Patients generally have loyalty and repeat business with their providers when they show that they incorporate past care, remind them of necessary appointments, and are available when needed. For specialty clinics who have ongoing care, it’s especially important to invest in patient satisfaction and experience. In other words: continuous care methods.
Over half of all American adults suffer from at least one chronic condition according to the CDC. In healthcare, this means that many providers are seeing patients routinely whether it’s for preventative measures or more aggressive treatments. It benefits a clinic to practice continuity of care methods and apply them to their overall communication, which encourages patient and provider trust. When your specialty depends on patients seeking ongoing care, then you need to show them a united front in all aspects.
Patients want to be supported by their providers and value high-quality, consistent care.
Follow-Up
Staying organized is one of the best ways to maintain good communication with your clients. Have a system in place that conveniently
stores all their contact information so it’s available when needed. Then, have a system for how and when patients are informed about their next appointment. Do they prefer receiving the reminders by email, phone, text, etc.? Life is busy for everyone, and those reminders the week and then day before are essential.
Be Responsive
Patients may contact you in a variety of ways, and it’s important that your front staff stays on top of it. When they’re too busy with admin tasks to focus on patients, a decrease in patient experience often follows. Front staff should also have a script to help them on the many tasks they’ll be communicating every day: setting up appointments, addressing questions about insurance, following up on late payments, and more.
Monitor Virtually
When patients need to be monitored for certain conditions, often chronic, they can be set up with a device that remotely tracks. The readings will then be sent to the provider to let them stay updated on symptom statuses. If symptoms are worsening, for example, the provider can reach out for a virtual check-in. Then they can determine if the patient should come in for further testing. Conditions that can be monitored include high blood pressure, diabetes, weight loss or grain, heart disease, sleep apnea, and asthma.
Be Consistent
When your entire staff is trained on best practices for communicating with patients, your clinic benefits. A patient will have interactions with the majority of your team: front staff, nurses, and doctors. If the care they experience isn’t consistent, it will start to affect how they view your practice. This also applies for when they are in or out of office. Templates and scripts are a great way for front staff to relay information accurately.
Overall, a healthy revenue cycle allows you to invest in your specialty clinic and keep up on training. Our experts will handle the billing so you can handle serving your patients. We can even discuss whether your practice is eligible to use Chronic Care Management services and codes. See why Outsource Receivables Inc. works with clinics across the nation to improve their bottom line.