4 Tips for Improving Patient Retention
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If you’re on the verge of starting a medical practice, it matters a lot to create a patient retention strategy. You may find it difficult to promote your services due to limitations in resources and materials but your practice can thrive when you’re able to forge long-lasting relationships with patients. Trust is the foundation of success in the medical sector no matter your specialization so you must know how to develop it.
This is where a patient retention strategy comes along. The aim here is to develop a reason for people to trust your services. As your practice grows, you can maintain a strong revenue stream supported by a loyal patient base. For sure, it’s not something you can build overnight, so here’s a simple guide to show you how it’s properly done:
1. Stay connected and engaged
When it comes to patient retention, communication is a top priority. You will want patients to keep in touch with you on matters concerning their most pressing needs. On your end, you need to be able to provide timely information, make yourself available for inquiries, and respond to emergencies.
The amount of time and resources you put into patient communications is a catalyst for building loyalty. You just need to provide patients with multiple contact points to use. Aside from a hotline, you can also use SMS alerts, mass emails, and chatbots on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram.
2. Train your Staff
Negative patient comments are often the result of maltreatment by nurses, interns, and attendants. In addition to losing a loyal patient, negative feedback could also make it difficult to promote your practice. News travels fast and considering people now base their choice of a healthcare provider on reviews, you wouldn’t want your medical staff to cause your downfall.
With that being said, make sure to train your staff in communicating properly with patients, handling disputes, coping with workplace stress, and responding to immediate needs. Make it a standard in your practice to train recruits and interns on customer service in the healthcare context. That way, they can steer clear of actions that will cause patients to look for another provider.
3. Simplify your processes
Aside from cranky nurses, patients also cite inefficiency as a good reason to jump ship. If you’re unable to address insanely long waiting times, inaccurate billing and coding processes, and poor record keeping, then don’t expect patients to stay with you any longer. For this reason, consider identifying bottlenecks in your processes.
You can do this by reviewing your clinical workflows, providing telehealth options for initial consultations, and improving user experience on your website, especially the appointment scheduling feature. While you’re at it, simplify other aspects of your practice. Use software for automating records management and handling the procurement of medical swabs, lab tools, and other equipment.
4. Always ask for feedback
For the most part, you wouldn’t know if patients are loving the level of care and attention they get from you. Oftentimes, you only know of their dissatisfaction through a negative review on Yelp. Rather than ignoring the possibility of such feedback, consider giving out survey forms asking about their experiences.
Make the form as straightforward as possible and provide space for patients to talk about issues that are included in the survey question. Some of the comments might be unflattering but they can help you gain insight on what your practice lacks. That way, you will know if your patient retention strategy is working as intended or causing you to lose clients and revenue.
Endnote
By doubling down on these tips, your healthcare practice has a better chance of thriving well into the future. You can bet your loyal patients will still be there for you!
