With the COVID-19 pandemic still at its highest, many outpatient healthcare offices are experiencing a shortage in patients’ appointments. While some patients may prefer to have a telemedicine visit in order not to expose themselves to the virus, others may not be wishing to schedule an appointment at all for various reasons.
Today, we would like to share a tangible strategy that can help you increase the number of patients coming to your office regardless of the circumstances.
I. Dedicate yourself & your resources to promoting your business
Set a social agenda about your practice – the more people will be hearing about your office, the more likely they will visit it. Do not be afraid to spend funds on native advertising both online and offline. Yes, word of mouth is powerful, but there are some more effective methods out there in the XXI century. Our advice is to work on your website’s search engine optimization and purchase some paid advertisements on Google. This can ensure that your practice will be showing up as one of the first search results when a patient would be googling something like “a doctor near me”.
II. Implement online appointment scheduling
So many people are introverted these days! Your potential patients may find it more convenient to schedule an appointment online, rather than via phone call. Besides, it is simply less time-consuming both for your front desk and for your patients. There are dozens of platforms on the market that offer free scheduling features.
III. Offer after-hours in-person and telehealth visits
Sometimes it is hard even to talk to a doctor during regular business hours. Treating patients in the evenings and on public holidays will strongly increase the demand for your service. Your practice could potentially “stand out of the crowd”.
IV. Improve the accessibility of your office location
Physically challenged patients need medical care as no one else does. Therefore, it is critical to ensure that your office is easily accessible to people who use wheelchairs, or to those who are permanently blind. By emphasizing accessibility in your agenda, not only do you help those who are always in need of quality care, but you also experience a constant patient flow due to an increased demand for accessible care.
V. Outsource your medical billing and credentialing to WCH Service Bureau, Inc
By delegating your claims billing and payment collection to a third-party team of experts, you can potentially save a lot of time and effort, allowing yourself to provide top-quality care to your patients.
