8 Best Healthcare Scheduling Software

Introduction

Tired of gaps in appointment scheduling, no-shows, double bookings, etc.? A good healthcare scheduling software can help you sort all of this! 

But what features should you look for? To what extent can such a software help you? Keep on reading to find this out and to see the list of the best healthcare scheduling software. 

What is Healthcare Scheduling Software? 

Healthcare scheduling software is a specialized tool that allows healthcare providers to automate, schedule, and manage their patient appointments with ease. This software helps them allocate time slots so that double bookings and wait times can be avoided. Even patients find this software really useful as it allows them to self-schedule, reschedule, or cancel an appointment within just a few clicks. So essentially, healthcare scheduling software systems do the work of your receptionists or your medical staff, but in a faster and more efficient manner.            

8 Best Healthcare Scheduling Software

1. Emitrr
2. Solutionreach 
3. Weave
4. HEALEE
5. Bookafy
6. BookingPress
7. Bookly
8. Calendly 

8 Best Healthcare Scheduling Software: A Quick Comparison

Key highlights: 

• Emitrr is the highest-rated software for all metrics, be it price, features, etc., offering the best value for money. It is also the only platform to have a solid 5/5 rating for customer service. 
• Although HEALEE has a good overall rating, its inability to integrate with most EMR/EHR tools is something to take note of.
• BookingPress, Bookly, and Calendly are quite affordable options, but when it comes to features, they may not be the best choice and do not offer the best value for money. 
• Bookfay & Solutionreach is the most expensive scheduling software out of all. 

Benefits of Healthcare Scheduling Software

Reduce patient wait times

Visiting doctors can be quite stressful and being on long hold can increase the stress of patients further. However, via healthcare scheduling system you can very easily reduce patient wait time. Here’s how: 

• Book appointments 24/7 without human involvement.
• Reduce dependency on receptionists, as a result improve productivity of receptionists.
• Reduce phone calls of patients calling in for booking appointments with an efficient booking system.
• Improve patient outcome overall as they can book appointments without waiting on calls.

Reduce no-shows & cancellations

Did you know the average no-show rate in North America is 27%? That’s five out of twenty slots in a day, and a massive loss of revenue for healthcare practitioners. Patients with non-urgent medical needs might make an appointment a few days in advance and might forget about it completely. But as per a study, automated appointment reminders can decrease missed appointments by up to 7%. So by utilizing automated reminders via text you can reduce no-shows to a very good extent. Additionally, by utilizing the self-scheduling feature even patients can reschedule their appointments for a later date conveniently over their phone, leading to low cancellation rate as well. 

Improved workflow for healthcare providers

Features offered by medical scheduling software can help in improving the workflow for healthcare providers via: 

• Improved resource allocation: Freed from the repetitive task of appointment scheduling, your staff can be put to more pressing needs such as patient care leading to improved allocation of resources.
• Less administrative burden: Healthcare staff usually juggle a lot of time-consuming and tiring administrative tasks. However, through automated scheduling, offered by online scheduling software office operations can be streamlined leading to better productivity and less burnout.
• Improved billing process: Your patient management system can be integrated with your patient scheduling software. Using this your staff can easily send automated payment reminders to patients and even allow them to easily access bills and make payment online on their own, improving billing related workflow as well. 

Boosts revenue

By implementing healthcare scheduling software, you can save a lot of money and boost your revenue. Here’s how:

• Low operating costs: With online scheduling software, you do not need to spend on printed appointment books, calendars, or even paper and ink. 
• Fill empty slots: Based on the appointments confirmed, rescheduled, or canceled by the patient using your scheduling software, you can manage the appointment calendar of all the doctors working with you and ensure that all of their slots remain filled. 
• Low staffing cost: By automating bookings and appointments, you can reduce the need for more staff than you would have needed if you were doing these tasks manually.

Improved patient engagement and satisfaction 

As per a report by Accenture, 68% of patients prefer a healthcare provider with online scheduling options that allow them to easily book, reschedule, or cancel appointments. By implementing the best healthcare scheduling software, you can allow your patient to better engage with you and improve patient satisfaction as well.  

Features to Look For in a Healthcare Scheduling Software

Patient-focused features

• Automated reminders: Send automated reminders to patients about an upcoming appointment, send recalls, notifications, payment reminders, etc. 
• Self-scheduling: Allows patients to view your calendar and book appointments as per your available slots, allowing them to schedule, reschedule, or cancel appointments.  
• SMS capability: Ensure your patient never misses any updates and notifications from you by sending SMS reminders. 
• Integration with calendar: The feature ensures that you and your patient’s calendar are automatically updated with changes, cancellations, new appointments, etc., to avoid conflicts and delays later.   
• Virtual queue: Allows patients to join a virtual queue or wait list for earlier appointment slots that might be available due to cancellations. 
• Working hours display: Allows you to display and edit your working hours so that your patients make appointments only within the available time slots.  
• Online patient dashboard: Allows your patients to easily access their reports, billing details, updates, and more. 
• Personalization: Improve patient outcomes by sending customized messages to patients.

Provider-focused features

• EHR/EMR Integration: Easily access patient information by integrating with your existing EHR/EMR/PMS such as Dentrix, Athenahealth, etc. without interrupting workflow. 
• Multi-location support: Access and manage the operations of your healthcare facility across multiple locations. 
• HIPAA Compliance: Ensure that your patient communication complies with HIPAA to protect sensitive patient information and to protect patient privacy.  
• Reporting and Analytics: Access key metrics such as no-show rate, cancellations, appointments booked, etc., to improve performance. 
• Manage calendar: Lets you manage the calendar or bookings of all the healthcare providers working for you.

8 Best Healthcare Scheduling Software: A Detailed Analysis

Healthcare or medical scheduling software comes in different forms, here are four kinds of options to consider: 

SaaS healthcare scheduling platforms

SaaS healthcare scheduling platforms are the best and most popular kinds of software. Saas solutions are delivered over the internet, reducing the dependence on IT and maintenance. These are also the most cost-effective and flexible alternatives to traditional healthcare software.

Emitrr

Emitrr is our top pick for healthcare scheduling software as it not only offers all the required features to streamline bookings and appointments, but is also extremely cost-effective, is highly rated for its customer service and integrates with EHR/EMR tools seamlessly. Additionally, Emitrr offers many texting features, VoIP features and more, that you can access without any extra cost. 

Emitrr Features

• Automated appointment reminders & scheduling 
• Automated bookings
• Integration with calendar
• Self-scheduling
• Virtual queue
• SMS capability
• Manage calendar
• Reporting and Analytic
• Multi-location support
• Working hours display
• HIPAA Compliance
• Online patient dashboard
• Personalization
• Calendar management 
• Filters for sorting
• Enable booking via your website, Google & social media
• Collect insurance information via image or data entry before the appointment
• Collect patient contact information via online digital form

Emitrr Integrations

Emitrr integrates with over 1000 PMS/EHR/EMR tools including: 

• AthenaHealth
• Denticon
• Curve Hero
• Dentrix
• Dentrix Ascend
• Dentrix Enterprise
• DrChrono
• Dolphin
• Eaglesoft
• eClinicalWorks
• Orthotrac
• OpenDental
• Practiceworks
• Kareo
• Acuity Scheduling
• HousecallPro
• Zapier
• HubSpot
• Mailchimp
• And more..

Emitrr Pros

• Intuitive interface
• Wide range of features
• Unparalleled customer service
• Flexible pricing
• Easy to setup dashboard 
• Seamless integration
• Quick training 

Emitrr Cons

• No major issues with this software 

Emitrr Pricing

Emitrr is a super affordable healthcare scheduling software, and its pricing starts at just $99 a month. What’s worth highlighting is that you not only get access to the scheduling features for this price but also all other functions that the platform offers. This could be quite cost-effective in case you decide to implement new processes and functions in the future.   

Emitrr Customer Support

• Capterra: 4.8/5
• G2: 4.7/5 

Solutionreach 

Solutionreach is a popular healthcare Saas platform that offers plenty of appointment and scheduling features, and it also offers customizable patient texting solutions. The platform is known for its robust interface, wide range of features, and customizable templates. However, their customers often complain about poor customer service, technical glitches, and expensive price tags. 

Solutionreach Features

• Automated reminders & scheduling 
• Automated bookings
• Location management
• Integrations
• Customization
• Working hours display
• HIPAA compliant
• And more…

Solutionreach Integrations

• Denticon
• Dentrix
• Fuse
• Opendental
• Curve Dental
• Eaglesoft 
• And more..

Solutionreach Pros

• Useful communication tools
• User friendly interface  

Solutionreach Cons

• Technical issues
• Poor customer service  

Solutionreach Pricing

Solutionreach’s pricing starts at $329 a month.

Solutionreach Customer Support 

• Capterra: 3.8/5
• G2: 4.3/5

Weave

Meant for healthcare professionals, Weave is another good option to consider for simplifying healthcare scheduling. The platform offers plenty of appointment scheduling features and caters to different healthcare providers, be it dentists, chiropractors, optometrists, etc. Weave distinguishes itself with its excellent customer service and ease of use. However, Weave offers limited features, and you may encounter many technical issues with it. 

Weave Features 

• Automatic appointment reminders
• Automatic appointment confirmation
• Digital forms
• Online scheduling
• Analytics 
• Text response templates
• Appointment writebacks
• And more.. 

Weave Integrations

• Dentrix
• Dolphin
• Dentimax
• Denticon
• Easydental
• Eddson
• Eaglesoft
• And more..

Weave Pros

• Intuitive interface 
• Helpful customer service
• Useful texting feature

Weave Cons

• Technical glitches 
• Limited features
• Messaging issues

Weave Pricing

Weave’s pricing starts at $399. Additionally, it also charges a setup fee of $750.

Weave Customer Support 

• Capterra: 4.8/5
• G2: 4.5/5

White-label solutions

White-label software are those which are developed by one company and then sold, rebranded or licensed to another company. White-label software offers less flexibility and may not be suitable if you are planning to scale your business operations. But if you want software to simplify patient scheduling and run it under your own logo, brading, etc. then you can consider this option. 

HEALEE

Healee is a white-label telehealth software that allows healthcare providers to build their own brand while allowing them to simplify their operations. Healer offers a number of capabilities, including appointment scheduling with features such as recurring appointments, dynamic provider matching, time slot capacity, and more. Healee is also HIPAA compliant, but there is a limit to which you can use this software. 

HEALEE Features 

• In-message information about follow-ups
• Recurring appointments
• Automated patient reminders
• Custom intake forms
• Patient eligibility questionnaires
• Dynamic provider matching
• And more..

HEALEE Integrations

• Athenahealth
• Treat 5
• Dailymed
• Apple Health
• MedlinePlus

HEALEE Pros

• Intuitive & easy-to-use 
• Useful features
• Reliable booking system

HEALEE Cons

• Integrates with only one EHR/EMR tool for now (Athenahealth) 
• Delayed notifications
• Extensive onboarding & training process 

HEALEE Pricing 

Healee’s pricing consists of set-up fees and subscription fees. You would have to get in touch with Healee to find out how much they charge.  

HEALEE Customer Support 

• Capterra: 4.8/5
• G2: 5/5

Bookafy

Bookafy is well-known white-label healthcare scheduling software. With Bookafy, you can create a fully branded solution with your logo, colors, URL, domain, and more. Using it, you can build your own UI, create users and accounts, downgrade accounts, and more. Overall, Bookafy is a solid white-label scheduling solution, but setting up and training can be quite challenging. 

Bookafy Features

• Skill-based scheduling
• Multi-user appointments
• Group event scheduling
• Round robin routing
• Set future appointment limits
• SMS capability
• And more..

Bookafy Integrations

• Freshdesk
• Google calendar
• Hubspot
• Mailchimp
• Podio
• Square Space
• And more..

Bookafy Pros

• Free plan available
• Useful features
• Custom integrations

Bookafy Cons

• Difficult to use
• Lack of calendar customization
• Confusing configuration
• PayPal integration not available 

Bookafy Pricing

• Free: $0 per user/per month
• Pro: $9 per user/per month
• Pro+: $13 per user/per month

Bookafy Customer Support 

• Capterra: 4.7/5
• G2: 4.4/5

Plugins for EHR practice management systems

Plugins are software components or add-ons that can be used to add any kind of functionality to a computer or web browser. Plugins can be installed specifically for healthcare scheduling and appointments as well. These are usually cost-effective and easy to set up, however, they come with limited functionality only. 

Here are some Plugins for EHR practice management systems that you can consider: 

BookingPress

BookingPress is an all-in-one healthcare booking WordPress plugin for Doctors, dentists, and clinics. This smart plugin allows doctors to receive and manage patient appointments, accept payments, etc., by adding a booking widget to their website. The plugin is affordable, but there is a limit to which you can use this tool. 

BookingPress Features

• Appointment & scheduling 
• Recurring appointments
• 14-days money back guarantee
• Customization
• Premium support
• And more..

BookingPress Integrations

BookingPress integrates with 25+ payment getaways, but not with many EHR/EMR tools. Some other integrations you can find with BookingPress are:

• Mailchimp 
• Zoom
• Zapier
• Google Calendar
• Outlook Calendar

BookingPress Pros

• Affordable
• Ease-to-use interface
• Customizable

BookingPress Cons

• Does not integrate with EMR/EHR software 
• Poor customer service
• Can be slow & unresponsive 
• Limited functions

BookingPress Pricing

• Standard plan: $79 a month
• Professional plan: $129 a year
• Enterprise plan: $249 a year

BookingPress Customer Support 

• Capterra: 4.5/5
• G2: 4.5/5

Bookly

Bookly is a useful appointment-scheduling software WordPress plugin that offers customizable booking forms, reminders, online payments, etc. The platform offers a free version and a paid version and seamless integration with Google Calendar. If you are looking for free or affordable scheduling software with very limited functions, then this is a good option for you. 

Bookly Features

• Customizable booking forms
• Seamless payment integration
• Automated email and SMS notifications
• WhatsApp notifications
• Built-in analytics
• And more..

Bookly Integrations

Bookly does not integrate with major EHR/EMR software such as Athenahealth, Dentirx, etc. It offers limited integrations with: 

• Zapier
• Zoom
• Google calendar
• Woocommerce

Bookly Pros

• Affordable
• Quick to use
• Syncs with Google Calendar 

Bookly Cons

• Does not integrate with EMR/EHR tools 
• Very limited features
• Free customer support is available only for 6 months

Bookly Pricing

Bookly offers a free version for basic features and a pro version starting at $89 a month for additional features. 

Bookly Customer Support

• Capterra: 4.1/5
• G2: 3.8/5

Free Healthcare Scheduling Software

Free healthcare scheduling software does not cost you anything, but it comes with very basic functionality. If you are a growing healthcare company or individual, then we suggest you go for something that can help you in the long run.

Calendly 

Calendly is a free cloud-based scheduling software that allows you to automate scheduling workflows and create a smooth customer experience. Any kind of small business can use Calendly, however, if you are a healthcare professional looking for a HIPAA-compliant scheduling platform, then Calendly may not be the right choice for you. 

Calendly Features 

• Team-based scheduling
• Send reminders
• Send follow-ups
• Reporting & analytics
• Automatic reminders
• And more..

Calendly Integrations

Calendly does not integrate with popular EMR/EHR tools. However, it integrated with these tools: 

• Zapier
• Stripe
• PayPal
• Salesforce
• Chrome
• And more..

Calendly Pros

• Free to use
• Integration with Google calendar
• Easy-to-use

Calendly Cons

• Not HIPAA compliant 
• Very basic functions
• App crashes occasionally

Calendly Pricing

Calendly offers a free plan and three more paid plans.

• Free: $0
• Standard: $10 /seat/mo
• Teams: $16 /seat/mo
• Enterprise: Starts at $15k/yr

Calendly Customer Support 

• Capterra: 4.7/5
• G2: 4.7/5

SaaS Vs. White-label Vs. Plugins Vs. Free Healthcare Scheduling Platform: What Should You Choose? 

Key highlights:

• After comparing the four different kinds of healthcare scheduling software, we can clearly see that private-label SaaS software is the best kind of healthcare scheduling software.
• White-label healthcare scheduling software may offer branding, but it costs the most, offers limited customization, and is not ideal for scaling.
• Plugins and free healthcare scheduling software may be very cost-effective, but with their limited features and limited customization, they might not be the best choice for healthcare professionals in the long run. 

Why Emitrr is the Best Healthcare Scheduling Software?

After comparing some of the best healthcare patient scheduling software, we found that Emitrr is the best choice to consider. Here’s why:

Cost-effective healthcare scheduling software  

Emitrr’s pricing starts at just $99 a month, and for this price, you not only get access to scheduling and appointment features, but also all other capabilities, such as two-way texting, calling, reputation management features, and a lot more. All other options listed in the guide offer extra capabilities for an additional price. So, in the long run, you can save a lot of money by choosing Emitrr.

Excellent customer service 

Most companies offer great products, but when it comes to customer service, long wait times and difficulty in reaching customer support often become a major problem. However, Emitrr is the only healthcare scheduling software in the list that has a solid 5/5 star rating for its customer service. So you be rest assured and expect to have a smooth experience with Emitrr overall. 

Integration with EMR/EHR tools

Emitrr integrates with 1000+ tools and software, including EMR/EHR tools such as Athenahealth, Dentrix, and Acuity Scheduling, and can seamlessly sync with your calendar as well, allowing you to streamline and automate your patient bookings with ease. 

Extensive features 

Emitrr offers extensive features for appointment scheduling such as calendar sync, automated reminder and confirmations, notifications, analytics and dashboard, recurring messages, and more. But the best part is that it allows you to do all this via two-way text messaging which is the number one source and preferred channel of patients for communication. 

FAQs

Conclusion

With healthcare scheduling software, you can now stop worrying about wasting precious time on appointment bookings and cancellations and rather focus on providing good patient care. After comparing the eight best options based on different types, we can conclude that SaaS healthcare scheduling software is the best kind of software for doctors and healthcare professionals who are expanding and want to benefit from a wide range of features currently and in the near future. 

Book a demo with Emitrr today and find out how it can be the best scheduling software for your healthcare facility.