Physical therapy clinic phone script template (copy and paste)
Physical therapy calls are different from most clinic calls. A patient often arrives with a referral from a surgeon, a plan of care with a set number of visits, and an insurance company that wants updates. The front desk sits where those three things meet. This script covers the calls a therapy desk gets most and sends the clinical questions to the therapist. Copy it, fill in the brackets, and use it with a person or an AI voice agent.
The calls a therapy desk actually gets
1. A post-surgery patient whose referral has arrived and who wants to start soon.
2. A sports or work injury, usually with a request to be seen sooner.
3. A patient on an active plan asking how many visits are left.
4. A patient who has finished treatment and wants a discharge or follow-up visit.
5. Someone asking whether they need a referral first.
6. A missed session, a late arrival, or a request to move a whole series of visits.
Give each one a short path in your script. Do not write one long branch for everything.
Set the boundary first
Front desk staff do not decide how many sessions someone needs, whether an exercise is safe, or when a patient can return to a sport or a job. The treating therapist decides those things. Write that boundary into the script so nobody guesses on the phone.
1. Greeting
> "Thank you for calling [Clinic Name], this is [Name]. Are you calling about a new evaluation, an existing plan, or something else?"
The three-way split matters in therapy. A new referral, an active plan and a billing question each need different information.
After hours:
> "You have reached [Clinic Name]. We are closed until [Day] at [Time]. Leave your name, number and a short note, and the scheduling team will call you back first thing. If your concern is urgent, please call your doctor or emergency services."
2. Post-surgery referrals
> "I am glad you called. Which procedure did you have, and when was it?"
> "Has the surgeon's office sent the referral to us, or do you have a copy with you?"
> "Do you know how many visits the referral asks for, and over how long?"
> "Has anyone told you when to start therapy?"
Write the answers down as the caller gives them. Do not confirm a start date until the therapist has seen the referral. Once it is on file, offer the first evaluation and note any expiry date the referral carries.
> "I have your referral on file. The earliest evaluation I can offer is [Day] at [Time]. The therapist will go over the plan with you at that visit."
3. Sports and work injuries
> "I am sorry you are dealing with that. When did it happen, and was it a sport, a work task or a fall?"
> "Is the area swollen, or is it hard to put weight on it?"
> "Has a doctor or urgent care seen it since then?"
If the caller describes a suspected fracture, a joint that looks out of place, or a sudden loss of function, switch to the urgent script in section 4. Do not decide whether imaging is needed. Say the doctor or therapist will make that call.
4. Urgent calls
> "I want you to get the right care quickly. Please go to urgent care or call emergency services now. I cannot judge that over the phone. I will let our therapist know you called, and they will reach you once you have been seen."
Use only the symptoms your therapists approved. Keep that list on a card next to the phone.
5. Plan of care questions
> "Can I have your name and date of birth so I can pull up your plan?"
> "You have [number] visits left on your current plan. Would you like to keep your usual [Day] at [Time]?"
> "Do you want to move one session, or book the rest of the series together?"
If the caller asks whether they still need treatment, or whether to continue after the plan ends, do not answer it.
> "That is a question for [Therapist]. I will note it on your chart and they will call you by [time]. Is this the best number?"
6. Discharge and follow-up visits
> "Your therapist may want a final check or a review of your home program. I will see whether one is on your plan."
> "Your therapist decides when treatment is complete. I can book a reassessment with them if you want one."
Never tell a patient they are ready to stop. That is a clinical decision.
7. Insurance and visit limits
> "Which insurance do you have? I will note it and our billing team will check visit limits and any prior authorization before your visit."
> "They will call you if anything needs your action."
Do not say how many visits a plan covers unless billing has confirmed it for that patient. Do not promise that a visit will be paid.
8. Missed and late sessions
> "I see you missed your visit on [Day]. Are you okay? Would you like to rebook for [Day] at [Time]?"
> "Our cancellation rule is [rule from your own policy]. I will note that on your file."
Therapists want to know about missed visits. Record the reason in the caller's words, and flag the file for the therapist if the patient has missed two in a row.
9. Booking and confirmation
> "I can offer [Day] at [Time] with [Therapist], or [Day] at [Time] with [Therapist]. Which do you prefer?"
> "Let me repeat that. [Day] at [Time] with [Therapist]. Is that correct?"
10. Goodbye
> "Thank you, [Name]. You are booked for [Day] at [Time] with [Therapist]. Please bring your referral and your insurance card. Call us at [number] if anything changes. Take care."
Run this script as a voice agent
Put the script in the agent's instructions word for word, along with the approved urgent list, the therapist names, your schedule and your cancellation policy. Test three calls before going live: a referral call, an urgent call and a plan-of-care question. Check that each one goes where you expect. The Free plan includes 100 credits for testing, and the Pro plan at $79 a month includes 250 credits. One credit covers 60 seconds of call time.
FAQs
Does the desk need the referral before booking? Ask for it and note whether it is on file. Some clinics book the evaluation first and confirm the referral later. Follow your clinic's rule.
Can the agent tell someone to stop therapy? No. Stopping or changing treatment is the therapist's decision.
What if a caller says they cannot put any weight on the leg? Use the urgent script. Do not book a routine visit until a clinician has seen them.