When it’s time for braces, parents understand the financial investment. What they soon learn is that there is also an investment of time. As one patient remarked, “My son will be in braces for quite awhile. It’s such a relief to know that we will look forward to our visits rather than dread them”.
With that perspective, we encourage you to take a new patient tour of your office.
- Take 5 minutes and visit your website.
- Prospective patients make their first impression of your practice on your website. Is it easy to navigate? Is the content current and relevant? Can you quickly find hours and contact information? Are there pictures of you and your team?
- If you haven’t already, create a page of patient comments. Ask one team member to take charge of requesting reviews and posting those kind words. Consumers read and make decisions based on reviews!
- Take 5 minutes and sit in your waiting room.
- Patients and caregivers will spend a lot of time in your waiting room. Is the space comfortable with different seating options? Do you have a variety of updated magazines? Is there a coffee bar? Do you offer free internet?
- Listen to the conversations your team members have with each other and with patients. What do you hear? Is the tone upbeat? Are conversations too personal?
- Take 5 minutes to review your new patient consultation.
- A patient decides to either work with your practice or continue to shop in this appointment. Does your team follow a script? Are the benefits of your practice clearly articulated?
- Does the patient have an opportunity to speak? Does your team ask leading questions and then listen to answers? Are next steps clearly defined and is the patient comfortable with those steps?
A quick walk through can reveal a lot about your practice. Taking time to revisit these three connection points can spotlight your strengths and identify opportunities to better optimize patient engagement.