How it works

Two layers.
One outcome.

Diarybook works at the level your organisation needs — as a powerful communication layer that sits alongside your existing systems, or as a complete appointment management platform from the ground up.

1

An intelligent messaging platform — reaching patients before it's too late.

At the heart of Diarybook is an advanced, automated reminder engine. It reaches patients through the right channel at exactly the right moment — before they forget, before they cancel mentally, before the slot is lost.

Reminder timing isn't arbitrary. It's configurable at the level of each clinic, department, or individual service provider — so a first reminder might go out a week before the appointment, a second 48 hours before, and a third on the morning of the day itself.

Patients can confirm, cancel, or request a change by reply. That feedback reaches your team instantly — giving you the opportunity to fill a vacated slot before it disappears.

SMS
Instant delivery to any mobile. Patients can reply to confirm or cancel. High open rates — seen within minutes.
Email
Detailed appointment information, directions, and instructions — delivered automatically, formatted for any device.
Voice
Automated voice calls for patients who prefer it — or where SMS isn't suitable. Configurable per patient or department.
Letter
Generated and formatted automatically. Ideal for patients without mobile access, or where written confirmation is required.
2

Works with what you have. Or replaces what isn't working.

Healthcare organisations come to Diarybook from very different starting points. Some have patient management systems they rely on. Others have nothing. Diarybook is built for both.

Integration mode

For organisations with existing systems

Diarybook connects directly to your existing patient information management software — reading appointment data and sending reminders automatically, without any change to your current workflows or systems.

  • No disruption to existing systems or processes
  • Automated reminders triggered by your existing appointment data
  • Patient replies and confirmations captured and surfaced to your team
  • Aggregate and per-user reporting on DNA rates and reminder performance
  • Used across HSE hospitals running IPMS and other patient management systems
→ Your system, improved — without replacing it.
Full portal mode

For organisations starting from scratch

For services with no existing scheduling software, Diarybook provides a complete appointment management portal — built for the real complexity of clinical environments, with multiple users, departments, and service providers.

  • Complete scheduling portal — clients, appointments, resources, departments
  • Prevents double-booking; manages room and resource allocation
  • Time management — block training days, annual leave, and unavailable slots
  • Waiting room capacity management
  • Full patient correspondence history — text, email, phone
  • Multi-channel reminders included as standard
→ A complete system, ready to run from day one.
3

What it looks like — for patients and for your team.

Timing is everything. Department of Health research found that behaviourally informed reminders reduced missed appointments by 13%. Diarybook lets you configure exactly when reminders go — for each clinic, department, or service provider — so messages arrive when they're most likely to change behaviour.

The patient experience

Appointment booked

An immediate confirmation goes out by SMS, email, or letter — whichever channel suits the patient. No more relying on patients to write things down.

Reminder — days before

A reminder arrives at a configurable interval — one week out, then 48 hours out, then the morning of. The patient can confirm attendance or flag that they can't make it, by reply.

Self check-in on arrival

At sites with Diarybook's check-in screens, patients can register their arrival themselves — reducing queue time at reception and giving clinical teams real-time waiting room visibility.

The team experience

Reminders run automatically

No manual chasing. Once configured, the reminder process runs itself — sending messages, receiving replies, and updating appointment status without any staff input required.

Early warning on vacant slots

When a patient cancels or doesn't confirm, your team sees it early — with enough time to fill the slot from a waiting list, rather than discovering the vacancy on the day.

Full correspondence history

Every message sent and received is logged against the patient record. No ambiguity about what was sent, when, and whether it was received — important for clinical governance.

Reporting on what's working

Per-user and site-level reporting shows DNA rates over time, reminder performance by channel, and attendance trends — so you can see the impact and optimise it.

The result, in numbers.

The evidence is clear — automated, well-timed reminders work. Here's what the research shows, and what Diarybook is already delivering across its live deployments.

30%
reduction in missed appointments
from optimised reminder timing
13%
DNA rate reduction from
behavioural SMS reminders (Dept. of Health, 2024)
€129
HSE cost per missed appointment —
every reminder counts

Sources: Department of Health Ireland – Better Letter Initiative (2024); HSE Outpatient DNA Strategy (2023); HSE valuation per missed appointment.

Ready to see it in practice?

Getting started takes minutes. No lengthy onboarding, no disruption to your existing systems. If you'd rather talk it through first, we're happy to do that too.