Everyone loves a repeat patient, but new patients are key to practice sustainability. If you’re looking to win big when it comes to the new patient pipeline, lace up your acquisition skates and use these top tips to score the clients you need to keep your bottom line in contention!
1. Shoot for High-Quality Reviews
Reviews are a key social proof metric. In fact, 74% of patients check reviews when choosing a doctor, with 50% trusting them as much as a personal recommendation. Boost your ranking on Google and Yelp by encouraging patients to leave a write-up post-appointment. The higher your overall rating, the better – so line up to take that shot!
2. Skate to Success with a Great Location
Being conveniently located is vital. A study from Washington State showed that patients are willing to drive for about half an hour to access routine and urgent care. Ask them to travel longer than that, and you’ll reduce your pool of prospective patients unless you’re in a remote or specialized area. Worried you’re on thin ice when it comes to your location? The team at GZ can help you find a winning spot.
3. Break the Ice with Cross-Cultural Sensitivity
Patients want to know that their care team understands them. Physicians with multi-lingual staff can be a crucial factor when choosing a doctor. For example, 60% of Hispanic adults reported having difficulty communicating with healthcare professionals. Strive to break down communication gaps, hire a team that reflects your community, and offer multi-lingual or accessible services that reduce friction and improve inclusivity.
4. Score with Easy Booking and Payments
It’s time to skate past the paper era and shoot for modernization with electronic scheduling and payment systems. Take a winning position using digital systems so patients can easily book online, receive appointment reminders and updates, track and pay invoices, and view their healthcare updates and information online. However, when dealing with older patients, it’s important to have paper payment options available. The easier you make it for patients to engage with you, the more likely they will.
5. Embrace Breakaway Success with Transparent Pricing
One final tip for getting the biscuit in the basket: Transparency! Nine in 10 patients favor pricing transparency, as evidenced by the success of the “No Surprises Act.” Embrace transparency by being up-front about your costs and fees and making it easy for patients to know if you accept their insurance. This can help patients make informed decisions about their care.
Ready for your Patient Powerplay? Talk to GZ!
Talk to GZ to see how we can help you find a welcoming, well-located space to help you score new patients.