Not too long ago, providing excellent care was all you needed for a successful chiropractic practice. Doctors today, however, face some unique challenges. Chiropractors and their staff must provide high-quality, efficient service to attract new patients and achieve high patient retention.
The road from potential patient to returning, loyal patient is long and typically starts with an online search for a chiropractor. The importance of your online presence and the efforts you make to ensure each step is designed for the ease and convenience of your patients cannot be stressed enough. Prioritizing the patient experience can lead to great patient satisfaction and higher patient retention. Here are our tips.
Create a helpful online presence.
Your online presence — from social media accounts to your website — is key to making a great first impression with prospective patients.
Your practice’s website is basically your online home base. It serves as a reflection of your practice’s overall brand. To help patients understand what to expect from the chiropractic care they are to receive, make sure you offer clear, consistent information. Showcase high-quality pictures of your practice along with testimonials from current patients, which helps establish trust.
You also want to be sure your practice is accurately represented beyond your website. Claim and update any profiles and make sure your social media accounts are all in line.
Offer online scheduling.
From ordering dinner to — you guessed it — scheduling chiropractic appointments, people want the freedom and convenience of doing things online. Think about this: according to Accenture, 68% of healthcare consumers are more likely to choose a doctor who offers the ability to book, change, or cancel appointments online. On top of that, according to Intuit,47% of patients would consider switching doctors for a practice that offered the ability to complete important tasks online, such as appointment scheduling.
The point is your practice will be better off if you invest in online scheduling to keep new and returning patients satisfied.
Send out appointment confirmations and reminders.
You’re busy, your staff is busy, and your patients are busy. Help them stay in communication with your practice by offering appointment confirmation and reminder messages. Not only do these reminders let your patients know you value their time, but they also help you reduce costly no-shows.
These confirmations and reminders can be sent by email or text once patients have booked. Be sure to include a confirmation request and if you don’t hear back, send another reminder the day before an even an hour before the scheduled appointment.
Make paperwork available online.
Your patients will appreciate the opportunity to complete tedious paperwork online from the comfort of their own home, rather than while sitting in your waiting room. This avoids trying to rush it in before their adjustment.
Instruct front office staff to be friendly and helpful.
Building a strong staff is key to the success of your chiropractic practice. If your patients are to continue coming in, you need to provide them with an excellent experience. A warm, welcoming staff sets a positive tone from the moment they walk through your doors. Simple gestures like a smile, saying hello, and being friendly during check-in are all that’s needed to get the visit started off right.
Follow up appointments with a survey
Want to know what you can do better to help with patient retention? Show your patients you value their feedback by sending out automated patient satisfaction surveys. If sent via text or email, they will yield higher engagement as patients aren’t as likely to submit a survey on their own.
The best time to get feedback is shortly after a visit, as the experience will still be at the forefront. Even negative can help improve the quality of your services and practice, leading to happier patients and better reviews over time.
There are many more factors that go into providing your patients with a positive experience. Taking the steps to create a great experience for your patients will increase satisfaction, leading to higher patient retention. To learn more about how ChiroDestiny can help your practice find success, click here to schedule a complimentary coaching call.