls that need a person before the morning are passed on using the criteria you set.
It does not give exercise advice, diagnose an injury, suggest a treatment or comment on a claim. For a clinical question it takes a clear message, flags it for the right practitioner and tells the caller when to expect a reply. Our AI Receptionist service covers the wider setup.
Client privacy
Clients hear in the greeting that they're speaking with the practice's AI assistant. Your team approves each script, including how the AI handles clinical and crisis topics, and session details go to the practitioner who will see them. Anything sensitive is passed to a person rather than handled by the AI. Calls are transcribed so the summary is accurate. Our privacy policy sets out how the details we collect are handled.