Converting Patients in Today’s Market Space

Converting patients has to do with providing the best service like a beautiful day at an ideal spa. Your patients must be pampered from the moment they arrive. Remember that your patient has had an experience with another physician in the past. He or she has also likely considered others for the service they are seeing you for. In the past, they embraced the physician’s philosophy of patient care and business leadership of another medical provider. Now, it’s time decide if they will have a relationship with you and your practice. With the right techniques, your conversion rates can be as high as 90 to 95 percent. Without the right techniques, your conversion rate can be as low as 50 percent or much worse.

• The first phone call can be welcoming to set your prospective patients at ease. Appointments reminders can be inviting and encouraging in the form the patients prefers, including: email, text or phone call.
• Offering a bottle of water and a smile upon entry can go a long way towards patient satisfaction, conversion and retention.
• Personal touches by informing patients of each step before it occurs and leading patients out the door for their exit can put patients at ease.
• Introducing patients to the physician, as well as, communicating trust and respect, lets your patient know they are in good hands. If the practice is running behind schedule, inform the patient and ask if there is anything that they need.
• Thanking your patients from the phone call to the end of the appointment demonstrates you are being cordial- there is power in gratitude. Sending a thank you note and surveying your patients lets your patients know you really care to ensure they are satisfied with your service.
• Discussing finance issues with genuine care and concern in privacy can be a refreshing change for patients.
• The ambiance in the office must be warm, clean and hospitable.
• Following up personally by phone lets your patients know you are in tune with their needs.
• The informed consent approach lets patients take doctors more seriously when they provide comprehensive information, demonstrate results of the procedure (before and after photos and patient testimonials,) as well as, follow up with the patient post-procedure.

Your patients need excellent service. They need to understand how important the treatment is and what will happen if they do not have it completed.  In fact, follow up after a positive patient experience lends an opportunity to generate patient referrals and to secure a testimonial.