Effective Ways to Increase Patient Retention Rates

One of the biggest challenges for many practices is maintaining a high patient retention rate. Some practice’s patient retention methods are more successful than others’ because they have likely created a streamlined system for managing patient communications. You can make this process easier by using the patientNOW Patient Acquisition and Retention (PAR™) system at your practice. The system makes it simple to automate many marketing tasks so patient communications are seamless and effective.

Here are some tips for increasing patient retention rates:

Collect Contact Information at Every Opportunity

Collect email addresses and contact information at every chance you get. Email marketing can be a very powerful tool for most practices, and many patients may be inclined to book an appointment shortly after receiving an email offer. Make sure your front desk staff takes the time to capture all prospective and current patients’ contact information to populate your database.

Follow Up Immediately

If a patient calls your practice or sends their information via an online contact form, they are in a prime position to book an appointment. Make sure your staff is trained to follow up with a patient immediately after receiving any inquiries of interest. A follow-up call without any delays can boost patient confidence and may encourage them to be a loyal patient.

Offer Incentives for Future Appointments

Your patients may be more likely to book another appointment within a few weeks or months if there is an incentive to do so. Whether this is in the form of a rewards program or a discount for booking the next appointment within a given timeframe, think of ways to invite the patient back to your practice shortly after their last visit. You can use the automated PAR™ system to coordinate rewards programs efficiently and automatically.

Send Birthday Greetings or Incentives

Encourage patients to be a part of your practice’s family by sending a birthday card or email greeting on the patient’s birthday — or by providing a special discount during the patient’s birthday month. Personalizing some of your marketing efforts could help to increase patient retention rates.

Contact us today to find out more about the benefits of the patientNOW Patient Acquisition and Retention (PAR™) system.