MDBilling

There are many factors that go into the ownership or management of a successful medical practice. One of the best ways to ensure that your practice has a steady flow of revenue is through patient retention. This article discusses proven methods for retaining your patients so that you do not have to spend crucial advertising dollars on attracting new ones.

 For starters, ask your friends and family for recommendations on what they expect out of their practitioner. These recommendations often come from their own experiences and may not match up with what you want or what you think your patients want. This approach may help you know what your patients want out of your practice in the long run. As a practitioner, it’s difficult to change your mindset to that of a patient. Take each patient interaction as a chance to gain insight into what each demographic considers when deciding their long term provider.   

There are also many ways to show patients that you are on their side. The most important thing is to create a relationship with them. The worst thing you can do as a practitioner is treating a patient as another file. One of the most effective ways to help create a relationship with your patients is by implementing a patient portal. Patient portals give your patients a sense of transparency and ease of access to you and your practice. Patients are given access to view lab results and doctor notes, in addition to being able to communicate with your office. A patient portal is a tool that allows patients to be more involved in their healthcare without the inconvenience of having to make an appointment. This method of interaction makes it easier for you and your staff to keep track of how much time a patient will likely spend with you during the visit.

Optimizing payment collection can also be an effective strategy in improving patient satisfaction and retention. If a patient struggles to understand or pay out-of-pocket costs it can be discouraging to return to that practice, so it’s important for front desk staff to pay attention and be aware of any confusion. Then, front desk staff should be able to either explain what the patient needs to do or point them to someone who does. This is where the benefits of outsourcing really come in handy. 

At the end of the day, patient retention comes down to how effortless you make the entire interaction experience for the patient. If you are able to create a relationship with your patients and a feeling of trust, then the likelihood that they will return to your office increases.  If you can implement these steps into your practice then future advertising dollars can go towards expanding your business and increasing revenue