The core of any successful dental practice is effective communication with the patient. Today, most practice management systems have basic patient management and communication functions. After all, given the number of dental offices operating in any area today, offering the highest level of care is just the beginning. When patient communication is elevated to a whole new level of excellence, maintaining an overall reputation and getting more patients becomes easier.
So you may be new to the idea of electronic patient communication, or you may not be sure how to fully maximize the capacity of your current system. Regardless of which of these two groups you fall into, here are the five patient communication hacks your digital dental office needs.
1. Remind patients of their appointments
There are two things you can do to make sure patients keep their appointment. The right dental software can help automate appointment reminders on a monthly, weekly or daily basis depending on the product. Some of the clinics even allow their patients to select the mode of communication (phone call, email or text message) that they prefer. So making appointments becomes easier than ever for patients, and your reception can focus on other things that need your attention.
Then let’s move on to the missed appointment notification part. Consider filling in the schedule even when the team is not in the office. The patient communication software will notify patients immediately when they miss their appointment. It will allow them to reschedule at their convenience from their computer or smartphone.
2. Make online bill payments easier than ever
You need to make it easy for patients to pay their bills. Online bill pay modes allow patients to remit payments when it’s convenient, perhaps when their children are sleeping or at the end of their work day. Now, it is possible that these hours do not coincide with the usual hours of the clinic, but that will no longer be a problem.
Also, think about monitoring collections. More patients will easily pay within two days of receiving a ‘due due’ reminder email. You’ll improve your collection and reduce the need for staff time to spend tracking.
3. Regular emails to keep the lines of communication open
The best type of software on the market today allows for the automation of large group emails. However, you will need to take responsibility for collecting and maintaining the email contact list. You can ask your patients at each check-in to verify the registered email address. After this, you have an email list that you can use to automatically send personalized birthday wishes, practice newsletters, and even benefit reminders, if applicable.
4. Allow anytime access to online information
Most patients agree that having anytime access to information online makes them much more likely to stay with the dentist. A well-maintained portal allows patients to access patient intake documents before they arrive at the clinic, along with a way to view upcoming appointments and check outstanding balances.
5. Keep in touch with patients after the appointment
It is important to seek feedback from the patient while the appointment remains fresh in your heart. The right patient communication software will automate the patient survey process. Patient testimonials are not only good news for your dental practice, but also show that you are on the right track in terms of providing patient care.
Final note
Improved patient communication is one of the keys to making your patients satisfied enough to reconsider your practice. So try these hacks right away!
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Categories: Technology
Source: vtt.edu.vn