Get referred patients from the script to the first eval
Puffly is a free CRM that keeps track of every referral, who has booked an evaluation and who dropped off mid-plan, so your front desk knows who to call next.
Where physical therapy clinic leads come from
Physician and surgeon referrals
Orthopedic and primary care offices send patients with a script in hand. Many never call to schedule unless someone calls them first.
Direct access and injury searches
People with a sore knee or shoulder search for a therapist near them before seeing a doctor. They book with whoever can offer an eval soon.
Athletic trainers, schools and clubs
Running clubs, school trainers and rec leagues send athletes who want to get back to playing. Relationships here are built over time.
Past patients and their families
Someone you helped through a rough recovery tells a parent, a teammate or a coworker. Keep a note of who sent whom.
What slow follow up costs a physical therapy clinic
A referral sitting in the inbox is a patient in pain deciding whether to bother. If you do not reach them quickly, they call another clinic or give up and skip therapy. Patients who miss their first eval often never come back.
A pipeline that fits a physical therapy clinic
Puffly’s pipeline is yours to name. Here is one way a physical therapy clinic could lay it out.
- Referral receivedThe script or referral came in and nobody has spoken to the patient yet.
- Eval scheduledThey have a date for the initial evaluation and need a reminder and directions.
- Eval completedThe evaluation is done and the plan of care is being confirmed or authorized.
- Plan of care activeThey are attending visits and need the rest of the schedule kept full.
- Discharged, check-in dueTreatment is finished and a friendly check-in later can catch a flare-up or a new injury.
Follow up moments worth a reminder
A referral arrived from an orthopedic office two days ago and the patient has not called
"Hi, this is the front desk at our clinic. Your doctor sent over a referral for physical therapy. I can book your first evaluation this week if you have a time in mind."
A patient no-showed for their initial evaluation
"We missed you today and hope everything is okay. Want to pick a new time for your evaluation? I have a couple of openings tomorrow."
A patient was discharged in the fall and it is now the start of ski or running season
"Hi, just checking in. How is the knee feeling now that you are back to it? Happy to fit you in for a quick tune-up if anything feels off."
Puff, your AI teammate, can draft these messages and line up who to call next. Outreach waits for your approval unless you choose otherwise.
The shape of the year
Winter and the weeks after New Year bring slips, falls and resolution injuries, and spring brings runners and weekend athletes. Late in the year many patients rush to use benefits before they reset, so keep the referral list moving before then.
Questions from physical therapists
Can I store treatment notes or diagnoses in Puffly?
No. Puffly is not HIPAA compliant and should not hold clinical records or diagnoses. Keep those in your clinical system and use Puffly for referral tracking, scheduling follow up and discharge check-ins.
How would I track referral sources?
Make each referring office a company and link the patient to it. Then you can see which offices send you patients and who to thank or visit.
Can patients book their own eval time?
Puffly has online booking you can share with patients. Decide which appointment types you want to offer and keep the rest as a phone call.
Puffly for related trades
Start with the free CRM.
Leads, contacts, deals, tasks and your own branded lead form cost nothing. No card to start. Bring your leads in from a Google Sheet or add them by hand.
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