Online Appointment Scheduling Tools for Mental Health Professionals (2024)
Many of our clients at Brighter Vision come to us seeking more than just a beautiful therapist website; they’re looking for a solution that addresses the real pain points of managing a mental health practice’s schedule. Specializing in websites for mental health professionals, we understand the importance of not only providing information but also reducing administrative burnout.
User the_friar on /r/therapists had this to say:
“My policy, for myself and all of my staff, is that clients accommodate our schedule, not the other way around. When offering spots, it’s first come, first serve. So I’ll send my availability to clients, the first to get back to me, gets the spot. Only in very rare circumstances will I hold a spot open. Definitely would never hold multiple. If I am holding a spot, it’s time sensitive. ‘If I don’t hear from you by end of day Friday, I’ll need to offer this time to another client.’ It’s important that we respect and value our own time, otherwise why would our clients respect it?”
We’ve decided to create a roundup of our favorite therapy scheduling software so that you can choose which solution is best for your practice and start getting your time back. While we have our favorites and personal preferences, it’s important for us to share with you a variety of tools so you can research and figure out the best time management solution for your team.
From user-friendly interfaces to advanced customization capabilities, these software solutions are designed to cater to the complexities of therapy practices, whether you work in massage therapy, physical therapy, occupational therapy, group therapy, or any other allied health services. By presenting you with this curated list, we aim to support you in choosing a tool that aligns seamlessly with your practice’s unique requirements and existing practice management and billing software, ensuring smooth and efficient appointment scheduling processes for both your team and your clients.
SimplePractice
Cost: $29 – $99/mo (solo) or $158+/mo (group)
SimplePractice stands out as an all-in-one, HIPAA-compliant Electronic Health Record (EHR) software tailored for health and wellness professionals. Unlike platforms with a narrow focus, SimplePractice offers a broad suite of features beyond appointment scheduling, catering to various needs of private practices.
SimplePractice is designed for those seeking a versatile platform that not only manages appointments but also provides a comprehensive suite of tools to support the operational and clinical aspects of running a practice. Its focus on security, client engagement, and efficiency makes it a preferred choice for health and wellness professionals looking to streamline their practice management.
Features:
- Comprehensive Appointment Management: Offers extensive control over appointment scheduling, including customizable availability, seamless calendar integration for personal and business schedules, and a sophisticated client waitlist system. Features automated, free reminders via text, email, and voice, enhancing client communication and reducing no-shows.
- Enhanced Client Engagement and Organization: Simplifies management of couples therapy with joint profiles and provides a HIPAA-compliant client portal for secure scheduling, document submission, billing, and messaging, ensuring a streamlined experience for both clients and practitioners.
- Customizable Paperwork: Enables practitioners to tailor treatment plans, intake forms, and other documentation to meet specific practice requirements and client needs.
- Client Portal: A user-friendly portal where clients can schedule in-person and telehealth appointments, complete paperwork, and make payments, enhancing the accessibility and efficiency of practice management.
- Billing and Insurance Processing: Simplifies the billing process with features like auto-generated billing statements and direct insurance claim filing, reducing administrative burdens and improving cash flow.
- Secure Messaging: Provides a secure platform for client-practitioner communication, ensuring confidentiality and compliance with HIPAA guidelines.
- Unlimited Clients and Document Storage: Allows practices to grow without worrying about additional charges for adding more clients or storing more documents.
TherapyNotes
Cost: $49/mo+ (depending on number of users)
TherapyNotes, like SimplePractice, is an ‘all-in-one’ EHR solution for mental health practice management. It streamlines the complexities of managing a thriving practice, from scheduling appointments, whether in-person or through a secure client portal, to conducting engaging telehealth sessions. The platform supports practitioners with intuitive documentation templates, simplifying the process of creating session notes directly from a to-do list. Additionally, TherapyNotes simplifies billing and insurance claims, allowing therapists to focus on what truly matters—providing excellent care to their clients.
Features:
- Scheduling: Integrated therapy scheduling software that allows scheduling appointments with control over times, services, and locations. It includes features to manage appointments, reduce no-shows through automated reminders, and synchronize with personal calendars like iCal, Google, or Outlook.
- Telehealth: Conduct virtual sessions using HIPAA-compliant video software, designed to be the most secure for client sessions.
- Client Portal: A secure, online portal that streamlines client care and communication. Clients can view upcoming appointments, request new appointments, complete paperwork, pay bills, and message securely.
- Documentation: Simplify workflow with a robust library of customizable templates for clinical documentation, making it easier to maintain accurate and comprehensive client records.
- Billing: Streamlined billing software for therapists that simplifies client payments, including features to manage waitlists, track appointment details, and quickly filter appointments based on various criteria like new client status, incomplete documents, and unpaid balances.
- Insurance: Capability to file claims electronically in seconds and receive digital payment reports, simplifying the insurance billing process.
- Mobile: A top-rated mobile app that allows practitioners to take their practice on the go, ensuring they can manage their practice from anywhere
SimplePractice vs TherapyNotes: Scheduling Features Compared
At a glance, TherapyNotes and SimplePractice both offer comprehensive patient scheduling, but there are a few important differences between the two suites. Notably, SimplePractice offers specialized appointment filtering based on new client status, incomplete documents, unpaid balances, and insurance type. TherapyNotes offers more standardized filtering instead, such as by client name and practice location.
If you struggle with managing a mix of insurance-based and private pay clients, or if you have difficulty keeping track of forms and balances, Simple Practice might appeal more to you. However, if you are running a larger practice with multiple clinicians or would rather streamline an already well-organized practice, TherapyNotes might be a better option.
Affordable Alternative: Contact Forms via Brighter Vision
Cost: Free to $20/month
If you’re looking for a simple, affordable solution to patient scheduling, you can’t go wrong with a good ol’ contact form. Give your clients the opportunity to send you their contact information and a general date/time that works best for them and then from there you can contact them over the phone to make sure you’re both on the same page about what they need and when you can meet.
While Brighter Vision’s solution doesn’t allow a client to book an appointment, you can have a client request an appointment time and date directly through your website without ever leaving it. And all that communication is completely HIPAA compliant.
We understand the importance of maintaining client confidentiality and security in therapy practices. In line with this commitment, we are pleased to introduce our HIPAA compliant features, including secure contact forms and email addresses, available for just an additional $20 per month; a far cry from what you’d be paying for that amount of security on other platforms.
Are you ready to make your website more functional for booking appointments for your current and potential clients? Brighter Vision includes appointment scheduling integration in our services as part of our lifetime support, so let us know which client scheduling tool you would like to use, and we’ll make sure it’s seamlessly integrated into your website.
Key Takeaways
- Use online appointment scheduling tools to reduce administrative tasks and focus more on patient care.
- Choose software that integrates seamlessly with your website and existing practice management tools.
- Consider HIPAA compliance when selecting scheduling software for mental health practices.
- Evaluate features like multi-practitioner support, recurring appointments, and customizable scheduling for efficiency.
- Implement contact forms for a personalized scheduling approach and ensure HIPAA compliance for secure client communication.
Wait! You Don’t Have A Therapist Website Yet?
Brighter Vision is the ultimate marketing package for therapists, centered around the best therapist website you’ve ever had. Contact us today to get started.
Hi Perry. What other options are available? Yellow Schedule hasn’t been updated in 2 years (according to WordPress). Simple Practice is more than I need. vCita is another popular option. They claim to be HIPAA compliant, but don’t offer a BAA.
What else is out there for HIPAA compliant online scheduling?
Hi Bailey,
YellowSchedule’s WordPress plugin might not have been updated, but that doesn’t mean their technology hasn’t. All the plugin is for is authentication, so it doesn’t need to be updated regularly. I’d give them a shot!
I agree re: vCita and no BAA.
I know there’s another option coming out soon that will 100% meet your needs. But I’m not at liberty to discuss it further right now 🙂
What is the new option? Are you at liberty to say yet?
Not yet. Sorry, Jessica! Hopefully soon!
I’d be interested in hearing about this new option. What are your thoughts on GSuite, the paid version of google calendar that claims to be HIPAA compliant?
Hi Jena,
GSuite’s paid version with a signed BAA is great! We hosted a webinar with Roy Huggins where we dive into that a little more: Awesome HIPAA Webinar
~ Perry
I noticed no one has asked in a coupe months, but are you able to discuss the new option yet? Thanks!
Hi Meredith,
Our plans for the new option never came to fruition on the timeline we had hoped :(. But we are still working on it and hope to have something amazing to show for it in the next few months.
Best,
Perry
It’s been awhile, and I just came back to the post and read some of the comments. I had used SimplyBook.me for a bit, and liked a lot of what they had to offer, but I wasn’t getting enough use out of it to justify the ~$30/month. They’ve got a really great modular system that allows you to choose only the options you need/want. I’m considering them again, but now I’m curious about the possibility of using G-Suite’s calendar. Can I use that for online booking? I’m going to see what I find…
Thanks for the follow-up, Bailey, and for your insights on SimplyBook.me.
You can certainly use G-Suite, just make sure you pay extra for the signed BAA 🙂
You can’t really allow clients to schedule at their convenience that way though in any HIPAA-secure environment.
Thanks For Share Informative knowledge A winning mobile app contributes to user’s success. DeskFlex flexible scheduling software mobile apps help companies reach their goals to succeed.
Hi Perry,
Click4Time.com is also a great solution for appointment booking and scheduling that includes SOAP and Clients notes and allows the practitioner to maintain their HIPAA compliance. There is a 30 day free trial and a free account that allows a single practitioner to book up to 10 appointments per month. Click4Time has been in business for over 6 years and is used in over 68 countries, the system is available in English, Spanish, Chinese Traditional and Simplified languages. We also have a team of specialists ready to help you get started if you need some assistance call toll free in North America 1-877-425-4254
We have mobile apps so the practitioners can manage their bookings on the go, of course sms, email and push notifications for reminders, the system is well suited for multiple practitioners and there is a very strong reporting system built in. … plus we love what we do and love to help others automate their business to be more profitable and efficient.
Hi Jay,
Hadn’t heard of Click4Time. Thanks for sharing!
Hi Perry. Thanks for posting this. I am struggling to find software that fits my practice’s needs. We currently use MCP + Jituzu and the UI’s are just awful. Plus, the integration is poor on these systems. So while we appreciate the CC processing + EOB service for insurance, the note taking options are bad, we end up using Google Cal for scheduling and I feel like MCP is antique. We are seven therapists (and growing) and this is what we’re looking for:
* CC billing
* Note-taking
* Customized intakes
* Online paperwork (save the earth!)
* Insurance EOB (MCP does a good job in terms of insurance)
Any suggestions? I’ve literally signed up for 25 free-trials and have come up with nothing other than super high priced options.
Hi Olivia,
I’d recommend SimplePractice or TheraNest. Have you tried either of those two options?
We had a great conversation recently on a webinar with Maelissa Hall about what to consider when choosing an EHR. You can listen to it here: https://www.brightervision.com/webinars/
I have tried both Simple Practice and Theranest and the systems promise a lot, but the execution is poor. I have had multiple occasions in which both do not update appropriately, so that I have missed clients. I have had clients sitting in my waiting room and could not find them on my calendar in either the mobile or the desktop versions of the programs (which often reflect different information!). The clients in each case showed me the reminders that were sent to them from the products, so clearly the program knew the client was scheduled, it was just failing to actually show me that information. I have a virtual assistant and she has had the same thing happen, so it seems to not be just “user error”. The fix eventually became linking the product to Google so that my Google calendar updates with the client’s initials and for whatever reason, the program (Theranest in this case) seems to update Google more frequently than it updates itself. It’s frustrating because I feel like I am paying too much to have to create workarounds.
Oh no, Amy! That isn’t good 🙁
I’ve heard about some complications with Google Calendar integrations with some of the scheduling software. Unfortunately, sometimes in software it is necessary to have workarounds, especially when talking about software that is subject to HIPAA compliance.
I hope TheraNest is meeting your needs in other ways though!
Have you reached out to their support team to get things working well? I know they are very responsive over there.
Curious about squareup for online scheduling through my website. They appear to be HIPPA BAA compliant but interested if you have any insights on functionality and quality of service? Thank you!
Hi Terry,
I don’t believe SquareUp signs a BAA. I could be mistaken though.
Thanks Perry,
You can try Cleanto – PHP Booking Script , it works for us, we modified it according to our requirements.
Thanks, Jessica! It looks great. The only issue is encryption, security and HIPAA, where it doesn’t seem like it would effectively meet the needs of mental health professionals.
Hi Perry,
I know this is any old post, but do you know if TimeCenter (www.timecenter.com) is HIPAA compliant for scheduling?
Thanks!
Hi Jessica,
I don’t see anything about a Business Associates Agreement (BAA) on their website, so I would assume they are not HIPAA compliant or HIPAA secure. That’s always a good barometer to go by if you’re uncertain.
Hi Perry,
I work for a non-profit and we are looking for JUST an appointment book that is HIPAA compliant. We have multiple facilities. We need a program that would allow Admin/ certain personal access to all calender’s and we need a software that can combine all calender’s for each facility into one. H E L P
Hi Donna,
I think your best option would be Acuity. Their $34/month plan signs a BAA.
Let me know how it works!
Hi Perry, thank you so much for doing this.
I’m writing from Patagonia, and I feel lost with so many options available in the market.
We are a group of OTs (occupational therapists and we like to implement a software that helps our assistant to book clients (that’s it!). Clients not allowed to book themselves. It would be really nice that the software allows the assistant o mark down whether a client showed up or it was a no show. With that, we would be able to organize staff payments at the end of the month.
What would be your choice?
Please visit Patagonia. You have a friend here!
Hi Ricardo,
Boy, I’d LOVE to visit Patagonia 🙂 But I don’t think that’s in the cards too soon with 2 young kids and all 🙂
Hmm… I’m not quite sure what would be best for that. It sure would be great if there was software for that, but I don’t know what does and does not run that way.
TherapyNotes.com might work well for that. Definitely give them a look 🙂
Hello Perry,
Just read through your list of responses and appreciate your sincerity. I am a solo practitioner in private practice and am looking for an appointment reminder system only. Suggestions?
Hi Mary Beth,
Hmm… An appointment reminder system only? I don’t think that exists right now 🙁
A lot of practice management solutions utilize Appointment Reminders, but you can’t just get that. You have to get their whole suite of tools. I personally feel it’s well worth the investment to use a practice management tool, as it basically allows you to run your business and reduce the time invested in operating it.
I’d recommend checking out TherapyNotes or TheraNest for that.
do you pay for text message reminders sent to clients when using simple practice or is it included in the monthly fee? are there any other additional payments when using simple practice? thanks
It is all included, Ruth 🙂 http://www.simplepractice.com/pricing/
Simple Practice has some of the clearest, most transparent pricing in the EHR space.
I am a psychiatrist with a busy solo private practice. It is a cash practice and I therefore do not need any insurance functions, or any of the bells and whistles of most of the EHR/ EMRs that I have looked at or have used. A simple program like SimplePractice would seemingly be perfect, IF they had an integrated e-prescribing fxn. Is there an PMP that is very simple and includes this easily integratable but necessary feature? There are so many mental health practitioners, like myself, who would be open to suggestions, thanks!
Hmm… I don’t know of any that do. That’s a really great feature for one to implement though!
Thank you so much for this! I exclusively do online therapy and am looking for a HIPAA compliant way to have my clients sign the informed consent form electronically. Any suggested tools?
Hi Lauren,
We suggest simplepractice.com.
All the best,
Sam
hi thanks for the information and advice