Just before the pandemic, Paperclip researched the available practice management software options available to Allied Healthcare professionals. This article provides an update on that research, with a focus on what are deemed to be the leading software options in 2025.
At the top of the list appears to be Cliniko with a claimed user base of 65,000 professionals. Cliniko is just one of a myriad of leading software packages to have been developed in Australia including Canva, Trello, ServiceM8 (Trades), simPRO (Trades) and SiteMinder (Hospitality). Xero, the leading SME accountancy software, was developed in New Zealand.
Paperclip has a strong portfolio of medical practice clients using Cliniko, particularly in the areas of podiatry, physiotherapy and osteopathy. Cliniko, in common with many of the other available software options, has developed a suite of integrations with other third-party software packages; it is certainly an area in which it is particularly strong. For example, the Paperclip team regularly uses Xero and Stripe integrations to process payments for our healthcare clients.
At Paperclip we have been particularly impressed with the openness and accessibility of the Cliniko development team, led by founder Joel Friedlaender, and the way they engage with users.
Nookal
Cliniko is far from the only cloud-based practice management software to come out of Australia. Paperclip now works with many clients that use Nookal software. Nookal and Cliniko appear to have been founded at about the same time in 2010/11. More recently another Australian software package, Splose, tried to establish a foothold in the UK. However, for the time being at least, it seems to have retrenched to its home market.
PPS
PPS (Private Practice Software) is a UK solution that has been around since the 1990s and has a well-established user-base across the UK. Like most serious software solutions in the practice management space, PPS has developed a telehealth solution enabling practitioners to be able to conduct remote consultations with patients.
Jane
In addition to Cliniko and Nookal, perhaps the most popular cloud-based practice management software amongst Paperclip’s allied health clients is Jane. Jane, with its distinctive 1950s-inspired logo, is a Canadian software package that has gained a significant foothold in the UK.
Other software of note includes Practice Pal, Zanda Health and Pabau.
Healthcode
As the NHS struggles to cope with the demand for allied health services, most practice management software packages have improved their modules handling treatments funded by private insurance. Software like TM3 and Write UPP are just two of the packages that have Healthcode integration for insurance billing. Write UPP claims to have a UK user-base of 13,000 customers.
Features
In addition to the telehealth features referenced earlier in this article, most software will now offer a variety of pre-formatted templates, as well as integrations with other medical software support packages such as Physiotrack, and business-related software such as Xero (accounts), Mailchimp (marketing), and Stripe (payments). Fundamental to all packages are patient notes, appointment scheduling, automated reminders, and online forms. As with most software, many practices may only be scratching the surface of the possibilities their management software offers them.
Over the coming years it is likely that many other ‘exclusive’ features will start to become commonplace including security-protected patient portals with mobile access via an app interface, home exercise programme integrations, reporting dashboards, and, of course, the almost inevitable AI and machine learning-driven innovations. Such innovations could include accurate speech-to-text transcription of clinical notes, predictive analytics, 3D motion analysis and wearable sensors.
In conclusion
The Paperclip team manages appointments for allied healthcare practices, updating management software in real-time whilst they are on the phone. Compared to many other sectors, we have found that healthcare is still focussed on human interactions, with a reluctance to deal with, for example, an automated chatbot or similar.
Patients, and prospective, patients, prefer to be able to discuss their appointment needs rather than commit them to paper via an email or similar. Paperclip has greatly reduced ‘no-shows’ for its healthcare clients through a simple reminder call to the patient the day before; the call can also include reminders about completing forms prior to arrival in clinic.
Cloud-based practice management software packages will undoubtedly continue to evolve and develop new features. A key success factor is making it as easy as possible for allied healthcare practitioners to introduce/implement new software into their businesses, and for any new features to focus on simplicity of integration and the avoidance of downtime.
To know more about how Paperclip could help your allied health practice, simply call the Paperclip team on 01246 418 181.
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Hi, I’m Louise Bellwood, Director at Paperclip. I am responsible for delivering Paperclip’s customer service and growth strategies for 2024 and beyond, I am a crusader for the benefits call answering can deliver for organisations of all kinds; customer service, sales generation, customer retention and more. If you have a question about call answering – pricing, set-up, benefits – I would love to hear from you at louise@paperclip.co.uk or 01246 418 181.