How Doctena simplified appointment management for practices
Published on 19/05/2025
Every healthcare practice knows the struggle—phones ringing all day, emails piling up, and a constant back-and-forth to find appointment slots that work for both patients and practitioners. For Practice Heinix, a busy dental clinic in Antwerp, this used to be a daily reality—until they switched to Doctena.
“We finally found the right tool,” says Lauranne van Gemert, the practice manager. With an online booking system that actually works for them, the difference has been significant: less time spent on administrative tasks, fewer appointment-related interruptions, and more time to focus on patient care.
Reducing Administrative Overload
Managing a practice is about much more than just scheduling patients. Between answering calls, responding to emails, and making sure the agenda runs smoothly, administrative work takes up a huge part of the day.
“With Doctena, everything is centralized and easy to find,” Lauranne explains. “Before, we lost so much time just handling appointments. Now, that time goes into more important tasks.”
And the numbers prove it. At Practice Heinix, 75% of all general checkups are booked through Doctena. The remaining 25% are follow-up appointments scheduled in person. That’s a significant shift from manual booking—one that many secretaries and practice managers can likely relate to.
Fewer Calls, Fewer Emails—A Smoother Workflow
Before using Doctena, appointment scheduling was time-consuming. Patients would call or email, and each request had to be handled individually. “Now, patients book themselves, and we no longer need to go back and forth to find a time that works,” says Lauranne. “The system does it for us.”
This doesn’t just free up time—it also means fewer scheduling errors and a more organized agenda.
How Patients Adapt to Online Booking
Switching to an online system wasn’t without its challenges. Initially, some patients struggled with the confirmation process. Small inconsistencies—like an extra space or a missing comma in their details—sometimes caused issues with receiving text confirmations. But over time, those technical difficulties were resolved.
As with any change, some patients needed time to adjust, especially those less comfortable with digital tools. However, most now appreciate the convenience of booking appointments at any time without needing to call during office hours.
A Flexible System That Adapts to the Practice
One of the most valuable aspects of Doctena is its flexibility. Unlike generic scheduling tools, it allows clinics to customize booking options to fit their specific needs. “We’re a group practice with multiple locations and different dentists working at different hours,” Lauranne explains. “Not all of them want the same treatments available for online booking. Doctena lets us decide what’s visible to patients and when certain slots are open.”
This level of control ensures that scheduling works for both practitioners and patients, preventing unnecessary complications.
A Frustrating Past—A More Reliable Solution
Before switching to Doctena, Heinix used another online agenda system—but it didn’t meet their needs.
“The communication with our previous provider was slow,” Lauranne recalls. “We sometimes had to wait days or even weeks for a response. And the system itself wasn’t user-friendly. When a colleague left, I suddenly had to manage it, but I never really got a proper introduction.”
With Doctena, things are different.
“The support team actually checks in with us—even when we don’t reach out first. And if we do have a question, the chat function is incredibly useful,” says Lauranne. Having quick access to real support makes a big difference in daily operations
More Time for What Matters
At the end of the day, what practice managers, secretaries, and healthcare professionals want most is more time to focus on patient care, not admin work.
“The biggest benefit? I finally have time to focus on other things,” Lauranne says.
And that’s what an efficient scheduling system should do—work in the background so that doctors, secretaries, and practice managers can focus on what really matters.
About us
We strive to improve patient care by simplifying and securing communication between practitioners and patients. With Doctena, patients can book appointments easily and healthcare professionals can send them automated reminders securely.
