The patient base for any healthcare organization, or ambulatory services, or practice group is ever-evolving. It varies from time to time, and if not taken care of properly, it may affect the patient loyalty program.
The process of improving the retention of patients consists of several factors. Whether you ask for treatments in the plastic surgery department, dental care, or any other medical domain, patient retention’s underlying strategy remains more or less similar.
Considering many such factors, let’s discuss how the frontline staff can boost and accelerate patient retention for their respective healthcare organizations.
Provide Good Customer Service
Loyalty Program and Customer Service are inseparable. Without proper and excellent customer service, the Patient Loyalty Program is incomplete.
To improve customer service experience, NextBee’s patient retention platform offers substantial benefits with its overwhelming features revolves around its AI-based programming. Some of them are:
- A perfect CX360 overview that has 100% positive Return on Investment
- Brands can design customized rewards for their loyal patients
- Through its predictive analysis features, data points can be used to maximize community impact that increases the customer lifetime value
Investing adequate time and money to build a winning customer service system will boost your business, patient satisfaction, and experience. In a quality Patient Loyalty Program, there are various options for attending to the patients and giving them a better experience.
Being Proactive
Frontline staff must be proactive in approaching the patients and taking care of them. Don’t wait for the patients to come up to you; rather, be upfront to help them when required.
Be it – setting an appointment, solving any issue, sharing any information related to your healthcare service, communicating, and many more – always try to be on your toes to attend to them.
The patients appreciate these qualities of the frontline staff. They enjoy being in a comfort zone and feel good. But one thing to remember for the team – don’t overdo anything.
Give Value to Your Patients
It’s quintessential to train your office staff to treat each patient well and show respect to them. The more care you give, the more likely they are to return to avail of your service. Along with it, offering them a tremendous medical treatment with proper diagnosis also counts in the goodwill. Try to be nice while you speak.
Presentation and the first impression matter a lot for any business. Try to be cordial and provide all the necessary information the patients are asking for.
If they are facing any problem, try to come up with a solution. Conclude the conversation on a good note. Communication is the key factor that can impress a patient instantly or distress an individual if not done correctly.
Attend Phone Calls
It’s vital to receive phone calls when patients call to book an appointment, especially during working hours. When the phone keeps on ringing, and there is no one to attend to it, it seems frustrating for the patients.
It is crucial to remember that seeking an appointment for medical treatment must be taken care of very seriously. Since it is a matter of health necessary to be cured on time without much delay, make sure you attend the phone call right away with a friendly voice.
Call Back When Necessary
Though it is required to operate 24×7, especially for medical practices, people sometimes tend to set a time (working hours) to attend phone calls. Your office may be closed (outside working hours), and a patient may leave a message. In such cases, call them back the moment you resume work.
For any miscall or message, call them back within the hour. It makes them feel special and also tells them that they are essential to you. Let’s not delay doing so since many competitors in the market might get a call from the patients instead of you. Thereby you will miss an opportunity to serve the patients and retaining them.
Follow Up Calls
Surveys done on healthcare domain show that follow-up call to the patients makes a good mark in the patients’ minds. On the onset, it would help to gauge how the patient is reacting to the medical service they received, whether they are happy or a bit unsatisfied.
This type of practice will help you stay ahead of your competitors since many do not do so. The healthcare organizations can also include various rewards and complementary treatments to the patients for instigating them to come again.
Improve The Process
The way a healthcare unit operates must be devoid of complexity and inconvenience. One of the common complaints you face from the patients is that how long they need to sit in your waiting room for an appointment.
You may certainly try to get in as many people as possible but remember to be accurate and realistic while setting an appointment. While patients try to ask for a solution to problems, answer them promptly. Lack of clarity on billing procedures can also affect patient loyalty.
It is vital to streamline the process in an organization for patients so that they keep coming back again and again. It is also essential to implement a quality Patient Loyalty Program in the business ecosystem for a better patient retention strategy.
NextBee is one of the Patient Loyalty Program’s top providers that boosts customer retention and brings high-quality referrals. Implement a successful Loyalty Program about your healthcare business requirements.
From small practices to large healthcare organizations, patient retention has been an important aspect. It is time-consuming and can’t yield overnight results. But, if maintained well with persistence and dedication, success is bound to come.
NextBee has the knowledge and expertise to take patient retention to the next level. Contact us to learn more about our patient loyalty program and strategies.
