The standard approach — share your UPI ID, wait for a screenshot, verify manually — works until it doesn't. We've seen what happens when you use a proper payment system instead.
We work with private clinic doctors across India who do online consultations. The most common payment setup we see is: share a UPI ID on WhatsApp, ask the patient to pay, wait for them to send a screenshot, check the UPI app to verify, then confirm the appointment and send the meeting link.
For a few consultations a week this is manageable. Once the volume increases, the cracks show quickly.
Sharing a UPI ID publicly — on your WhatsApp status, your Instagram bio, your booking messages — means anyone can see it and send whatever amount they choose. There's no order tied to a specific patient, a specific appointment slot, or a specific fee.
Then the screenshot verification. The patient pays and sends a screenshot. You're in the middle of a consultation, so you miss the message. They follow up. You check the UPI app, try to match the name and amount to the right patient, confirm manually, then send the meeting link. That's four steps after payment before the appointment is actually confirmed.
A few other things we've heard from doctors who've been through this:
None of this is a reason to stop doing online consultations — it's just a reason to set up a proper payment system before you scale.
When a patient pays through a payment gateway like Razorpay, the system creates a payment order with the exact amount you set. The patient can pay via UPI, debit card, credit card, or net banking — whichever they prefer. The amount is fixed by you, not entered by them.
Once the payment goes through, Razorpay sends a webhook — a background notification to the booking system — confirming that the specific order was paid. No screenshot needed. No manual verification. The booking system knows the payment went through before you open any app.
Refunds can be initiated programmatically too, which means if a consultation doesn't happen you can process the refund from the same system without asking for UPI details again.
Think of it as the billing counter for your online clinic.
A physical clinic has a payment desk — patients pay before seeing the doctor, the amount is fixed, and the receipt is printed automatically. A payment gateway does the same thing for your online consultations.
A payment gateway on its own still leaves you with manual steps — you still need to confirm the appointment and send the Google Meet link after payment clears. What makes the whole flow automatic is connecting the booking system, the payment, and the meeting link into one sequence.
The way it works with FormAlert's online consultation setup: the patient opens your booking link, sees your live schedule, picks a slot, and pays through Razorpay. The moment Razorpay confirms payment, a Google Meet link is automatically generated for that appointment and sent to the patient via WhatsApp. You don't touch anything until it's time for the call.
How the flow runs
Patient opens your booking link
They see your live available slots for online consultations — set separately from your in-clinic hours.
Patient picks a slot and pays via Razorpay
UPI, card, net banking — their choice. The slot is held but not confirmed until payment goes through.
Razorpay confirms payment automatically
No screenshot. No manual check. The webhook fires immediately when payment clears.
Google Meet link generated and sent via WhatsApp
A unique Meet link is created for that appointment and sent to the patient. They also get a reminder with the link before the call.
You open your dashboard and join
At the scheduled time, the upcoming consultation shows in your dashboard. Patient details on the same screen.
You can charge differently for online vs in-clinic visits. Most of the doctors we work with set a lower fee for follow-ups and prescription renewals online, and a higher fee for specialist second opinions. The booking link lets you set the fee per appointment type.
Patients don't need a Google account to join the Meet. The link opens in any mobile browser — no app, no sign-in. This matters because most patients won't download anything just to join a call.
Online consultation slots are separate from your in-clinic schedule. You set specific hours for video calls — you don't have to offer online consultations at the same time you're seeing in-clinic patients.
Setting this up takes under 10 minutes. You connect your Razorpay account, set your online consultation fee and hours, and share your booking link. The Razorpay connection is the only thing that takes any effort — the rest is filling in a form.
Do I need a Razorpay account to accept payments for online consultations?
Yes. Razorpay requires a registered business or individual account with KYC verification. The process takes 1–3 business days. Once your account is verified, you connect it to your booking system and it handles all payment collection and settlement.
What payment methods can patients use?
UPI (all apps), debit cards, credit cards, and net banking. Razorpay supports all major Indian banks and payment apps. You don't need to configure anything — all modes are available by default.
What happens if a patient pays but the consultation doesn't happen?
Refunds can be initiated through the system. The patient's payment details are already on record — you don't need to ask for their UPI ID or bank details. How quickly the refund reaches the patient depends on their bank, typically 5–7 business days.
Is sharing a UPI ID for online consultations against any rules?
Not technically, but many doctors' UPI IDs are linked to personal bank accounts, which means you're sharing a personal financial identifier with patients — and with anyone who sees your public profiles. A payment gateway creates a cleaner separation between your practice finances and your personal accounts.
Does this work for multi-doctor clinics?
Yes. Each doctor can have their own online consultation schedule and fee. Patients book with the specific doctor they want, pay the correct fee, and receive a meeting link. All bookings show up in the same clinic dashboard.
More from the blog
FormAlert connects your booking link, Razorpay, and Google Meet. Patient books, pays, gets the link — you join the call. Setup takes under 10 minutes.
14-day free trial · no credit card · live in 10 minutes