How much do AI appointment reminder calls cost for a clinic?
Appointment reminder calls for a clinic usually cost a few rupees each with AI. On Outpero a 1-minute reminder costs ₹5 on Standard or ₹6.8 on Premium, so a clinic confirming 40 appointments a day for 26 days, 1,040 calls, spends ₹5,200 to ₹7,072 a month in talk time if every call connects, plus ₹649 for a dedicated number. Prices exclude 18% GST.
What the reminder call does
The agent calls the patient a day before or on the morning of the appointment, confirms the time, and asks whether they will attend. If not, it offers another slot and books it in the clinic's calendar during the call. A WhatsApp message with the address and time can follow right after.
Monthly cost by clinic size
| Clinic | Appointments a month | Standard ₹5 | Premium ₹6.8 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single dentist, Koramangala | 400 | ₹2,000 | ₹2,720 |
| Physiotherapy centre, Banjara Hills | 1,040 | ₹5,200 | ₹7,072 |
| Multi-doctor clinic, Andheri | 2,500 | ₹12,500 | ₹17,000 |
These assume every call connects and lasts 1 minute. Unanswered calls cost nothing, so actual bills are usually lower; rescheduling calls run longer and cost a little more.
Weighing it against no-shows
Every empty slot is lost consultation revenue and wasted doctor time. Suppose a consultation is ₹600 and reminders recover two slots a day across 26 days: that is ₹31,200 a month against about ₹5,849 in calling cost on Standard, including the number. Replace both numbers with your own fee and recovery rate before deciding.
Choosing the right call type
- —Voice broadcast is cheapest for a fixed message such as a holiday closure notice; it is billed at a lower rate than AI conversation minutes but cannot reschedule anyone.
- —Standard voice suits simple confirm-or-reschedule reminders.
- —Standard suits procedures with preparation instructions, such as fasting before a test, where patients ask questions.
Inbound calls to the clinic's number are picked up 24/7 as well, so patients who call back to change a booking are handled outside reception hours, and billed on connected talk time.
Timing the calls
Most clinics call the evening before for morning appointments and the same morning for afternoon slots. Calling windows keep calls within polite hours, and retries catch patients who missed the first call. Because unanswered attempts cost nothing, a second attempt is cheap insurance against an empty chair.
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Follow-up questions
Can reminders run in the patient's language?
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Yes. Reminders can run in Hindi, Telugu, Tamil, Marathi, Kannada, Malayalam or Indian English, and the agent switches to English if the patient does. The rate is the same in every language: ₹5 or ₹6.8 per connected minute depending on the voice tier.