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

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

This guide shows you the three prepayment models for physiotherapy clinics, how to implement series prepayments, and what pre-authorization means technically.

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

The classic model in many Swiss physiotherapy clinics: hold the session, then send an invoice by post or email with a 30-day payment term. In practice, this leads to payment reminders, forgotten invoices, and written-off minor receivables. Especially problematic with deductibles of EUR 10 to EUR 30 per session: for these amounts, the formal dunning process is hardly worth it.

Immediate payment after the session or prepayment upon booking solves this structurally: there are no more outstanding balances, because payment takes place before or directly after the service. Payrexx Payment Links can be created directly in the Dashboard and inserted into any booking confirmation without technical integration.

2. Three prepayment models for physiotherapy clinics

Model A: Prepayment upon booking

The patient books online or by telephone and pays the agreed amount immediately via Payment Link. Suitable for private patients with a fixed session price (e.g. EUR 120 per session). Advantage: maximum liquidity, no dunning risk. Disadvantage: For compulsory health insurance (KVG) patients, the exact deductible is often only known after the session.

Model B: Credit card guarantee (Pre-Authorization)

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

Model C: Down payment 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 rate, 10% deductible = EUR 100 total. Collected via Payment Link at the beginning of the series, any further payment steps are eliminated. For private patients with flat-rate prices (e.g. 5 × EUR 120 = EUR 600), the series down payment significantly improves liquidity.

3. Payment Link: The easiest 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. They click, choose TWINT, card, or mobile wallet, and pay in under a minute. You can see the payment instantly in the Dashboard.

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

For booking tools: If you use Calendly, Jane App, or another booking system, insert the Payrexx Payment Link into the automatic booking confirmation. No plugin or API integration is required.

4. Pre-Authorization: Correct technical implementation

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

Payrexx supports pre-authorization for all major credit cards as well as Visa Debit, Mastercard Debit, Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Samsung Pay. Technical implementation is handled via the Payrexx Dashboard without additional integration. TWINT does not technically support pre-authorization – for no-show protection via TWINT, a prepayment with refund in case of timely cancellation is required.

5. DSG data protection: What clinics need to consider with online payments

The revised Swiss Federal Act on Data Protection (DPA / DSG) has been in force since September 1, 2023. For online bookings with payment, this means: credit card details are not stored by you – 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) in accordance with Art. 9 DSG with the provider is required.

6. Checklist: Setting up online booking with prepayment in your physiotherapy clinic

• Decide on a prepayment model: full payment, pre-authorization, or series down payment

• 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 your T&Cs and booking confirmation

• Create a privacy policy for the booking page in compliance with DSG

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

• Inform existing patients about the new booking option

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