7 Workflow Automation Strategies To Save 1,700+ Staff Hours Annually

Tired of endless phone calls, paperwork, and disconnected systems? You’re not alone.

From scheduling appointments and scanning forms to mailing bills and manually transferring data, front desk and back office teams in specialty practices are often mired in inefficient workflows. These disconnected systems drain staff productivity, slow down medical operations, and chip away at your bottom line.

Promptly is here to change that.

Our unified platform layers seamlessly onto your existing practice management and electronic health record systems, automating repetitive tasks and consolidating fragmented systems. The result? Smarter workflow automation, smoother operations, and better healthcare efficiency across the board.

On average, our clients save over 1,700 hours a year in staff time. (They also save a lot of money.) Below, we’re sharing seven automation strategies to help you do the same.

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#1: Let patients schedule their own appointments

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Not every appointment should be self-scheduled, but many can be. With Promptly, you can send patients automated messages that invite them to view available time slots and book their own appointments faster than they can order a pizza. When you cut down on the hours your staff spend on over-the-phone scheduling every month, you free up the phone lines for patients who do need to speak to someone. It’s a win-win.

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#2: Cut no-shows with automated appointment reminders

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Is your staff calling every patient to confirm their appointment—and calling them to reschedule when they forget to show up? That can be a full-time job in itself. Promptly can automate reminder messages and make it easy for patients to confirm or reschedule. And guess what? It works. Our clients have reported seeing no-show rates drop from 15–20% a month down to under 5%.

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#3: Automate your waitlist and fill more last-minute cancellations

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Picture this: A patient cancels their 9 a.m. appointment at 3:30 p.m. the day before. Instead of your staff having to add phone calls and calendar coordination to their end-of-day task list, Promptly automatically sends that patient a message with a link to get them back on the schedule, then notifies patients on your waitlist and offers them the opening. Before your clinic closes, the appointment is filled. 

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#4: Invite patients to fill forms out before their visit

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Promptly can send patients an automated pre-visit message inviting them to check in and complete any pending forms. That means your staff spends less time scanning and uploading—and more time focusing on what matters. Bonus: You’ll save on paper and ink, too.

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#5: Make it easy for patients to pay—no stamps necessary

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After a visit, Promptly can automatically pull the patient’s balance from your practice management system and send a link to pay online or over their device. That means less printing, stuffing, and mailing, and fewer phone calls about overdue statements. And once the payment is made, it’s automatically posted back into your system. Easy for patients, easier for your team.

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#6: Bring back patients you’ve seen before

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You probably have hundreds (or thousands) of patients who need follow-ups but have forgotten to book them. Instead of your staff having to dig through records and make calls, Promptly can automatically reach out and invite patients to schedule their next appointment.

It’s a smart way to stay compliant, boost revenue, help keep a full schedule by re-engaging with existing patients, and support marketing efforts to acquire new patients—without the manual work.

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#7: Turn happy patients into great reviews—and save on marketing spend

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Promptly can send follow-up messages asking patients to rate their experience. If they had a good experience, we can prompt them to leave a Google review. In competitive markets, a strong online reputation can carry more weight than an expensive, time-consuming ad campaign.

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Every minute saved adds up

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Whether it’s a few minutes here or a few hours there, automating your workflows makes a real difference over time. With Promptly, your team can spend less time on busywork and more time delivering great care.