Cliniko automation with n8n — refill the empty chair automatically
Short version: Cliniko is the practice-management system of choice for thousands of Australian allied-health and medical clinics. NexFlow builds n8n workflows on top of it — no-show recovery, waitlist auto-fill, AI-drafted reminder SMS, and intake — so the front desk stops chasing and the empty slot refills itself. A typical 4-clinician practice reclaims ~9 slots a week.
The empty chair problem
A no-show is pure lost revenue, and the manual fix — phoning the waitlist one patient at a time — rarely happens in a busy clinic. A Cliniko-triggered n8n workflow drafts a warm SMS, sends it, waits for the reply, and books the next person from the waitlist automatically. The clinician sees a new patient, not an empty chair.
Workflows we build on Cliniko
- No-show recovery: Cliniko no-show event → AI-drafted SMS → waitlist auto-pick → calendar updated.
- Reminders that reduce no-shows: tiered SMS/email reminders tuned to your cancellation window.
- Intake & forms: new-patient details flow into Cliniko without re-keying.
- Recalls: automated recall sequences for periodic reviews.
- Reporting: weekly utilisation and recovered-slot numbers to the practice manager.
Built for Australian healthcare compliance
Health data is sensitive. Workflows are designed to align with the Australian Privacy Act (APP framework) and HIPAA-equivalent handling, with PII minimisation, audit logging on every step, and human review where clinical judgement is required. You own the workflow and can self-host it for data-residency control.
Common questions
Does n8n integrate with Cliniko?
Yes. n8n uses Cliniko's API and webhooks to react to events (no-shows, bookings, new patients) and to read/write appointments and contacts. That covers the large majority of practice-automation use cases.
Is automated patient SMS compliant in Australia?
It can be, when done correctly: consent captured, opt-out honoured, content reviewed, and PII handled under the Privacy Act. NexFlow builds the workflow with those controls and an audit trail; your practice retains clinical and communication oversight.
How much does Cliniko automation cost?
A single no-show or reminder workflow fits the Spark plan (one production workflow, from A$2,400). A full front-desk automation across reminders, recovery, intake, and reporting is best run as an ongoing Flow partnership (A$1,800/month). Start with a paid 60-minute Deep Map consult (US$130) to scope it.
The 15-minute map tells you yes, no, or “you don’t need us.”
Paid, focused, no deck. A single production workflow starts at A$2,400 (Spark) and ships in about two weeks; ongoing partnerships are A$1,800/month (Flow).