Retention Is the New Acquisition: Fix Rebookings First
By Brendan Byrne Wednesday, July 2, 2025
Let’s start with something blunt: If your clinic is chasing new leads without fixing rebookings, you’re pouring water into a leaky bucket. In other words, all the marketing spend in the world won’t save you if patients aren’t coming back. For most 2–6 practitioner physio clinics in Australia—whether private-pay or NDIS-funded—rebookings are not just a minor boost; they’re the difference between sustainable growth and endless patient churn.
The Real Cost of Missed Rebookings
You already know a no-show hurts. But a missed rebooking? That’s future income gone—often from a patient who still needs care. Let’s do the math:
- Average physio session (NDIS or private): ~$183
- One missed rebooking per day: ≈$915/week lost per clinician
- Across 3 clinicians: over $140,000/year in lost revenue
And that’s without even considering the admin time wasted chasing those patients later. Remember, retaining an existing patient is far more cost-effective than acquiring a new one. Every missed follow-up is not only a lost chance to help the patient achieve their health goals, but also revenue you’ll need to replace with expensive new leads.
Why Rebookings Fall Apart
It’s rarely about the quality of your clinical care—most patients do want to return. The gaps usually come from system issues, like:
- They forget to book at the front desk
- Your online system doesn’t support easy rebooking
- No automated follow-up reminders
- They didn’t understand their treatment plan
In short, it’s a systems problem, not a people problem. When rebooking isn’t baked into your process, things fall through the cracks.
What NDIS Clinics Are Up Against
For clinics navigating NDIS complexity, the 2025 pricing changes have increased pressure to do more with less. The physio price cap was trimmed, so margins are tighter. NDIS-focused clinics now feel extra urgency to:
- Deliver more sessions in less time
- Limit non-billable follow-ups
- Maintain airtight compliance records
In practice, your staff often don’t have time to chase every missed booking. And NDIS participants may have more complex care journeys—which makes missed follow-ups even riskier for their outcomes. In this high-pressure environment, a leaky rebooking system isn’t just costing money; it threatens the continuity of care for vulnerable clients.
The Solution: Build a Rebooking System
Just like you systemise your clinical assessments, you need to systemise your rebooking process. Don’t leave it to memory or chance. Here’s what works, in simple terms:
1. Pre-frame the return visit
At the end of each session, the clinician should always pre-frame the next appointment. For example: “To get the best results, I’d like to see you again in X days. Let’s lock that in before you go.” This sets the expectation that a follow-up is part of the treatment plan, not an optional add-on.
2. Train your front desk
Your reception should never simply ask, “Would you like to rebook?” – which makes it sound optional. Instead, train them to assume the rebooking. For example: “Your next appointment will be [day/time]. Does that work for you?” This friendly presumption makes it easier for the patient to say “yes” (or to find an alternate slot immediately).
3. Automate missed follow-ups
Use your Practice Management Software (PMS) or integrated tools to handle the chasing:
- Cliniko lets you set up follow-up emails or texts at chosen intervals after an appointment.
- Splose offers two-way SMS and email integration to remind patients seamlessly.
- Set up your system to:
- Trigger a rebooking reminder (email or SMS) if someone hasn’t returned within 7–10 days. Include a one-click online booking link.
- Flag patients overdue for follow-up on your dashboard or weekly ops report.
- Sync with your marketing tools:
- Splose integrates with Mailchimp so new clients can flow into an email list automatically.
- Cliniko supports add-ons like Cliniq Apps or ProDesk to automate follow-ups and reactivation messages.
The key is to let technology carry the load of routine reminders, so no patient “falls through the cracks” due to human forgetfulness.
4. Build rebooking into your marketing
Use your communication channels (email, SMS, social media) not just for promotions, but to reinforce the value of completing a full plan of care:
- Maintenance reminders: Periodic check-ins when patients might be due for a “tune-up.”
- Post-discharge check-ins: Short messages that say, “Hope you’re doing well—if anything flares up, we’re here.”
- Educational content: Blogs, newsletters, or social posts that explain why completing treatment matters. Include tips, case studies, or outcome data.
By implementing these steps and tools, you create a rebooking system that runs in the background. It preempts patients’ forgetfulness and removes the friction from booking the next visit.
Rebookings Protect Patient Outcomes, Too
This isn’t just about revenue; it’s about results. Patients who stop therapy early often:
- Don’t recover fully
- Are more likely to flare up or re-injure
- Lose trust in the value of physiotherapy
By rebooking effectively and keeping patients on track, you’re actually doing them a huge favor. You’re ensuring they get the outcome they came for. It’s a win-win: better health outcomes for them, and a stronger, more predictable business for you.
Final Thought: Retention Before Acquisition
In a clinic where time, money, and admin capacity are all stretched thin, rebooking isn’t optional – it’s essential. Yes, new leads matter, but retained patients drive real growth.
So, before you spend another $500 on Google Ads, ask yourself: Is our rebooking system watertight? If not, that’s your next big win – whether your clinic is NDIS-funded or private-pay.
Fix your rebooking process and use the tools at your disposal, and you’ll find you don’t need to pour nearly as much water in to keep the bucket full. Focus on retention, and the growth will follow.
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