Patient Retention Strategies for Your Medical Practice
Marketing is not a one size fits all strategy. Every medical practice is as unique as its patient base, so your marketing strategy must also be unique. One of your top priorities, outside of providing excellent care, should be patient retention. Patient retention may seem simple, but the reality is that earning your patient’s loyalty can be complex. As we enter Q4, are you noticing your retention rate isn’t as high as you would like it to be? If the answer is yes, start with these tips to boost your patient retention and engagement metrics.
Where Everybody Knows Your Name:
Administrative staff are a patient’s first point of contact when walking into or calling your practice. You can be a great doctor, but if your staff lacks professionalism and compassion, your patients will notice. It can be easy to fall into a robotic process as the same patterns are repeated daily, but genuinely knowing your patients is what sets apart a good practice from a great one. Train your administrative staff to view your patients not as a condition but as a person who may be filled with uncertainty and anxiety. Encourage your administrative staff to engage your patients, learn their names, and create an environment that sets them at ease.
I’m Listening:
The Beryl Institute recently researched the patient experience attempting to gauge what patients considered the most critical aspects of their treatment. Unsurprisingly, communication topped the list. 94% of patients placed a great emphasis on being listened to. Active listening builds trust. When patients can communicate their symptoms, fears, or concerns over a diagnosis, they will feel more at ease following your care plan. Active listening also assists you in adequately diagnosing and treating your patients. View this as teamwork between you and your patient where a proper diagnosis and treatment plan is the mutual goal. The outcome can be a great patient success story, which will also become your success story.
Out of Sight, Out of Mind:
Ongoing communication is vital to patient retention. And following up with your patients is an opportunity that is frequently missed. You don’t want your patient to leave your practice and forget about you. A large part of cultivating a relationship is remaining engaged. This can be accomplished with a phone call, letter, newsletter, survey or a combination of tactics. Not every practice has the bandwidth to make a phone call, so develop a strategy that makes sense for your practice. For example, newsletters, even if sent only once per month, provide an opportunity to highlight your practice and advise your patients. Use this medium to educate your patients with the latest health tips, keep them up to date on your latest offerings, and remind them that their health is your priority. But communication is a two-way street and only choosing to engage with a newsletter is not always going to provide you with the proper answers to perfect your service.
Blogs, social media posts, and ad words campaigns can get you noticed, but how you and your staff interact with your patients is what you will be remembered for. Remember, 50% of patients will communicate their good or bad experiences. Soft skills as basic as listening, communicating, and following through can be what sets you apart from your competition. At McCauley Marketing Services, our team has a unique skill set beyond simply marketing your healthcare practice. We also provide you and your staff with the tools and training necessary to develop these soft skills, which are vital to your internal marketing plan. If you desire to increase patient retention but are struggling with where to begin, call McCauley Marketing Services. Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook and Instagram for more insights and marketing tips.