Written by Natalie Moore on May 12, 2014
How to Treat Your Patients Like Consumers
Patients are consumers, and each year they’re spending more out-of-pocket on Healthcare. A few years ago, a $20.00 co-pay was their regular investment in their health. Now, with patient payments increasing to an average of 20 – 50% of their medical bill, more patients are becoming selective about their provider of choice.
How can you keep your practice, facility or hospital consumer-friendly? Here’s a few easy strategies:
1. Keep it current.
Keeping your medical practice or hospital current can mean higher patient satisfaction levels and referral rates. Millennials are more likely to identify with and recommend tech savvy businesses that integrate with their day-to-day lives.
You can easily bring your facility up-to-date with small changes to how you entertain guests in your waiting area or your approach to accepting payments and scheduling appointments. Try giving your patients a convenient way to schedule and pay for appointment balances online.
PayPal Here is one of the latest ways for healthcare providers to accept non-patient payments with sleek, low-maintenance iPads. This makes it easier than ever to accept payments at hospital gift shops and cafeterias.
2. Be social.
More hospitals and healthcare providers are connecting with their consumers online via Facebook and Twitter. Having a presence on Social Networks allows you to share your brand with patients and show them the latest technologies and treatments you offer –and- what your organization is doing to make a difference in the community.
3. Be responsive.
Yelp and other review sites are making it possible for your patients to share their experience with other consumers online. If you aren’t an active part of the conversation, your organization has no way of shaping the dialogue. Respond to reviews to let your patients know you take their feedback into consideration. The most vocal negative reviewers can sometimes become your best brand advocates when you show them you care.