zenpageOnline booking for osteopaths: the useful settings for a manual-therapy practice
Session lengths, break time between clients, booking questions and cancellation notice: how to set up your osteopath's online calendar.
In osteopathy, the quality of the session also depends on what happens before and after: welcome time, note-taking, not going back-to-back without a breather. Your online calendar should reflect this rhythm. Here are the settings that matter most for a manual-therapy practice.
Durations that match your practice
A first consultation, which includes the history and examination, doesn't last as long as a follow-up session. Create a service per type of consultation, with its real duration. A slot that's too short pushes you to cut the examination short; a slot that's too long leaves gaps in the day. The settings for each service are described in our guide to services.
Buffer time between two clients
This is the most useful setting for an osteopathy practice. A service can include buffer time before and buffer time after the slot. It protects the end of your session and the preparation of the next, without lengthening your client's appointment. How it works is explained in the article dedicated to buffer times.
A useful booking form, not an intrusive one
You can add questions at booking: reason for consultation, first visit or not, person to contact. Each question is either required or optional, and can apply to all services or just one. Don't ask more than necessary. A form with five required questions scares off clients who only wanted a slot. The details are in the article on custom fields.
A reason for consultation can reveal health information. Limit it to a general wording, and never enter a session report in a booking field.
The cancellation notice
In the general settings, you define a minimum cancellation notice, in days. A clear notice, displayed on your page, limits last-minute cancellations. State it in your presentation too, so the client reads it before booking.
Seeing clients on several slots of the week
If you see clients in the morning at one place and in the afternoon at another, locations let you link each service to its address. The client only sees the possible slots for the location they chose. See the guide to locations.
Going further
For managing appointments day to day, see the calendar documentation. To reduce no-shows, read our article on missed appointments.
Frequently asked questions
Can I ask for the reason for consultation at booking?
Yes, with a custom field of type text or text area. You decide whether it is required or optional. Only ask for what you need to prepare the session.
Can Zenpage serve as a client record?
No. Zenpage handles bookings, contact details and exchanges related to appointments. Care information must stay in your own record, and not be entered in booking fields.
How do I avoid back-to-back clients with no break?
Add a buffer time before or after the service. The slot offered to the client stays the same, but it leaves a margin between two sessions.
