Why it’s worth going paperless

Even if you swear by a paperback book over a Kindle, there’s no reason to cling to paper processes when it comes to your practice! A fully digital clinic makes life a whole lot easier for both you and your patients. Here are some of the main benefits you can expect when you make the switch to paperless, plus some ways that Cliniko can help you make the transition.

The benefits of going digital

More secure

Quite simply, cloud-based digital records are a more secure option than the paper ones—your office filing cabinet is easier to breach and more easily susceptible to physical damage (fires, floods etc.). Storing your records digitally in Cliniko protects them from unauthorised access and ensures that they’re automatically backed up without you having to do a thing.

For this reason, secure practice management software like Cliniko is also a better option than relying on a word processor for things like notetaking. Yes, it’s paperless, but it’s less secure, and be honest: how regular and effective are your backups? A 2024 study conducted by the Harris Poll and Backblaze suggested that only 42% of businesses that experienced data loss were able to restore all their data—don’t give yourself cause to learn the hard way whether your backups have been effective. In this sense, not all paperless options are created equal!

Smoother for your patients

Having digital processes in place can also make your patients’ experience of coming to see you a whole lot smoother. Paperless procedures allow your patients to complete tasks in their own time, which is always going to be more convenient for them. This also makes allowances for different neurotypes and personalities—not everyone is well-suited to being put on the spot to fill out a form, book an appointment, or make a payment. And even your least tech savvy patients can still benefit from digital processes when you've taken care to make them simple and accessible. 

More efficient for your practice

Making the switch to paperless can also help your business grow and increase your efficiency by streamlining your admin. If you or your reception team doesn’t have to be on call to take bookings or process payments, it frees up time to focus your attention elsewhere. Moving away from paper also creates greater flexibility for your team to perform aspects of their role remotely, helping your practice stay adaptable as times change.

How Cliniko can help you ditch the paper

The more of your admin that you integrate into Cliniko, the easier it will get for you to manage because you’ll be able to see everything associated with a patient in their health record (notes, letters, payments etc.). Here are five suggestions of how Cliniko can help you bid farewell to the office filing cabinet and the manila folders.

1Upload files, photos, and videos

If you’re currently using paper, the idea of digitising all your records might feel completely overwhelming. It doesn’t need to be! One way to begin the transition is to upload your paper-based files to Cliniko.

Going forwards, you’ll then be able to attach images or files from your device (whether that’s a phone, tablet, or laptop), as well as take pictures directly from Cliniko. This means that all the additional information you need to know about a patient—such as referrals, x-rays, and letters—can be found in one place.

2Patient forms

It’s not the best use of time when the first five minutes of an appointment get eaten up doing admin. Letting your patients fill out forms online in advance—whether this is at their leisure at home or in your waiting room—smooths out your intake process considerably. It means that your treatments can be focused on, well, treatment. For any of your patients who like a little more time to think about things, it can also be a big relief not to feel put on the spot answering a bunch of questions!

The method you use to send a form is up to you—it could be via SMS, email, or even QR code. Completed forms are automatically stored with each patient record, so anyone on your team with permission can see them from any device. You can also customise your forms to make sure you have the information you need, as well as personalise them with your logo or even collect signatures from your patients.

3Treatment notes and body charts

Rather than hurriedly scribbling your session notes by hand (and then being faced with the potentially head-scratching task of decoding your own handwriting), electronic treatment notes offer a simpler option. You can set up custom note templates that suit you, easily double check any alerts you’ve flagged for a patient, and glance over what you’ve written in their records previously. You can also use body charts as part of your notetaking to document a patient’s recovery.

As always, all this information is stored securely in Cliniko.

4Online bookings

An online booking system is more convenient for everyone. Patients can make their own appointments, without you needing to hover at the phone, peering at your calendar. While it’s likely not possible to keep your reception open for 24 hours a day, an online booking system is always up and running. You can choose which appointments and practitioners you allow online booking for, so even if you’re not directly managing the whole process, you still have full control.

Online bookings are also more convenient for your patients, as they can jump onto your website at any time and snag a slot to see you—It’s great for folks who are busy (which is everyone!), anyone who keeps unconventional hours, or those who dislike phone calls.

Finally, a booking system can help grow your business by making your clinic more accessible to new patients. If you advertise your practice online, a new person can make an appointment for themselves with the click of a mouse—which is a crucial stepping stone to get patients through your door for the first time. The more straightforward you can make the booking process for them, the better.

5Online payments

With an online payment system in place, you can let patients pre-pay for treatments before they ever set foot in your clinic. This could be when they book their appointment online or at any other point in time, by sending them a link via email, SMS, or QR code.

Payments are securely processed by our partner, Stripe, and patients have options to pay via a variety of payment methods—such as credit card and Apple Pay. Once the payment has been made, the (paperless!) receipt can then be automatically emailed.

All in all, there’s a lot to gain by becoming paperless. If you have any questions about how Cliniko can help you make the switch, please reach out to our customer support.