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6 Ways to Improve Dental Marketing

It’s common for things to go wrong in any medical practice. Doctors and other medical professionals may run late, patients may have a bad day, and papers may get mixed up. However, what’s important is how you handle these adverse events and turn them around. It’s crucial to learn how to improve patient satisfaction to retain your patients and grow your business, even on a bad day. Your front office plays a vital role in building positive patient relationships. Consider implementing the following strategies to enhance your approval rating and boost your medical marketing efforts.

at the dentist Photo by Bekky Bekks on Unsplash

  1. To provide excellent service, it is essential to start preparing for the patient’s visit before they arrive at the waiting room. You can do this by giving them a courtesy call the day before their appointment to confirm the reason for their visit. Double-checking their appointment details and updating the patient’s file with any new information will help the doctor and the patient better prepare for the holiday. This will lead to a more effective and efficient healthcare experience.
  2. Improving the waiting room experience of patients is essential for any healthcare facility. One way to do this is by greeting patients by name as soon as they enter the facility and confirming the reason for their visit. It is also essential to keep them informed about any delays in the doctor’s schedule and provide a regular update every 15 minutes. Additionally, beverages such as water, tea, or coffee can significantly improve the waiting experience and help patients feel more comfortable and relaxed.
  3. Patients often complain about long wait times, which can sometimes be unavoidable. Even if patients are informed about the delay, it may not always satisfy them. If a delay is expected to last longer, consider giving patients a small gift, such as a $5 gift card to a local restaurant, as a token of your appreciation for their patience. Demonstrating to patients that you understand their time is valuable and that you are taking steps to address the delay can play a significant role in retaining their loyalty.
  4. Creating preprinted cards that serve as apology letters for patients who have had a negative experience can be helpful. Such cards would acknowledge the problem, thank the patient for bringing it to your attention, and outline the steps that will be taken to rectify the situation. In many cases, patients only seek acknowledgment that they have been inconvenienced and that the issue will be addressed.
  5. It is essential to implement a follow-up system in your practice. This involves having a staff member make a brief call to check on the patient’s well-being, which helps establish rapport and shows that the method genuinely cares about the individual. Such personalized care can be precious in growing your business. Please note that any spelling, grammar, or punctuation errors have been corrected.
  6. Utilize an online referral management system to ensure you have the latest details about the patient. This will also save you time from having to ask the patient to wait while you contact the referring physician’s office for additional paperwork via fax. An online solution will reduce the waiting period and make the referral process more efficient.

Retaining patients and expanding your business is possible even before they visit your office and leave. By improving the pre- and post-visit experience, your front office can contribute to the growth and success of your practice.

Check out more medical marketing techniques at medical marketing strategies.

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