Have you ever gotten stuck in a game of email back and forth with a client? They tell you when they’re free, you share your availability, and then you go around in circles trying to nail down a date.
You finally have it sorted, only for them to miss the appointment due to crossed wires and bad communication.
Scheduling software for therapists is designed to take away stress. Instead of endlessly exchanging dates, you simply fill out a calendar, and a client can pick the time that works for them.
Interested in scheduling software for your practice? Find out more with this guide.
Why Do Therapists Need Scheduling Software?
If you have an established practice and you’ve been getting by with emails and phone calls, you might be wondering whether it’s worth investing in scheduling software. The simple answer is: yes! Scheduling software is nearly always a worthwhile investment.
Let’s explore the reasons why.
For a start, scheduling software provides a neat and organized system. With the software doing the bulk of the work, you need to simply insert your variables and watch the computer do its job. No missed appointments due to differences in communication.
Second, scheduling software allows your clients to book appointments as they like. They can choose a time that works for them, based on what you have available. There’s no long back and forth to find a suitable time.
This can also reduce cancellations, and ensure if a client does cancel, they can quickly book a new session.
Finally, scheduling software reduces admin work, giving you more time to dedicate to the clients. Scheduling software can often be integrated with EHR software, saving you even more work!
The Best Scheduling Software For Therapists
There are numerous scheduling software services for therapists available, ranging from simple calendars to complex EHR systems. We’ve rounded up some of our favorites, to help you explore your options.
Calendly
Calendly might not be designed for a healthcare setting, but this easy-to-use interface makes scheduling a breeze. With over 10,000,000 users worldwide, this popular software has proven to be an efficient solution forf scheduling needs.
Calendly can be adapted for individual use, or used across your team. The calendar sync and appointment reminder features are incredibly helpful additions, while the mobile app ensures you can manage your time on the go.
There are also numerous integrations, allowing Calendly to work with the system you have in place.
Fancy giving it a go? Calendly has a free tier with basic settings for individual use.
Yellow Schedule
Created to help revolutionize scheduling systems and provide better access to healthcare for more people, Yellow Schedule is an efficient system for streamlining your scheduling.
Yellow Schedule is relatively simple compared to other software options on this list, but what it does, it does well. Integrating easily into your website, Yellow Schedule allows patients to check availability and make appointments.
It can also be used to set up recurring appointments, send confirmations and reminders, and facilitate communication between client and therapist.
Nuna
Nuna is software that has been created specifically for therapists, and the intelligent system should appeal to both therapists and clients.
The scheduling software is a particular highlight of Nuna, allowing clients to make, edit, and cancel appointments, with real-time alerts keeping everyone up-to-date.
Nuna is an excellent solution for a therapist still building an online presence. You don’t need your own website to use it, and the ready-to-use documents save time for growing practices.
SimplePractice
If you want scheduling software that can do it all, SimplePractice is an all-in-one service that can be used to streamline your practice. Within this is the scheduling service, which provides a clear and user-friendly calendar, allowing clients and therapists to keep in touch.
When an appointment is coming up, SimplePractice sends free reminders to prevent no-shows.
As a complete EHR system, SimplePractice isn’t ideal if you simply want to add electronic scheduling. However, because it’s a full system, the SimplePractice schedule integrates with all your other documentation, to keep everything you need in one place.
Therapy Brands (TheraNest)
Formerly known as TheraNest, Therapy Brands is electronic software created by therapists, for therapists. It’s an excellent choice for larger practices, as the scheduling services have been designed for multiple users operating in the same location.
With Therapy Brands, you can set availability, book rooms, and assign locations. And because you’re all on the same system, you can avoid awkward double bookings.
For clients, Therapy Brands allows them to search through staff, service type, and calendar, to schedule the appointment they need.
Theraplatform
There are numerous features on Theraplatform, including billing, note-taking, messaging, and document sharing. It also has a robust scheduling tool, which allows you to manage appointments in a way that works for you.
You can use Theraplatform to set group appointments, schedule recurring appointments, and set your hours of availability.
Theraplatform is also a great service for anyone branching out into Telehealth. With everything from scheduling to billing in one place, plus a HIPAA-compliant video service, you can work efficiently with Theraplatform.
TherapyNotes
TherapyNotes is a practice management system that is packed to the brim with useful features. Designed specifically for healthcare, the scheduling system makes it easy to streamline the booking process, while the TherapyNotes integrations pull the relevant information to simplify your workflow.
TherapyNotes is another inclusive EHR system, so there is a lot included in your subscription. If it’s simple scheduling you’re after, look elsewhere.
Amelia
If you’re running a WordPress website, Amelia is a booking plugin that can easily add scheduling software to your homepage.
The intuitive user interface is appealing to both clients and therapists, while the WordPress integration ensures minimal interference with your established web presence.
Amelia is a simpler system, and it hasn’t been designed specifically for therapists. However, it’s well-priced and easy to use, making it scheduling software worth considering.
Final Thoughts
Scheduling software can make running your practice much easier, and prevent double bookings, no-shows, and miscommunications. The right scheduling software should integrate easily with the systems you have in place, and make it easier for your clients to reach you.