Physiotherapists: filling cancelled sessions fast

A cancelled physio session only becomes lost time if nobody hears about it. Cancel the booking in your list the moment the patient tells you, so the slot goes straight back on your booking page; message the patients who asked for an earlier time; and move series bookings forward when it helps treatment. Ask for notice in your service descriptions so you hear early enough to act.

Patients can't cancel online on Book: they call or message you. As soon as they do, cancel the booking from your bookings list. The slot reappears on your public page and anyone looking for a time can take it, often within hours if it's a popular evening slot. A cancellation left in your head until the end of the day is a slot nobody can book.

Keep your own short list, on paper or in your phone, of patients who'd take an earlier slot: someone in pain waiting for next week, a patient with flexible hours. When a slot frees up, message two or three of them. Book has no waiting-list feature, so this list is yours; it takes a minute and fills the gap.

Patients in a treatment series have their next sessions already booked. If a slot opens tomorrow and a patient's next session is in four days, moving them forward can suit both of you. Move the booking from your list; rescheduling works across services, so a home-visit slot can become a practice slot if they can come in. Tell the patient yourself, since Book doesn't email clients about changes.

On Book, each service has a name, a price and an optional description shown on your public page. Add one line about notice: "Please let us know at least 24 hours before if you can't come." Put your phone number in the description so patients know how to reach you.

Durations and places are examples: set your own, and state your fees in each description.

In a group class with several places, a cancellation frees one place. Cancel the booking and the class shows on your page again until it's full. Each online booking takes one place.

Book doesn't send reminders. Patients who give their email receive a confirmation with a calendar file, which puts the session in their own calendar; a short message the day before helps for early-morning sessions. The booking form asks for a phone number, so you can always reach them.

If a slot stays empty, use it for notes, exercise programmes or calls to referrers. Your calendar syncs with Google, iPhone or Mac, so you see the gap as soon as it appears. Book costs €5/month, everything included: unlimited services and bookings, no commission, no contract.