If you own a medical practice, you may be looking for ways in which you can make your clinic more approachable. Making your practice more accessible and inviting for your patients has a wealth of benefits attached to it. Not only do you make sure patients feel comfortable and welcomed, but you also send out a message that shows how much you truly care and appreciate them. The more comfortable a patient is, the higher the chance of them returning to your practice and recommending you to friends and family. In this article, we look at some steps you can take to make your medical practice more approachable, so read on to find out more!
1. Make It Easy To Schedule Appointments
Given most people’s aversion to phone calls in 2019, one of the greatest ways to make your medical practice more approachable is to utilise practice management software. With the aid of a practice management software, your patients will be able to schedule their own appointments at a time and date of their convenience. They will also be able to cancel appointments (something that quite commonly gives people anxiety), without having to call you or speak to your receptionist. Practice management software can also send out reminders to your patients of their booked appointments, ensuring that no one forgets to show up for their consult.
2. Hire Friendly and Approachable Staff
Your staff have a big part to play in your practice’s overall levels of approachability. Hiring staff that are upbeat, friendly, patient and understanding is so essential in making your patients feel comfortable. Interactions with patients should always be kept pleasant, and staff should go above and beyond to ensure that patients are well cared for and listened to. Always make it a point of focus that your staff are well-trained and ready to handle anything that comes their way with poise and grace!
3. Create a Social Presence
One of the best ways to make your practice more approachable is to create a social presence. You can do this by setting up your Facebook and Instagram profiles and posting regular updates on the happenings at the clinic. You can only use these platforms as a medium of communication and interaction with potential patients. Creating a clear line of communication for people to feel comfortable engaging with is highly beneficial for your practice. If people find you friendly and approachable online, chances are they’ll look forward to actually booking in an appointment at your practice!
4. Invest in Some Interior Decorating
How your practice looks will inevitably play a great role in how approachable it seems to potential patients. This is why we always recommend you putting a little effort into the overall aesthetics of your clinic. Whether this means investing in comfortable furniture, splashing a bright coat of paint on or looking into better lighting options, do what you can to make your practice look as homely and inviting as possible. Some great additions are televisions, water machines, art to hang up on the walls and the addition of some indoor plants. The better the place looks, the higher the chances of attracting new patients.
5. Offer Small Luxuries
Offering small luxuries such as free WiFi, free coffee and other little touches, such as up-to-date magazines, newspapers and informative flyers are a fantastic way to add a little pizzazz to your practice. Some practices even go to the extent of offering massage chairs that patients can use whilst waiting their turn. These little touches may seem insignificant to you, but trust us when we say it is what will set you apart from the competition and attract more patients to your practice!
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We hope that this article has given you a couple of useful ideas when it comes to taking steps to make your medical practice more approachable!