# Pilotiko for physiotherapy clinics

> For Quebec physio clinics: follow-up sessions, physiotherapists and PRTs, CNESST, SAAQ or insurer payers, on one virtual office. No clinical record involved.

Updated on October 15, 2026 · https://app.pilotiko.com/en/solutions/physiotherapy-clinics

Pilotiko helps a physiotherapy clinic keep treatment series on track: online booking into real open times, proposed assignment based on each physiotherapist's or physical rehabilitation therapist's skills and workload, and reports on missed sessions. It is not a clinical record; assessments stay in your charting software.

## In short
- In private practice, you can see a physiotherapist without a doctor's referral; a physical rehabilitation therapist needs documented prerequisites [2].
- The CNESST, the SAAQ and private insurers may reimburse part of the care, on their own terms [2].
- Pilotiko proposes who takes each patient based on declared skills and workload.
- Pre-session reminders are being commissioned: nothing is sent yet.

## Why does a physio schedule drift so quickly?

Physiotherapy is rarely sold one visit at a time. After the assessment, the patient comes back once or twice a week for several weeks. A missed session doesn't just leave a gap in the calendar: it slows the plan and often signals a drop-out.

Quebec has more than 10,000 physiotherapists and physical rehabilitation therapists, according to the Ordre professionnel de la physiothérapie du Québec [1]. The two professions don't take the same patients at the same point. The OPPQ explains that you can see a physiotherapist directly, without a doctor's note, while a physical rehabilitation therapist (PRT, or T. phys. in French) needs a referral from a doctor or physiotherapist documenting the problem [2].

## Who pays for the session, and why does the front desk care?

According to the OPPQ, most private insurers cover physiotherapy in private practice, but some require a medical prescription or insist that treatment be given by a physiotherapist [2]. Public plans such as the CNESST and the SAAQ may also reimburse part of the care, under certain conditions [2].

For the front desk, that changes everything. A patient whose insurer requires a physiotherapist shouldn't be booked with a PRT, and a CNESST file usually comes with its own follow-up steps. Pilotiko doesn't process claims, but it can record the payer the patient declares at booking.

| Patient situation | Possible clinician | Scheduling watch-point |
|---|---|---|
| First visit, no referral | Physiotherapist | A PRT needs documented prerequisites  |
| Follow-up with documented prerequisites | Physiotherapist or PRT | Balance by weekly workload |
| Insurer requires a physiotherapist | Physiotherapist | Check the policy before session one  |
| CNESST or SAAQ file | Per the treatment plan | Record the declared payer at booking |

A working table based on the OPPQ's public explanations; it doesn't replace the Order's rules or any insurance contract.

## What do missed sessions cost a 3-clinician practice?

**Example: 2 physiotherapists and 1 PRT**

Assumptions for illustration, replace them with yours: 3 clinicians, 14 sessions a day each, 5 days a week, 48 weeks a year; 6% of sessions missed without notice; a follow-up session valued at $85.

- Sessions booked per year (3 × 14 × 5 × 48) : 10,080
- Missed sessions at 6% : 605
- Value of missed sessions (605 × $85) : $51,425
- Per clinician : about $17,140
- **= In this example, roughly $51,400 of sessions a year never happen, before counting treatment plans abandoned midway.**

## How does Pilotiko support a physio clinic day to day?

The [virtual office](https://app.pilotiko.com/en/product/virtual-office) splits the clinic into rooms: intake, assessments, follow-ups, work rehabilitation. Each clinician has a desk showing their day and workload at a glance, and same-day issues, like a session that needs moving, appear in the room they belong to.

An initial assessment and a follow-up don't last the same time, so each service gets its own length plus a buffer to wipe down the table. Patients choose a genuinely free time online; a treatment room or a piece of equipment can be booked as a resource.

For assignment, Pilotiko compares declared skills and current load. A skills mismatch is a refusal, not a hint: a patient without prerequisites won't be proposed to a PRT. A manager can override, but only as an explicit decision.

- On request, an [AI agent](https://app.pilotiko.com/en/product/ai-agents) lists patients whose plan seems to have stalled, with a follow-up message for you to approve.
- Reports show kept, cancelled and missed sessions per clinician and per declared payer.
- Your clinic website, hosted by Pilotiko, presents services and states plainly whether a referral is needed.

## What's still to come?

> Email and SMS session reminders, 24 hours and 1 hour ahead, are being commissioned; nothing is sent to patients yet. An AI receptionist that could take calls while the team is treating is planned for later, with no date set.

## What should patients be told about their information?

Physiotherapists and PRTs are bound by professional secrecy under section 60.4 of the Professional Code [3]. As a business, the clinic is also responsible for protecting the personal information it holds under Quebec's private-sector privacy act [4].

Pilotiko should only receive what scheduling needs: name, contact details, service, declared payer. Diagnosis, tests and progress notes stay in your clinical record. We don't claim Pilotiko makes a clinic compliant with any health-sector law. [Dental clinics](https://app.pilotiko.com/en/solutions/dental-clinics) follow the same split between schedule and chart.

[Esthetics studios](https://app.pilotiko.com/en/solutions/esthetics-studios) also run treatment series over several weeks, with rooms booked as resources. For front-desk computers and backups, see [IT support](https://app.pilotiko.com/en/solutions/it-support); for the clinic's own tax season, see [accounting firms](https://app.pilotiko.com/en/solutions/accounting-firms).

## Frequently asked questions

### Is Pilotiko an electronic patient record?

No. Pilotiko handles scheduling, assignment and reports. Assessments, progress notes and clinical documents stay in your charting software.

### Does a patient need a doctor's note to book online?

For a physiotherapist in private practice, the OPPQ says no, although some insurers require one. You can show that note on your booking page.

### How do we stop a PRT from getting a patient without prerequisites?

Declare each clinician's skills and reserve initial assessments for physiotherapists. Proposed assignment refuses mismatches unless a manager explicitly overrides.

### Are session reminders sent already?

No. The 24-hour and 1-hour reminder code is ready, but the sending provider isn't connected. No automatic SMS or email goes out today.

### Does Pilotiko handle CNESST or SAAQ claims?

No. It can record the declared payer to help the front desk, but forms and claims follow each body's rules, outside Pilotiko.

### Can we see which treatment plans are stalling?

Yes, if sessions are booked in Pilotiko. An agent works from the bookings to spot patients with no next session and drafts a follow-up for your approval.

## Sources

1. OPPQ, « Ordre professionnel de la physiothérapie du Québec », https://oppq.qc.ca/ (accessed on 2026-10-15)
2. OPPQ, « La physiothérapie : comment ça fonctionne », https://oppq.qc.ca/la-physiotherapie/comment-ca-fonctionne/ (accessed on 2026-10-15)
3. LégisQuébec, « Professional Code (CQLR, c. C-26), section 60.4 », https://www.legisquebec.gouv.qc.ca/fr/document/lc/C-26?langCont=en (accessed on 2026-10-15)
4. LégisQuébec, « Act respecting the protection of personal information in the private sector (CQLR, c. P-39.1) », https://www.legisquebec.gouv.qc.ca/fr/document/lc/P-39.1?langCont=en (accessed on 2026-10-15)