Book an appointment and send it to the patient on WhatsApp, free

An Android phone with WhatsApp installed, a Google account to sign in with, and the patient's mobile number. You don't need WhatsApp Business, an API account or an SMS package. The message goes from the WhatsApp already on your phone.

Install FindClinica from Google Play, tap Continue with Google, and fill in your name and mobile number the first time you sign in.

Then open the menu, tap Settings and tap your name at the top of the list (Edit Personal Data). Tap Edit, write your clinic's name in Hospital, and tap Save. That name goes into every appointment message: "your appointment with Dr. Sana Malik at Smile Dental Clinic". If it's empty, the message simply leaves it out.

The phone number in the message is the one you signed up with, so a patient who needs to change the time knows whom to call.

The message names the doctor. With no doctor added you can still book, but the patient would read "Your appointment with is scheduled for…", with a gap where the name should be. Not a good look.

Open the menu, then Settings, Doctors and New Doctor. "Dr." is already picked in the small box on the left, so type only the name (Sana Malik, not Dr. Sana Malik), add the phone and PMDC number if you like, and tap Save. If two doctors share the clinic, add both; you'll pick one each time you book.

The times you pick from when booking come from Settings, Working Time. Out of the box it's every half hour from 9 in the morning to 10 at night. If your clinic runs from 5 to 9 in the evening, untick the rest, so nobody gets booked at 10 AM when you're at the hospital. Tap Save; this one needs internet.

Working hours are set for the whole clinic, not per doctor, and only the account owner can change them.

On the home screen, tap the calendar button at the top right (the one with the small NEW badge). Today's Schedule slides in. Tap the green Add New Appointment button at the top.

Tick Send message on WhatsApp, just under the doctor. The phone remembers it, so next time it's already ticked.

Check the Doctor, pick the day from the strip (Today, Tomorrow and the weeks after), then tap a green Available time. Grey times have already passed today. Red ones are taken, and show the patient's name.

Enter the Patient Name and the number in Contact 1, written the usual way (0300 1234567). The app turns it into +92 for WhatsApp. Tap Save at the top right.

This books the slot without opening a patient file, which suits a phone call from someone new. For a patient who's already in the app there's a quicker way, further down.

You'll see Appointment created successfully!, and a moment later WhatsApp opens on the patient's chat with this already typed:

Every patient on the home screen has a small clock button at the right end of the row. Tap it, or open the patient's file and choose Set Appointment from the three-dot menu. The Quick Appointment sheet opens with the same Send message on WhatsApp box.

Tick it before you choose the time. In this sheet a tap on a free time books it straight away (there's no Save button), and WhatsApp opens right after with the patient's name and number already filled in from their file.

Every booking also sends the patient an SMS confirmation from FindClinica by itself, with the same doctor, date and time. It's marked [No Reply], so nobody can answer it.

That's why the WhatsApp message is worth the extra tap. Patients without WhatsApp still get the SMS, and everyone else gets a message they can answer, so "can I come at 7 instead?" reaches you.

Nothing. Booking appointments, the WhatsApp message and the SMS confirmation all work on the free plan, and the free plan has no limit on patients. The WhatsApp message goes out through your own WhatsApp, so there's no charge per message. Compare the plans if you want what Pro adds.

WhatsApp only opens for new bookings. If you move or cancel an appointment, send the patient a note yourself; the appointment reminder message templates have wording for a changed time and a missed visit.

The text the app types is the same every time, and it's in English. You can change it in WhatsApp before pressing Send, but not in the app.

WhatsApp has to be installed on the phone, and the patient needs a number on file. If either is missing, nothing opens. The appointment is still saved.

There's no iPhone app yet. Join the early access list and we'll let you know.