AI appointment booking for a high-volume chiropractic practice

The challenge

A busy chiropractic practice with four practitioners was losing bookings because the phone went unanswered during peak periods. The single receptionist was handling check-ins, payments, and phone calls simultaneously, and after-hours booking requests (via voicemail and website forms) were only processed the next morning — by which time many patients had booked elsewhere.

They needed a way to handle routine booking requests around the clock without adding headcount.

The solution

Calico built a conversational AI booking assistant available via the practice website and SMS. The system understands appointment types (initial consultation vs. follow-up vs. specific treatment), practitioner preferences, availability rules (including practitioner-specific schedules and room constraints), and rebate eligibility. It connects directly to Cliniko for real-time availability and creates confirmed bookings.

For complex requests (injury assessments, WorkCover cases, multi-appointment treatment plans), it collects relevant information and hands off to the receptionist with full context rather than attempting to book autonomously.

The handoff is the magic. The AI knows when it’s out of its depth and gives our team a complete brief instead of leaving them to start from scratch.

The outcome

The AI assistant now handles 60% of all booking requests without human involvement. After-hours bookings increased by 35% — patients who previously would have called the next day (or not at all) now book at 10pm when it’s convenient for them.

Front desk phone volume dropped 40%, giving the receptionist time for higher-value patient interactions. Patient feedback has been overwhelmingly positive (4.8/5 satisfaction), with most commenting that the booking experience feels natural and fast.