Think Differently: Three Ways to Profitably Grow Your Medical Practice and Retain Your Patient
By Mike Slusarz
As Apple repositioned its brand in the late 20th century to push the computer world forward, today most medical groups and physician practices have to do the same.
With so much information readily available with a keystroke, patients no longer have to go to the closest physician group, or even remain loyal to physicians they have been going to for years. Think of all the reasons someone may decide to switch doctors – changes in health insurance coverage, dissatisfaction with wait times, or just a one-time negative experience during a visit.
Here are three ways physician practices and medical groups can avoid losing patient’s and position their practices for growth:
Focus on consistent, differentiated and relevant branding messaging
You may feel your expertise and clinical experience sets you apart compared to competing practices, and it may. But today patients are looking for more, and every touchpoint has to deliver a clear and compelling experience for the patient. It is as much about the message and channel as it is about the uniqueness, personality and tone of your brand messages. To successfully grow your practice, you need to identify things that make your practice and team unique and leverage those because it’s what patients talk about when they leave your practice
Measure the patient experience
Word-of-mouth recommendations remain the best way to capture new patients. If you don’t have a formal reputation management or patient experience program in place, now is the time to implement one.
Reputation management programs provide real-time feedback, service recovery options and enhance SEO strategies. Surveying discharged patients not only captures real-time patient feedback within a few days of a patient’s office visit, but can also reinforce key elements of a new culture-building campaign.
We have seen successful practices increase new patient leads by 60% or more through a successful reputation management and patient experience program.
Expand your digital front office
Finding a more efficient and effective way to utilize your practice management system and electronic health record platform enhances access to care, increases profitability and improves the overall patient experience. Important technology solutions to expand your digital front office experience include:
Remote online appointment scheduling, check-in process and pre-appointment form submissions
Text messaging, emails and Robo-calls to confirm and schedule new appointments
Robust patient portals
Telemedicine care
Targeted digital communications to current patients
Even if you are happy with your current patient volume, long term business success can’t happen without a thoughtful and well-planned marketing strategy to keep your brand at the forefront of your patients or prospective patients’ minds.
In closing, just as physicians tell their patients that “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure,” so too can “thinking differently” and being proactive in expanding your practices ability to connect with your patients and community which will help you avoid losing patients, accelerate new patient acquisition and referrals, and position your practice for growth.
Our team of experts understand that change is never easy, but we are ready to help you grow your practice, improve retention, and thrive.
To find out more visit us at https://www.princetonpartnershealthcare.com/