Years ago, it was enough to provide high-quality care to build a successful medical practice. However, these days, much more goes into growing a healthcare practice. Physicians and their staff need to offer efficient, high-quality service as well as a thoughtful patient experience from the initial consultation to long-term care. 

The journey from potential patient to loyal patient can be long. It typically begins with an online search for a doctor and continues even after they leave their appointment. Each step of the patient journey should be created with convenience in mind. In fact, over 50% of patients would prefer a provider who personalizes and prioritizes the patient experience. 

Increasing the patient experience can help retain patients and greater patient satisfaction. Here are some ways to improve your patient experience.

5 Ways to Improve Your Patient Experience

1. Create a Strong Online Presence

Your online presence, primarily your website and healthcare local listing profiles, often acts as the first impression with potential patients. It’s your digital storefront – and serves as a direct reflection of your practice, physicians, and the care you provide. 

Make your services clear and use consistent language between various platforms – your website, social media, and local listing profiles such as WebMD and Healthgrades. If people know what to expect and the kind of treatments you provide, there is a greater chance they will schedule an appointment. Be sure to include clear, professional images of your practice: the outside, lobby, waiting room, and treatment rooms.

It’s important to keep vital business information updated like business hours, closures on holidays, providers, and any other important offerings that may make your practice seem more appealing and trustworthy to potential patients.

2. Maintain Strong Communication

Patients are busy, and staying in contact with patients helps reduce the amount of no-shows and builds a relationship with them. Automated reminders for appointment confirmations and reminders are preferred among many patients. Over 50% of patients want to receive a reminder for an upcoming appointment by text message. It can also be helpful to send follow up communication through text or email that allows patients the ability to make additional appointments. 

3. Minimize Office Wait Times

Waiting in a doctor’s office can be rather understandable – each patient’s needs are different. But when other patients feel like their schedules and needs are not being respoected, they are likely to become unhappy. Patient prioritize a short wait to see their doctors, only second to the quality care they recieve. 

Have the front staff be transparent with patients who are waiting and provide approximated wait times to patients when they check-in or tell them if the physician is running behind. The honesty and transparency will be appreciated. 

4. Follow Up After Appointments

In line with the patient journey to ensure they are satisfied, follow up with each patients after their appointment with an automated email or text survery. Patients are more likely to give feedback about their visit if presented with a survery in an easy way.

This is a good way to harvest positive reviews and testimonials and also learn about ways your practice can improve. Hearing about your physicians, office staff, and services through the eyes of a patient can lead to higher patient satisfaction.

5. Sharing Relevant and Useful Information

Using a blog and social media to share information that is relevant to your practice and services you offer is a great way to provide yoru patients and potential patients with valuable information. It builds trust and credibility in your field. Think about what your patients frequently ahve questions about – treatments provides, services offered, what conditions are treated – and develop those into blog posts or social media posts. This kind of educational content shows you care about your patients and establishes your authority in your specialty.

Share a mix of original content through blog posts and other medical articles or news posts that relate to your field.  Always be sure to lead patietns to your website to gather more information. 

For more help and insight on how to grow your medical practice, contact the team at MyeMed to learn about their services.