Connect Cliniko to WhatsApp, Instagram, TikTok and AI Chat
Yes. AeroChat books directly into Cliniko. It reads live availability and writes the appointment into your practitioners’ diaries through Cliniko’s API, on WhatsApp, Instagram, web chat and every other channel your patients use.
Patients message your clinic on WhatsApp to book a session, move an appointment or ask what to bring to their first visit. Your practitioners’ diaries and patient records are already in Cliniko. AeroChat answers those messages and works from Cliniko directly: it reads available times, creates or moves the appointment and sets up new patients, so the chat and the front desk work from the same diary.
This page covers what you can automate, how the connection works and what stays in Cliniko. Each use case links to a page with a description you can paste into AeroChat.
What you can do with Cliniko and AeroChat
- Book appointments from WhatsApp. Match the appointment type and practitioner, offer three available times and create the appointment.
- Reschedule or cancel within your policy. Find the appointment, offer new times with the same practitioner and update Cliniko.
- Set up new patients before their first visit. Collect the details in chat and create the patient record with the appointment.
- Answer “when is my next appointment?” Read the patient’s upcoming appointments after checking who they are.
- Hand symptom and clinical questions to a practitioner. Collect the details and tell the patient when to expect a reply.
- Book at the right location. If you run more than one clinic, AeroChat asks which location suits the patient and books into that business in Cliniko.
- Take a deposit before the appointment is confirmed. AeroChat sends an Airwallex payment link in the same chat and creates the appointment in Cliniko once it is paid. See booking deposits on WhatsApp.
What it looks like on WhatsApp
Patient: Hi, can I book a physio session for my knee next Tuesday, ideally after work? (example)
AeroChat: Of course. Tuesday has 5:15pm with James or 6:00pm with Mei. Which works for you?
Patient: 6pm with Mei please.
AeroChat: Done. You’re booked for a standard physio consultation with Mei on Tuesday at 6:00pm. See you then.
In Cliniko: a new appointment appears in Mei’s diary for Tuesday 6:00pm, under the patient’s record.
Patient: I can’t make Tuesday anymore, can I move it to Thursday? (example)
AeroChat: No problem. Mei has Thursday at 8:00am or 5:30pm. Which would you like?
Patient: 5:30 please.
AeroChat: All moved. Thursday 5:30pm with Mei.
In Cliniko: the Tuesday appointment is moved to Thursday 5:30pm. No duplicate is left in the diary.
Patient: When is my next appointment? (example)
AeroChat: Your next appointment is Thursday at 5:30pm with Mei.
In Cliniko: nothing changes. AeroChat read the appointment from the patient’s record after checking their name and date of birth.
Works on every chat channel
Your patients message you wherever they already are. The same Cliniko connection and the same workflows run on every channel AeroChat supports, and Cliniko stays the record whichever one they use.
| Channel | What your patients can do |
|---|---|
| Message your WhatsApp Business number to book, move or cancel an appointment. Voice notes are transcribed, so a spoken request works too. | |
| Send the same requests by direct message. A comment on your post can get an automatic reply that moves the conversation to a DM. | |
| Facebook Messenger | Send the same requests to your Facebook Page. Comments on your Page posts can get an automatic reply too. |
| TikTok | Send the same requests by TikTok direct message or TikTok Shop buyer chat. Both arrive in the same TikTok inbox. |
| Telegram | Send the same requests to your business on Telegram. |
| Web chat | Do the same from the chat on your website, without leaving the page. |
| Write to your Gmail or Office 365 address and get the same answer the chat gives. |
How the connection works
AeroChat connects through Cliniko’s public REST API (Cliniko API documentation). Through it, AeroChat reads businesses, practitioners, appointment types and available times, searches and creates patients, and creates, moves and cancels appointments.
- What AeroChat reads from Cliniko: businesses, practitioners, appointment types, available times, patient records and existing appointments.
- What AeroChat writes to Cliniko: new appointments, moved appointments, cancellations and new patient records.
To connect, a Cliniko user creates an API key from My Info, Manage API keys. The key has the same access as the user who creates it, so many clinics create a separate Cliniko user with front desk access for this. You describe the workflow in your own words, AeroChat builds it and asks for the key by name. You enter the key in the AeroChat dashboard. It never passes through the conversation.
Workflows to copy
Seven ready-made workflows for Cliniko. Copy one into AeroChat, add your Cliniko API key, and it runs on every channel.
1. Book an appointment from WhatsApp
Copy this into AeroChat
When a patient asks to book, find out what the appointment is for, whether they want a particular practitioner, and the days and times they prefer. Match it to our appointment types in Cliniko. Find the patient in Cliniko by name and date of birth, or create a new patient. Check Cliniko for available times for that appointment type and practitioner and offer up to three. When they choose, create the appointment and confirm the date, time, practitioner and our address. If they describe new or severe symptoms, do not book. Hand the conversation to a practitioner.
2. Reschedule or cancel an appointment
Copy this into AeroChat
When a patient asks to move or cancel an appointment, find their upcoming appointment in Cliniko after checking their name and date of birth. Tell them what our cancellation policy means for this appointment. For a move, offer up to three available times with the same practitioner and move the appointment when they choose. For a cancellation, cancel it in Cliniko and offer to book a new time.
3. Set up a new patient before their first visit
Copy this into AeroChat
When someone books for the first time, check Cliniko by name and date of birth to make sure they are not already a patient. If they are new, ask for their first name, last name, date of birth, phone number and email. Create the patient in Cliniko with those details, then book their first appointment and confirm the date, time, practitioner and our address. Tell them what to bring to the first visit, for example any scans or referral letters (example). Never ask for medical history in the chat.
4. Answer “when is my next appointment?”
Copy this into AeroChat
When a patient asks when their next appointment is, check their name and date of birth and find them in Cliniko. Reply with the date, time, practitioner and appointment type of their next appointment. If you cannot find them, ask for the name the booking is under. Never share another patient’s details.
5. Hand symptom and clinical questions to a practitioner
Copy this into AeroChat
When a patient asks a clinical question or describes symptoms, do not give advice and do not book. Ask for their name, date of birth and a short description of what they want to ask. Find their next appointment in Cliniko if they have one. Hand the conversation to a practitioner with those details, and tell the patient a practitioner will reply within one working day (example).
6. Book at the right location
Copy this into AeroChat
When a patient asks to book and we run more than one clinic, ask which location suits them, for example our City or North clinic (example). Check Cliniko for available times for that appointment type at that location and offer up to three. Book the appointment into that location and confirm the address with the date and time.
7. Take a deposit before confirming the appointment
Copy this into AeroChat
When a patient books an appointment type that needs a deposit, tell them the deposit amount before you book, for example 30 (example) in our currency. Send an Airwallex payment link for the deposit in the chat, and create the appointment in Cliniko only once the payment is confirmed. Then confirm the appointment and say the deposit comes off the final invoice. If the payment is not completed within 30 minutes (example), tell them the time may no longer be free and offer to check again.
Who uses it
Physiotherapy, chiropractic, podiatry, psychology and other allied health clinics, and some dental practices, that run their diaries in Cliniko. See the dental clinic recipes for appointment booking, appointment reminder replies and rescheduling and cancellation.
What stays in Cliniko
Cliniko stays the record of every patient, appointment, treatment note and invoice. Your reminders, forms and billing keep running there. AeroChat handles the conversation: it asks the questions, reads the diary and writes the appointment or the patient record. It does not read or change treatment notes, and it never gives clinical advice.
WhatsApp workflows that use Cliniko
These end-to-end WhatsApp workflows run with Cliniko behind them. See them all in the WhatsApp workflows library.
- WhatsApp Appointment Booking Connected to Your Calendar
- WhatsApp Reschedule and Cancel Appointments in Chat
Questions
Does AeroChat work with Cliniko?
Yes. It connects through Cliniko’s public API with an API key you create in Cliniko.
Can patients book appointments through WhatsApp?
Yes. AeroChat reads available times from Cliniko, offers them in the chat and creates the appointment. It also works on Instagram, Messenger and web chat.
Do I need a developer?
No. You describe the workflow in your own words and AeroChat builds it. You create the API key in Cliniko and paste it into the dashboard.
Which plan do I need?
Workflows via Skills are on every plan. Choose by message volume: Starter covers 500 AI responses a month and 3 seats, Growth 2,000 and 10 seats, and Advanced 5,000 and 25 seats. You need Growth or above to send payment links for deposits.
Using a different system? If it has a public API, it connects to AeroChat the same way: describe what you want, paste in its key, and it runs.
Can’t find your tool? Message us in the chat on this page and we’ll tell you how it connects.
Book your first appointment in chat
Paste the booking workflow, add your Cliniko API key, and message your own number asking for a session next week.
Start your 7-day free trial. No credit card needed.
Sign up for an annual plan on Growth or above and we’ll set up your workflows and connect Cliniko for you, free. See plans.