New Patient Phone Script for Cash PT and Chiropractic Clinics

These scripts are built for clinics that do not bill insurance, or bill it only for some patients. The structure is the same for every call: ask about the problem, give the price, handle the insurance question, offer two times, confirm. Prices and names in brackets are placeholders; swap in your own. Learn the words, then say them like a person.

What should a new patient phone script do?

A new patient phone script should get a caller from "I'm just asking" to a booked first visit in about five to eight minutes without skipping the price or the insurance answer. It has five jobs: find out what hurts and how it is affecting their life, show that you treat that problem, state the first-visit price, answer the insurance question honestly, and offer two specific times. The order is deliberate. Price lands better after the caller has talked about the knee that stops them running than as the first thing they hear. In our Local Clinic Ad Report (Meta Ad Library, pulled 2026-10-01), 39% of 312 advertising clinics put a first-visit price in their ads, with a median of $49. Your caller has probably seen those ads, so they expect a straight number.

What is the new patient phone script for a cash PT clinic?

The cash PT script opens with the problem, positions the evaluation as one-on-one time with a physical therapist, and closes with two specific times. Cash PT callers are often comparing you with an in-network clinic down the road, so the script leans on what they get that the other place cannot promise: a full hour with the same doctor, treatment on day one, and a clear plan. It does not argue with insurance or run down other clinics. Expect the caller to talk for most of the first two minutes; that is the part where they decide whether you understand their problem. Here it is word for word.

Front desk: "Thanks for calling [Clinic], this is [Name]. Who do I have the pleasure of speaking with?"

Front desk: "Hi [Caller]. What's going on that made you call today?"

(Let them talk. Then ask:) "How long has that been bothering you?" and "What is it stopping you from doing right now that you want to get back to?"

Front desk: "That's really common for us. We see a lot of people with [their problem] who have tried resting it or stretching it and it keeps coming back. The first visit is a full hour one-on-one with a doctor of physical therapy. They'll figure out what's actually driving it, start treatment that same day, and give you a plan so you know how long this should take."

Front desk: "The first visit is [$150]. That includes the evaluation and your first treatment."

Front desk: "I have [Tuesday at 4:30] or [Thursday at 7:00 in the morning]. Which works better?"

Front desk: "Great. I'll text you a confirmation with our address, parking, and a short intake form. It takes about five minutes. Is this the best number for that text?"

The whole call above runs about five minutes. Callers who want to talk through their symptoms for 15 minutes get a polite redirect: "That's exactly what [Dr. Name] will dig into on the first visit."

What is the new patient phone script for a chiropractic office?

The chiropractic script follows the same order but explains the first visit as an exam plus findings, because callers often expect an adjustment and nothing else. Chiropractic callers are also more likely to have seen a new patient special in an ad, so the front desk should know exactly what the advertised offer includes and say it the same way the ad does. If the ad says $49 exam and adjustment and the desk says $79, the caller feels baited. Keep the script short; chiropractic first calls tend to run a little faster than PT calls. Word for word:

Front desk: "Thanks for calling [Clinic], this is [Name]. Who am I speaking with?"

Front desk: "Hi [Caller]. What's going on that you'd like help with?"

(Listen, then:) "Has this happened before, or is it new?" and "Is it worse in the morning, at work, or when you're driving?"

Front desk: "Okay. On your first visit, [Dr. Name] does a full exam, and if it makes sense, takes any imaging that's needed. Then the doctor sits down with you, explains what's causing it, and lays out what care would look like. If it's appropriate, you'll get your first adjustment that same day."

Front desk: "Our new patient visit is [$79], and that includes the exam and the consultation."

Front desk: "I can get you in [today at 5:15] or [tomorrow at 8:00]. Which is better?"

Front desk: "Perfect. I'll text you our address and a link to the intake paperwork. Wear something comfortable."

If your office runs a separate report of findings visit, say so on the call: "The doctor will go over everything with you on your second visit, usually a day or two later." Surprises on visit two cause drop-offs.

How should the front desk answer "how much does it cost?"

The front desk should answer "how much does it cost?" with the first-visit price in the first sentence, then explain what happens after. Cash clinics lose more callers on this question than any other, and almost always because the person on the phone is uncomfortable saying the number. The fix is reps. Say the price, say what it includes, then ask about the problem so the conversation moves forward instead of stalling on money. Do not quote the full plan of care as a fixed number before anyone has examined the patient. Here is the script for a caller who asks before you have learned anything about them:

Caller: "How much is it?"

Front desk: "Great question. The first visit is [$150], and that's a full hour with the doctor, the evaluation plus treatment. Can I ask what's going on? That way I can tell you if we're the right fit."

If they ask about the full cost of care:

Front desk: "That depends on what the doctor finds, so I don't want to guess. Most people with [their problem] are looking at somewhere between [6 and 12] visits. The doctor will give you an exact plan and price after the first visit, and you decide from there. There's no pressure to sign up for anything that day."

Give a range only if it is honest for that problem. A caller quoted 6 visits who hears 20 at the evaluation will feel misled. Use the package pricing calculator to set package prices you can say out loud without hesitating.

How should the front desk answer "do you take insurance?"

The front desk should say you are out of network, offer a superbill, and give one sentence about why, then go straight back to the caller's problem. A superbill is an itemized receipt with diagnosis and procedure codes that a patient can submit to their insurer for possible out-of-network reimbursement. Never promise that the insurer will pay; whether a plan reimburses out-of-network care depends on the plan, and the front desk cannot know that on the phone. Medicare patients are a separate case with their own rules, so have the owner decide in advance what the desk says to them. Script:

Caller: "Do you take insurance?"

Front desk: "We're out of network with insurance, so you pay us directly at the visit. We give you a superbill you can send to your insurance, and some plans pay back part of it. We work this way so the doctor can spend a full hour with you and decide your care with you, not based on what a plan will approve. What's going on that you're calling about?"

If they say "I'd rather use my insurance":

Front desk: "Totally understand. If you'd like, I can give you the name of an in-network clinic nearby. A lot of people come to us after they've tried that route and want more time with the doctor. Either way, I'm happy to help."

Offering a referral sounds counterintuitive. It builds trust, and some of those callers book anyway. For more versions of this answer, see how to answer "do you take insurance" and the glossary entry on superbills.

What do you say when a caller says "let me think about it"?

When a caller says "let me think about it," ask one question to find the real concern, answer it, and offer to hold a time. Most of the time it is money, a spouse, or a schedule, and each has a different answer. The mistake is treating "let me think about it" as a no and ending the call politely, or the opposite, pushing hard until the caller feels cornered. One question, one answer, one offer to hold a slot, then let them go and follow up. A held appointment they can cancel by text is a much smaller decision than booking from scratch tomorrow. Script:

Caller: "Let me think about it."

Front desk: "Of course. Just so I can help, is it the price, the timing, or something else you want to check on?"

(If price:) "That makes sense. A lot of our patients felt the same way, and what helped was knowing they'd get a clear plan on day one instead of guessing for months. Would it help if I held [Thursday at 7:00] for you, and you can cancel by text if it doesn't work out?"

(If spouse:) "Totally fair. Would it help if I texted you what the first visit includes, so you can show them? I'll hold [Thursday at 7:00] until tomorrow at noon."

(If schedule:) "We have early mornings and [Saturday] mornings too. Would [Saturday at 9:00] be easier?"

Then follow up. In its 2014 Lead Response Report, InsideSales.com cites its own earlier research showing reps make only 1.3 call attempts on average before giving up on a lead. A "think about it" caller who never hears from you again was never really lost; they were dropped.

What is the after-hours callback script?

The after-hours callback script reconnects with a caller who reached voicemail or a missed-call text, reminds them who you are, and books them. Call as soon as the desk opens, or within five minutes if someone is covering. Research on online sales leads ("The Short Life of Online Sales Leads," Harvard Business Review, March 2011) found firms that responded within an hour were nearly seven times as likely to qualify a lead as those that waited longer. Script:

Front desk: "Hi, is this [Caller]? This is [Name] from [Clinic]. You called us last night about your [back], and I wanted to get back to you first thing. Is now still a good time?"

Front desk: "Tell me a little about what's going on."

(Then run the normal script: problem, fit, price, insurance if asked, two times.)

If they already booked somewhere else: "No problem at all, I hope it goes well. Can I text you our info in case you need us later?" Then add them to your email list, with permission.

What voicemail should you leave a new patient lead?

You should leave a voicemail under 20 seconds that names the clinic, references their request, offers one specific time, and promises a text. People listen to the first few seconds and delete the rest, and many never check voicemail at all, so the text that follows does most of the work. The voicemail exists mainly so your number is recognized the next time you call. Leave one on the first attempt and the last attempt in your follow-up cadence; leaving one every time starts to feel like pressure. Script:

Voicemail: "Hi [Caller], it's [Name] from [Clinic], returning your call about your [shoulder]. I have an opening [tomorrow at 4:30] if you want it. I'm sending you a text right now with the details, so you can just reply there. Talk soon."

Follow-up text (send immediately): "Hi [Caller], it's [Name] at [Clinic]. Just left you a voicemail. I can hold [tomorrow at 4:30] for you. Want it? Reply YES or send a better time."

Keep clinical details out of voicemails and texts. Stick to the clinic name, the time and the request. If they do not reply, the follow-up cadence on the front desk hub takes over.

How do you train the front desk on these scripts?

You train the front desk on scripts the way you would coach a new movement: show it, rep it, watch the tape, and fix one thing at a time. Start with role play, owner as caller, on the price question and the insurance question until the answer comes out without a pause. Then record real calls (check your state's call recording consent rules first) and review three a week together. Focus on one fix per week. Good desks also confirm hard: a 2021 study of 6,162 outpatient PT appointments at one clinic in Calgary found a combined no-show and cancellation rate of 20.6% (Onigbinde, International Journal of Physiotherapy), so the confirmation text is part of the script, not an afterthought.

How do these scripts fit with missed calls and speed to lead?

These scripts only work if someone actually reaches the caller, which is why the script sits on top of speed to lead and missed-call coverage. A perfect script on a call returned the next afternoon closes fewer people than a decent one answered live. Fix coverage first, then tighten the words. If you want a number for what slow answers cost you, run your call log through the missed call cost calculator, and set up the five-minute response with speed to lead for clinics.