The verdict in three sentences
A custom appointment platform for a multi-practitioner medical center sits between 20,000 and 60,000 GBP in 2026, versus 90 to 350 GBP/month per practitioner for a market platform. Custom becomes relevant beyond 8 practitioners or when you want to own your data and brand. Automated SMS reminders are lever number one: they drop no-shows by 25 to 35% from the first month.
Market platform or custom?
A health SaaS platform gets you online in days but charges per practitioner, captures your patient relationship and sometimes shows competing ads. Custom costs more upfront but removes the per-head subscription and makes you the owner of the patient flow.
| Criterion | Market platform | Custom Kolonell |
|---|---|---|
| Upfront cost | 0-1,500 GBP | 20,000-60,000 GBP |
| Monthly cost | 90-350 GBP/practitioner | 300-900 GBP (hosting + SMS) |
| Year-1 cost (10 practitioners) | 12,000-43,000 GBP | 24,000-70,000 GBP |
| Cumulative 3-year cost | 33,000-128,000 GBP | 31,000-82,000 GBP |
| Data ownership | No | Yes |
| Brand and design | Generic | 100% your colors |
| Competing ads | Possible | Never |
Over three years with 10 practitioners, custom becomes cheaper than the subscription as early as year two in most scenarios.
What the software does and what it returns
Features are not equal: some directly cut revenue loss, others lighten the front desk.
| Feature | Range (GBP) | Measured gain |
|---|---|---|
| 24/7 online booking | 6,000-14,000 | +20% off-hours bookings |
| Automated SMS + email reminders | 4,000-9,000 | No-show -30% |
| Synchronized multi-practitioner scheduling | 5,000-12,000 | End of double bookings |
| Queue and urgent-care management | 3,000-8,000 | Wait time -25% |
| Patient portal (history, documents) | 4,000-11,000 | Inbound calls -35% |
| Statistics and dashboard | 2,000-6,000 | Occupancy steering |
A medical center often starts with online booking + reminders + synchronized scheduling, a core around 26,000-35,000 GBP.
Mini case study
Sarah, manager of an 11-practitioner medical center in London, faced a 16% no-show rate and two receptionists overwhelmed by the phone. She invested 34,000 GBP in a custom platform (online booking, SMS reminders, synchronized scheduling).
Over 12 months: no-show fell to 10.5%, recovering about 160 consultations/month valued at 35 GBP, or 67,200 GBP of revenue recovered over the year. Inbound calls dropped 38%, freeing the equivalent of 0.5 FTE reception (about 18,000 GBP/year) reassigned to in-person welcome. The investment paid off in under 8 months, and the old per-practitioner subscription (about 30,000 GBP/year) disappeared.
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FAQ
How much do SMS reminders cost in real use?
Budget 0.03 to 0.06 GBP per SMS in 2026. For an 11-practitioner center sending about 3,500 reminders/month, the SMS budget is around 130 to 210 GBP/month, largely offset by the no-show drop.
Do patients adopt online booking?
Yes, 55 to 70% of bookings shift online within the first three months, a significant share in evenings and weekends, outside reception hours.
Can the software connect to an existing calendar?
Yes, synchronization with practitioner calendars (Google, Outlook, clinical calendars) is in the spec to avoid double entry.
How long to go live?
Budget 3 to 5 months for a full scope. Online booking can ship first, from week 8, for a quick win.
What happens to patient data?
It stays your property, hosted on infrastructure compliant with health requirements, with no resale or third-party exploitation.
Let's scope your project. Tell us your practitioner count and monthly appointment volume: we frame a scope between 20,000 and 60,000 GBP. Detailed quote within 48 h. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.
