For practices with Zanda API access, RIKO's Zanda integration creates the client record and hands the patient to Zanda's own client portal to pick their exact appointment time. It doesn't create the appointment directly, because Zanda's public API has no endpoint for that yet - the API is still in beta, and appointments are read-only. Zanda has said broader write access is in development, and we'll extend the integration the moment it ships.
What the Zanda integration does today
When a patient books through RIKO at a Zanda-run practice with API access, RIKO creates their client record in Zanda using the client-profiles endpoint in Zanda's published API specification, then gives them the practice's own Zanda client portal link to choose their exact time slot and complete any consent forms or payment. That's not a workaround on our end - it matches how Zanda's own client portal is designed to work.
What it doesn't do is create the appointment itself. That's a real limitation of Zanda's current public API, not something specific to RIKO's implementation.
Why: Zanda's API is still in beta
Zanda's public API is a relatively new offering, and it's still being rolled out in stages. Here's how Zanda describes the current state, in their own words:
“At this stage, the API supports GET requests only, meaning you can retrieve available data from Zanda, test endpoints and responses, and validate the data structure for your integration needs.”
“We are currently working on adding POST functionality, which will allow you to create and update records via the API.”Source: Zanda Health Knowledge Base, "Zanda API"
One clarification worth making, because Zanda's own documentation reads two ways. The knowledge base describes the beta as GET-only, while the OpenAPI specification Zanda publishes does list a POST for client profiles. Appointments are the consistent part: there is no POST for them anywhere in the spec. That's the limitation that shapes how RIKO's integration works, and it's the one we're waiting on.
In other words, this isn't a gap Zanda has overlooked - it's a staged rollout, and appointment creation is simply further back in the queue than client records.
How this compares to Cliniko
Cliniko's public API has supported full read/write access to appointments for a long time, which is why RIKO's Cliniko integration works differently: it creates the confirmed booking directly in the practice's calendar, with no portal handoff required.
| Capability | Zanda (today) | Cliniko |
|---|---|---|
| Client record creation via API | Yes - client-profiles POST is in the published spec | Yes |
| Appointment creation via API | Not yet - no appointment POST in the spec | Yes - full read/write |
| How the patient picks a time | Zanda's own client portal, after RIKO creates the client record | RIKO books it directly - no extra step |
| API status | Public API in beta, rolling out in stages | Established, full read/write |
What this means if your practice runs on Zanda
Nothing changes about your day-to-day today - the client-record-plus-portal flow keeps working exactly as it does now, and patients still get a fast, correct path to booking. What changes is our roadmap: as soon as Zanda's API supports creating appointments, we'll build direct booking for Zanda the same way it already works for Cliniko. We're tracking Zanda's API documentation for that change and will post here again when it lands.