HOW TO KEEP PATIENTS FOR LIFE

The art of patient retention begins with your practice is structure.  A few basic rules:

Hire pleasant, enthusiastic, caring team members.

            Train team members well, and appreciate them openly.

            Make sure the office itself is attractive, modern, impeccably clean, in good repair                     including chair coverings in both reception and clinic areas, has visible,
                    noteworthy signage---in short, a place that feels and looks good.

             Market your practice constantly and memorably, making full use of social media                                        as well as print media and community activities.

            Deliver top quality care to make you and your staff proud and patients delighted.

            Adhere to sound fiscal management including an annual budget put into writing                                           and into practice.

            Strive to show patients how much you and your staff care for each one as an                                                 individual, not simply a “crown prep in chair III.”

            Delegate meaningful responsibilities to team members and then avoid micro-                                               managing.

            Share your vision of what your excellent practice will look and feel like, and then                                         depend on your team to set the ambiance and culture of the office so that                                               each patient has an excellent experience at every appointment.  

Notice that the bare-bones list above begins and ends focused on team members.  Patients are persuaded to remain in your practice by evidence of the genuine, unshakable, enthusiastic commitment of your team, you included, to their care, comfort, and long term health.  One of your most significant responsibilities as Team Leader is to convince every team member that she/he is THE KEY to keeping patients for life.

Make an honest evaluation here.  Just between you and me…is your team lacking sincere passion for patient service and real concern for patient retention?  If the answer is “Yes.”, reproduce the piece below, making a copy for each team member.  Discuss the concept in several team meetings, brainstorming ways each person can enrich patients’ experiences in your office.  Encourage team members to take this piece home to re-read and to take to heart.

  

You Arx a Kxy Pxrson

Xvxn though my computxr  is an old modxl, it works vxry wxll---xxcxpt for onx kxy.  You would think that with all thx othxr kxys functioning propxrly, onx kxy not working would hardly bx noticed; but just onx kxy out of whack sxxms to ruin thx wholx xffort.

You may say to yoursxlf---“Wxll, I’m only onx pxrson.  No onx will noticx if I don’t do my bxst. Patixnts won’t noticx if I’m cross as a bxar today.”  But it doxs makx a diffxrxncx bxcausx to bx xffxctivx, an organization nxxds activx participation by xvxry onx to the best of his or hxr ability.

So thx nxxt timx you think you arx not important to how our patixnts fxxl whxn thxy arx hxrx and how long thxy will choosx to rxmain our patixnts, rxmxmbxr my old computxr.  YOU are a kxy pxrson!