Since early 2020, you may have experienced a shortage of patients. It is clear that millions of people nationwide, including those whom you treat, have been cautious or even afraid to visit the doctor’s office. While this fear has strongly decreased over the years, COVID-19 is still around. Moreover, many trends that emerged during this pandemic are likely to stay with us for the time being. Patients have become accustomed to online technologies, such as telemedicine.
Therefore, the implementation of such innovative practice features will help you to attract & satisfy more patients in 2022. Our experts have come up with 7 patient engagement solutions that will maximize your practice revenue & reputation this year:
I. Appointment booking tool
Having an easy-to-use portal that allows patients to schedule an appointment online is a win-win strategy. Not only do you save time to your patients, but also relieve your staff from mundane phone calls and errors in data entry. You don’t need to have a sophisticated software to set up this feature. Indeed, a regular Google Calendar is more than enough.
Time is money, and mistakes are expensive.
II. Online check-in
While your practice is definitely not an airport, it would still be great to let your patients check in from the comfort of their homes. For example, review of demographics and insurance coverage, as well signing of consent forms and questionnaires can be done online prior to an appointment. This can potentially save your staff & patients lots of time, not to mention less crowded waiting rooms.
III. Automated appointment and outstanding balance reminders
We all have busy lives. Your patients may sometimes forget about their upcoming in-person or telehealth visit. Therefore, it is good to have an automated tool that would send SMS or email reminders shortly before the scheduled date. More importantly, the same automated tool can be used to keep your patients updated on their unpaid deductible and coinsurance.
IV. Online payment
Once your patients are aware of their out-of-pocket expenses, their primary concern would be how to pay for them without a hassle. Paper checks and wire transfers are relics of the past! Most people prefer entering their credit card details on a website and being instantly charged. Therefore, we recommend that you add such an option to your website. Google/Apple Pay is the most easy-to-install option.
V. Telemedicine
Virtual care still plays a critical role when it comes to ways of attracting more patients. As we mentioned above, the virus is still here, and another lockdown may become a reality. Moreover, telemedicine can also be helpful for patients with mental health issues. Having a session with a practitioner in a private, secure, and comfortable area that the patient is familiar with may reduce no-shows and maximize the quality of services.
VI. Providing care outside of the regular office hours
Imagine a patient who is experiencing a significant health crisis on Sunday night, desperately needing your help. Despite the fact that it is a weekend, and you may be having barbeques with your family at that time, you still go to your office and provider top-quality care to the patient in need. This is what makes you special! Word of mouth is powerful, and patients are likely to recommend your office to their friends in need.
VII. Social Media Marketing
In 2022, promoting your business on Instagram, LinkedIn, or Facebook is the best way to attract patients. Targeted ads do miracles. A bemused patient with a headache or back pain first googles their symptoms. This is where they are likely to find out about your office.
At WCH Service Bureau, we strive to share the most effective business strategies with our clients. Check out WCH Insights, our monthly magazine for more information.
