Advanced Settings
Customize your booking experience with advanced configuration options
Fine-Tune Your Booking System
Advanced settings give you granular control over how patients book appointments, what information they provide, and how your schedule operates. These settings help you create a booking experience tailored to your specific practice needs.
Access these settings from your provider dashboard under Settings → Booking Configuration.
Booking Rules & Constraints
Minimum Booking Notice
Require patients to book at least X hours/days in advance. Prevents last-minute bookings that may be difficult to prepare for.
Example:
Set to "4 hours" to prevent same-day bookings within 4 hours
Recommended: 2-4 hours for most providers
Maximum Booking Advance
Limit how far in advance patients can book. Useful if your schedule changes frequently.
Example:
Set to "30 days" to only allow bookings within the next month
Recommended: 30-90 days depending on your practice
Require Confirmation
All bookings go to "Pending" status until you manually confirm them. Gives you control over your schedule.
Example:
Enable for new patient consultations, disable for routine follow-ups
Recommended: Enable initially, then disable once comfortable
Maximum Concurrent Bookings
Limit the number of appointments a single patient can have scheduled at once.
Example:
Set to "2" to prevent patients from hoarding multiple slots
Recommended: 1-3 depending on your patient base
Cancellation & Rescheduling Policies
Cancellation Deadline
How far in advance must patients cancel to avoid penalties (if applicable).
Example:
Set to "24 hours" - cancellations with less notice may incur fees
Recommended: 24-48 hours for most practices
Allow Patient Rescheduling
Let patients reschedule their own appointments without provider approval.
Example:
Enable with a 48-hour limit before the appointment
Recommended: Enable to reduce administrative burden
Auto-Release Unconfirmed Bookings
Automatically cancel pending bookings if not confirmed within X hours.
Example:
Set to "12 hours" to free up slots for other patients
Recommended: 6-24 hours depending on your availability
Service Configuration
Service-Specific Durations
Set different appointment lengths for different service types.
Example:
Initial consultations: 60 min, Follow-ups: 30 min, Therapy sessions: 45 min
Recommended: Customize based on actual time needed
Service-Specific Pricing
Different prices for different consultation types.
Example:
Online consultations: R400, In-person: R600, Home visits: R800
Recommended: Price competitively for your market
Buffer Time Between Appointments
Automatic gap between appointments for notes, preparation, or running late.
Example:
Set 10-minute buffer between all appointments
Recommended: 5-15 minutes depending on practice type
Patient Intake & Custom Forms
Pre-Appointment Questionnaire
Require patients to complete a health questionnaire before their first appointment.
Example:
Collect medical history, current medications, allergies
Recommended: Enable for all new patients
Service-Specific Questions
Different intake forms for different service types.
Example:
Mental health services collect additional mental health history
Recommended: Customize per specialty
Required vs. Optional Fields
Decide which patient information is mandatory.
Example:
Require: Name, phone, email. Optional: Medical aid details
Recommended: Only require essential information
Integration Settings
Google Calendar Integration
Configure two-way synchronization with your Google Calendar:
Sync Direction
• Import Only: Block Medbookings times when you have Google events
• Export Only: Add Medbookings appointments to Google Calendar
• Two-Way Sync: Both import and export (Recommended)
Auto-Generate Google Meet Links
Automatically create Google Meet video call links for online consultations
Event Types to Block
Choose which Google Calendar event types should block Medbookings availability (all-day events, busy events, etc.)
Best Practices for Advanced Settings
Start Conservative
Begin with stricter settings (require confirmation, longer notice periods) and relax them as you gain confidence.
Review Regularly
Revisit your settings monthly to ensure they still match your practice needs and patient expectations.
Test Changes
When adjusting settings, monitor the impact on booking rates and patient satisfaction for a week or two.
Communicate Policies
Clearly display your cancellation and rescheduling policies in your profile so patients know what to expect.