Online booking with prepayment in physiotherapy: Fewer outstanding items, fewer no-shows in Switzerland

Physiotherapy practices that link appointment booking and payment solve two structural problems at once: outstanding receivables disappear and no-shows are secured by credit card guarantee. The easiest way without a booking tool plugin: send a Payrexx Payment Link directly after appointment confirmation via email or WhatsApp – TWINT, card, and mobile wallets are available immediately.

This guide shows you the three advance payment models for physiotherapy practices, how to implement advance payments for series, and what pre-authorisation technically means.

1. Why paper invoices after the session are a structural problem

The classic model in many Swiss physiotherapy practices: conduct the session, then send an invoice by post or email, payment terms 30 days. In practice, this leads to payment reminder cycles, forgotten invoices, and written-off small claims. Particularly problematic with deductibles of EUR 10 to EUR 30 per session: for these amounts, a formal debt collection process is hardly worthwhile.

Immediate payment after the session or advance payment upon booking solves this structurally: there are no longer any outstanding items, because payment takes place before or directly after the service. Payrexx Payment Links can be created directly in the Dashboard and added to any booking confirmation without technical integration.

2. Three advance payment models for physiotherapy practices

Model A: Advance payment upon booking

Patient books online or by phone and pays the agreed amount immediately via Payment Link. Suitable for private patients with a fixed session rate (e.g. EUR 120 per session). Advantage: maximum liquidity, no risk of reminders. Disadvantage: for KVG/basic health insurance patients, the exact deductible is often only determined after the session.

Model B: Credit card guarantee (pre-authorisation)

Patient provides credit card details upon booking – no amount is charged immediately. Payrexx supports pre-authorisation for Visa, Mastercard, Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Samsung Pay. After the session, the actual amount is debited, or the agreed fee in the event of a no-show. TWINT does not support pre-authorisation. This is the most flexible option for all situations.

Model C: Deposit for treatment series

When booking a series of 5 or 10 sessions, the patient pays 30 to 50% of the total amount in advance. Example: 10 sessions at EUR 100 KVG tariff, 10% deductible = EUR 100 in total. Collected via Payment Link at the start of the series, any further payment step is eliminated. For private patients with flat rates (e.g. 5 × EUR 120 = EUR 600), the series deposit significantly improves liquidity.

3. Payment Link: The simplest setup without a booking tool

Payrexx Payment Links are created directly in the Dashboard: enter the amount, add optional booking text, generate the link. The link is sent to the patient via email, SMS, or WhatsApp. The patient clicks, selects TWINT, card, or mobile wallet, and pays in under a minute. You see the payment immediately in the Dashboard.

For series: Create a payment page (Payrexx Pages) in the Payrexx Dashboard with the series amount – patients book and pay in a single step without any manual link generation. This works across all plans including Free.

For booking tools: If you use Calendly or another booking system, insert the Payrexx Payment Link into the automated booking confirmation. No plugin, no API integration needed.

4. Pre-authorisation: Correct technical implementation

Pre-authorisation means: the credit card is verified at the time of booking and an amount is reserved, but not charged immediately. The actual amount is only debited after the session – or the reservation is released without a charge. This is standard for hotels and car rentals and works identically in therapy practices.

Payrexx supports pre-authorisation for all standard credit cards as well as Visa Debit, Mastercard Debit, Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Samsung Pay. Technical implementation runs via the Payrexx Dashboard without additional integration. TWINT technically does not support pre-authorisation – for no-show protection via TWINT, advance payment with a refund upon timely cancellation is required.

5. Data protection (FADP): What practices must consider with online payments

The revised Swiss Federal Act on Data Protection (FADP) has been in effect since 1 September 2023. For online booking with payment, this means: credit card details are not stored by the practice itself – this is handled by the PCI-DSS-certified PSP. Payrexx is PCI DSS certified. A privacy policy on the booking page is mandatory. If you use an external booking tool that processes patient data, a data processing agreement (DPA) under Art. 9 FADP with the provider is required.

6. Checklist: Setting up online booking with advance payment in a physiotherapy practice

• Decide on an advance payment model: full payment, pre-authorisation, or series deposit

• Create a Payment Link with the appropriate amount in the Payrexx Dashboard

• Insert the link into your booking confirmation (email template or WhatsApp message)

• Activate TWINT as a payment method – indispensable for Swiss patients

• Draft a no-show policy and integrate it into terms and conditions and booking confirmations

• Create a privacy policy for the booking page according to the FADP

• Test the entire flow from the patient's perspective before going live

• Inform existing patients about the new booking option

Payrexx Payment Links and pre-authorisation work without a plugin or API integration. You create the link in the Dashboard, send it via SMS or email, and see the payment immediately. TWINT, Visa, Mastercard, and mobile wallets are available without separate contracts. For advance payments on series, you can create a Payrexx Page with the package price – patients book and pay in one step.