Increasing your patient retention rate by just 5% can see you increase profits by 25%.
Many medical practices take their patients for granted, focusing on getting new patients. But this will hurt their practice in the long term. Looking after your current patients will pay off, but it can be difficult to know what to try.
We are here to help. Try these patient retention tips to help keep the patients you already have.
1. Extend your Office Hours
It may be difficult for patients to come into your practice during normal working hours. If your patients can’t get an appointment that works for them, they will look for somewhere that they can.
Try extending your working hours by opening early or staying open late a few days a week. This will help to accommodate patients with busy work and home lives. Patients are also more likely to come in if they don’t have to lose a days holiday.
2. Convenience Features
Patients’ busy lives mean that convenience is more important than ever. Technology gives you plenty of ways to provide simple and convenient features for your patients.
Providing online bookings will allow your patients to make appointments whether your practice is open or not. It will also help to reduce the strain on your receptionists!
Don’t just stop there. Extra services like a patient portal or the ability to pay their bills online, like offered by Watertown dentist, are always popular.
3. Remember your Patients
Your patients are more than their medical history. Patients leave when they feel unappreciated, so making them feel special will boost retention.
Just remembering a single non-medical fact about a patient will make them feel valued. It will also make small-talk much easier!
Setting up systems to recognize a patient’s birthday or wedding anniversary is easy, and will help to build your relationship with your patients.
4. Post Opt Calls
Follow-up calls have shown to improve how patients view the care they have received. They also help you by identifying any complications before they become major problems.
This has the dual benefit of helping to protect your reputation and making patients feel cared for. Patients will remember the gesture, and be left with a positive impression of their experience.
5. Seek Feedback
If patients don’t like what you are doing, they will look elsewhere for a better service.
Giving your patients the opportunity to complete a after each visit will help you get feedback and give them a voice. This can open a dialogue with patients and make them feel like they have a stake in the practice.
Be sure to actually read the surveys. You may find useful advice to improve your services
Boost Your Patient Retention
Following these tips should quickly see positive results for your patient retention. They will make visiting your practice easy, and make your patients feel appreciated when they are there and after a visit.
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