Consumers are shopping for healthcare just like they do other large purchases. This has been a trend for some time now since high insurance deductibles have caused the percentage of out-of-pocket expenses to rise.
With this trend, it’s more important than ever for clinics to not only provide efficient and convenient services, but to also market their brand just as other service-based businesses do. Reputation, brand recognition, online reviews, and overall customer experience are now all driving factors in the success of a medical practice.
How can your business create a competitive edge? There are many factors that help potential patients decide to choose you over your competition. A few of the most important ways are:
- Be easy to find online. This means your website needs to come up in a list of search results quickly for keywords and for your clinic name. A Google My Business listing and a good website will make that happen.
- Have good reviews online. Not only do you need to be visible online, your reputation needs to be good. Online reviews are a factor in how consumers are choosing providers.
- Appointment scheduling must be simple. Consumers today like to schedule appointments quickly. Having integration for this on your website is beneficial.
- Your front desk staff needs to be efficient both on the phone and in the office and be supported with the best technology tools. No one likes to wait on hold or sit in a waiting room.
- Don’t surprise bill your patients. Make payment expectations and policies clear from the first contact with your office.
- Make online bill pay, interactive voice technology and statement bill pay options for your patients. Provide multiple options to accept credit cards in the office. Easy ways to pay make the customer experience better.
- Build efficient communication through an online portal. Your patients need information about their healthcare. Having an online portal is an efficient way to relay that information back and forth.
Do you need help with some of the suggestions noted above? CareCloud practice management system provides many of the online services your clinic needs to compete in today’s consumer-driven medical marketplace. For a demo or to learn more, contact us today.