Communication with patients can be extremely easy, especially in our age of texting and email. Oftentimes though, when the message is not an easy one, getting in touch with them can become difficult and time-consuming.
Is your team communicating with patients effectively? Are your emails being returned? Did they get that text from you confirming their appointment?
A trap exists where we can fall into a rut of relying on a single form of communication. The best approach is a well-rounded effort. While many platforms exist that allow us to text or email with very little effort, a phone call is still an extremely effective way to remind a patient about a follow-up visit to ensure proper after care.
Phone conversations can often be uncomfortable, especially when you are attempting to collect payments, or following-up on outstanding treatment.
Mixing things up when the conversation is a difficult one is a great way to get a response. You’ve tried emailing, you’ve sent a text, you’ve even picked up the phone…. Now what? Why not try actually writing them a letter? It may sound archaic, but when was the last time someone actually sent you a hand-written letter?
Getting a patient to respond, especially when you haven’t heard from them in months, is not easy. Think about it, patients are bombarded (just like you) all day with texts and email. Eventually, your messages will fall into spam, or worse, they’ll be deleted without even being read. Stand out from the pack by embracing more personal communication again.
Making your patients feel special, even the difficult ones, is a low-impact way of re-establishing a connection. You’ll find that doing so often eases the stress of collections.
Start by sending all patients who are six months overdue for care a hand-written letter from their hygienist or one of your team members. Mix up your communication styles and follow-up on a regular basis to reinforce the importance of the message.
If you’d like more ideas for patient communication techniques, or if you need a dental billing specialist to help you sort through the business-end of your practice, contact our office today. We will schedule an evaluation and work together to create a custom plan that puts your goals first.
Copyright 2022 © Discover Dental Practice Solutions, LLC
Designed by: Bradan
