Physiotherapists spend the day with a patient on the table and a phone ringing in another room. This page gives a clinic owner the assessment call script, ten safe FAQ answers, the calls that must reach a human, and a calculator with editable assumptions so you can see what unanswered calls might cost.
By Aniket Gandhi, founder, AGNT/01, Ottawa · Last verified October 2026
An AI receptionist for a physiotherapy clinic answers calls while therapists are with patients, books assessments into the schedule, answers hours, fees and parking questions, and hands anything clinical to staff. In Ontario the clinic stays accountable as the PHIPA custodian, so the assistant never gives clinical advice and collects only what booking needs.
Nine steps, in order. Square brackets are filled from your own settings. The script collects what booking needs and nothing more, which is also how the College of Physiotherapists of Ontario frames privacy duties: limit access by role, with receptionists seeing appointment details but not clinical notes [1].
| Step | The AI says | Captures | Rule or note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Open | Thank you for calling [Clinic]. I'm the clinic's virtual assistant, and this call may be recorded. Are you calling to book, change or cancel a visit? | Intent | Recording notice first [4] |
| 2 New or returning | Have you been to [Clinic] before? | New or returning | Returning patients to the follow-up slots |
| 3 Reason, in their words | What would you like to be seen for? A short description is fine. | One line, stored as typed | Any emergency wording goes to step 9 |
| 4 Funding | Will this be a self-pay visit, an insurance claim, a WSIB claim or a car-accident claim? | Funding type only | Claim numbers are taken by staff, not the AI |
| 5 Slots | I have [slot A] or [slot B] for a first assessment. Which suits you? | Chosen slot | Slots come from the clinic schedule |
| 6 Contact | What name should I book under, and what is the best mobile number? | Name, mobile | Used for the reminder only |
| 7 Confirm | You're booked for [slot]. I'll text a confirmation and a link to change it. Reply STOP to opt out of texts. | Consent to text | Named sender, STOP that works [5] |
| 8 Close | Is there anything else about hours, fees or parking? | Logistics only | Answers from the table below |
| 9 Hand-off | I can't assess symptoms. If this is an emergency, please hang up and call 911. Otherwise I'll pass your message to the team. | Message and number | Staff alert, no clinical advice |
| Caller asks | Template answer | Hand to a person when |
|---|---|---|
| What are your hours? | Our hours are [hours]. We are closed on [holidays]. | Caller asks for after-hours care |
| Where do I park, and is the clinic accessible? | [Parking description]. The entrance is [accessibility description]. | Caller has a specific mobility need |
| How long is a first visit? | A first assessment is [minutes] minutes. | Caller wants a different length |
| What does a visit cost? | Our published fee for a first assessment is [fee]. Your insurer sets what it reimburses. | Caller disputes a bill |
| Do you direct bill? | We direct bill [insurers]. For others we give you a receipt to submit. | Caller names an insurer not on the list |
| Do I need a referral? | [Clinic policy on referrals]. The front desk can confirm for your plan. | Funding rules are unclear |
| What is your cancellation policy? | We ask for [hours] notice. Late cancellations may be charged [policy]. | Caller asks for an exception |
| Can I see a particular therapist? | I can look at [therapist]'s availability. They may not be open for new patients. | Caller wants a specific clinical approach |
| I was in a car accident. Can you help? | We can book you in and the front desk will take the claim details. I can't advise on the claim. | Always |
| What should I wear or bring? | Please bring [documents] and wear comfortable clothing you can move in. | Caller asks what a treatment involves |
Every row is logistics. None gives clinical, funding or legal advice.
$0 per month, $0 per year
The numbers above are placeholders you should replace with your own. Method: missed calls per week x share that would have booked x 52 weeks / 12 months = new patients per month; multiplied by visits per patient and fee per visit. It ignores patients who would have called back, so treat it as a ceiling. For other trades see the general missed call calculator.
| Call type | What the AI does | Human takes over |
|---|---|---|
| Booking, change or cancel | Handles end to end within the schedule rules | Anything that needs a clinical judgement on timing |
| Emergency wording (chest pain, loss of control, sudden severe symptoms) | Reads the 911 line, alerts staff | Always |
| Caller describing symptoms or asking if they should be seen | Says it cannot assess, offers a booking or a callback | Always |
| Insurance, WSIB or motor-vehicle claim details | Records funding type and a callback | Always for claim numbers and adjuster contact |
| Another provider or a doctor's office | Takes name, number and message | Always |
| Family member asking about a patient | Does not confirm the person is a patient | Always |
| Distress or anger on the line | Offers to transfer | Always |
It does not have to live inside the booking software. Jane's pricing page lists online booking for clients through a custom-branded site on every plan, at US$59, US$79 and US$99 a month for Balance, Practice and Thrive, with SMS reminders on Practice that vary by region [2]. That means the simplest first route is a call that ends in a text with your booking link; deeper write-back into a calendar depends on your system and is scoped in the audit. Compare the cost of the human alternative on the hire vs AI calculator.
| Question | Answer | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Who is accountable for the information collected on calls? | The clinic. The College says a custodian is responsible for personal health information in its control and for its agents' actions | [1] |
| How should access be limited? | By role: the college page gives the example of receptionists seeing appointment details but not clinical notes | [1] |
| What about a breach? | Plan for it. Custodians must report certain breaches to the Information and Privacy Commissioner at the earliest reasonable opportunity, and certain events to the College within 30 days | [1] |
| Does outside Ontario differ? | Yes. Health privacy law differs by province. Confirm with your provincial college or regulator; PIPEDA still frames commercial customer data where no provincial law is deemed similar | [6] |
| Texts to patients | CASL applies: named sender, consent, working unsubscribe | [5] |
The full vendor checklist for Ontario clinics is in the AI medical receptionist and PHIPA guide. General information, not legal advice.