Introduction
If you’re in the business of providing medical services, you know that doctors can’t see every patient who needs an appointment. It’s crucial to have systems in place that help you manage the influx of new patients and make sure they get seen as soon as possible. But what if there was a way to make it easier for patients to book appointments with your practice? What if one simple change could cause a significant spike in your monthly bookings? Well, thankfully there is! By following these steps below, we’ll show how easy it can be to boost your patient bookings by up to 30% per month:
Take stock of your current method for scheduling appointments.
You need to take stock of how you currently schedule appointments. This will help you understand what is working, what isn’t and where there is potential for growth.
You may be surprised at how many different ways there are to run a booking system. It’s important that as a practice manager, or in this case owner, you know what works best for your clinic and why it works well.
Once you’ve evaluated your current booking process, determine which methods could use some improvement and identify which practices can be improved upon by implementing the following suggestions:
Offer online appointment booking.
- Use a software solution, such as AppointmentPlus, to create an online appointment system that is flexible and allows you to control your schedule.
- Make sure your website is mobile-friendly (i.e., easy to navigate on a phone or tablet). Include a link to the appointment booking system on all pages of your website so that patients can book appointments from their phones while they’re on the go, too.
- Make sure you have clear instructions showing how patients can use the online booking system, including what information they should include when they book their appointments (e.g., type of appointment; day and time; any special needs).
Incorporate online booking into as many patient touch points as possible.
- Incorporate online booking into as many patient touch points as possible.
This can mean anything from a kiosk at the doctor’s office, to embedding an online booking button on your website or even posting a link to your Facebook page. Make sure you’re using a tool that integrates with your existing system and is easy for both patients and staff members to use. As long as it’s easy to access and understand, this will be just one more step towards getting more patients through the door!
Promote online appointment booking to patients.
- Email marketing: Use email marketing to remind patients about the convenience of online appointment booking.
- Social media: Share links to your website on social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter.
- Online advertising: Promote online appointment booking by advertising on Google AdWords, Facebook ads or LinkedIn ads.
- Digital signage: You can also use digital signage to promote your online appointment booking feature in waiting rooms and at other strategic locations in the hospital or clinic premises.
- Video marketing: Videos are an excellent way of conveying information quickly and effectively, so consider creating a video that explains how easy it is for patients to book appointments by using their smartphone or tablet device instead of having phone calls during work hours!
Set up an automatic reminder system.
- Set up an automated reminder system.
- Make sure the reminders are sent at the right time.
- Make sure the reminder is sent to the right person.
- Make sure the reminder is sent in a format that is easy to read.
- Set up a reminder system for patients who have missed appointments, so you can remind them about what happened during their last appointment and how important it is for them to come back again if their schedule permits it
Increase your exposure with new marketing techniques.
With the rise of the internet, it can be difficult for businesses to keep up with new trends. For example, you may have heard about how important social media is for marketing your business but don’t know where to start or if it’s a worthwhile investment. Thankfully, there are plenty of ways to boost your exposure using different techniques like:
- Social Media Marketing
Social media platforms allow you to directly connect with potential patients in a way that’s easy and appealing. They provide a space where people can share their thoughts on their experiences with health care providers and feel comfortable doing so because they’re anonymous. Plus, most of these platforms are free!
- Email Marketing (Email)
Email marketing offers another way to get in touch with customers who’ve already shown an interest in what you offer by providing them with information about special promotions or events being held by your practice. It also allows patients who might not otherwise visit the office regularly stay engaged and informed about how things are going at their local clinic or office as well as any upcoming changes taking place within its walls—something which could help alleviate fears about missing appointments due late notice from other sources such as traditional mailings sent out six months prior.”
By making it simpler, you can increase the number of bookings your practice has each month
- For patients, booking an appointment should be quick and easy. Make sure to promote online booking options on your website and in marketing material. If you don’t already have a booking system, talk to providers about setting one up as soon as possible!
- Make sure your website is up-to-date with clear information that helps patients understand what services are available at your practice (and what they cost). Be sure to include all relevant details such as office hours, contact information and other useful specifics like directions to get there or parking availability so that patients know exactly where they’re going when they arrive at their appointment time slot.
- You can also boost engagement by using email marketing campaigns through platforms like MailChimp or Constant Contact – these tools give you access to analytics which tell you how many people have opened an email versus how many actually clicked through on anything inside it such as links back out towards booking pages; this way you can see exactly where improvements need made before making changes based off these insights instead of just guessing what might work best!
Conclusion
If your practice is struggling to make the most of patient bookings, these tips can help you get a jump start on improving your numbers. Implementing online booking, automating reminders and increasing exposure through new marketing tactics all contribute to the success of this strategy.