These are difficult times for medical practices. In the past 6 months, everyone’s world has been turned upside down as we learn how to live and work through the COVID-19 pandemic. And while we all grapple with the need for physical distancing to protect our health, human connection has become more important than ever before — whether it be with your patients, your staff or your referring physicians.
Here are a few ways successful medical practices are strengthening those bonds:
#1 Social Media
What may have once seemed a luxury or icing on the cake has become a great way to keep others informed and connected to your practice.
- Share positive news about your physicians, staff and practice, and include photos of everyone smiling behind their masks.
- Keep others informed about how you are accommodating the needs of your patients while keeping everyone as safe as possible.
- Provide health tips and let your followers know about new research and developments within your field that are enhancing the care you provide.
- Share positive online reviews.
Whether it is Facebook or LinkedIn, we have seen social media engagement increase with our clients in the past few months. During these times especially, people want to feel connected and share their experiences.
#2 Blog
If you’ve resisted before, now is the perfect time to start a blog on your practice web site. Commit to posting 2-4 times a month. They don’t have to be long. In fact, brief and to the point is better! A regular blog can provide great content to share on your social media channels and drive interest and traffic to your web site.
- Feature your physicians and team members.
- Help people get to know them and their specialties, interests and passions.
- If you have a physician involved in research or who publishes a paper or speaks virtually at a medical meeting, highlight this.
- Cover any community involvement or support your team provides.
Sharing these news items fosters confidence, credibility and connection.
#3 E-newsletter
Share the content you create in your blog or on your website through an e-newsletter that links back to your site. You can create one for patients or referral sources. Send it out 2-4 times a year. It provides a touchpoint, letting your target audiences know you value them enough to keep them informed and provide news that helps their lives.
#4 Handwritten Note Cards
It may seem old-fashioned, but it is still one of the most powerful practice-building and retention strategies out there. Commit to send five handwritten notes a week.
- Thank a new referral source and pledge to take good care of their patient.
- Reach out to an ongoing referral source and let them know how much you value the relationship and don’t take for granted the trust they continue to place in you.
- Drop a note to an elderly patient you know is going through a hard time just to let them know how good it was to see them and that you hope brighter days are ahead.
- Connect with a long-time patient you haven’t seen in awhile to let them know you miss them and are there for them if they need anything.
Strengthen your practice by strengthening the human connections within and around it.
“Wherever the art of Medicine is loved, there is also a love of Humanity. ”
― Hippocrates