Adapting to Change: Patient Acquisition and Retention Strategies for COVID-19

While the world around us may seem bleak in the face of COVID-19, acquiring and retaining new patients is still extremely doable. Quarantine may have made basic human interaction different and taken a toll on doctor-patient interaction, but not impossible. There are plenty of viable options you can pursue to continue keeping your practice strong and your patients healthy.

2020 is testing these unfamiliar waters for new, modernized practices that will significantly change the way healthcare practices interact with their patients in the future. Being prepared for the uncertainty tomorrow holds and actively seeking out new solutions is critical to continuing to run a successful dental or dermatology practice.

Below we discuss some simple ways to stay on top of your game.

Modernize Your Web Presence

Traditional methods of acquiring new patients are becoming increasingly more obsolete and posing new challenges with the Coronavirus outbreak. That means it’s time to modernize your practice and find novel avenues to connect with your patients. There are plenty of digital options like telehealth programs that offer an innovative way to safely interact with your patients, keep them interested in your practice, and attract new patients to work with you without losing the personal touch of a visit.

Telehealth connects you with your patients digitally and over a video call. As society continues to cope with the dangers of COVID-19, telehealth platforms will be far more common in healthcare and are important for practices to begin utilizing as soon as possible. More likely than not, the majority of patients will be uncomfortable and uneasy with going into a doctor’s office until there is a vaccine.

That’s why we recommend you stay one step ahead of the game, modernize your web presence, and take advantage of modern technology first.

Send Text and Email Reminders

Continue to stay relevant through the digital avenues that you are already utilizing. Your current base of patients should know you’re still in business and continuing to think about them. Sending out email blasts and texts help keep patients aware of your latest initiatives, and what you’re doing to help fight the virus. As medical professionals, your patients expect that your practice will offer some viable solutions to quell the national problem.

Find Ways to Rank Higher on a Search Engine

SEO makes the difference between you and your competition. It is crucial that you have a strong presence and employ diligent marketing strategies that can assist you with choosing the right keywords and producing some strong content to promote your practice. The higher you rank, the more new business you’ll be able to accumulate, and retain in the long term.

Make It Easy to Book Online Appointments

Phone calls are becoming increasingly more obsolete and unnecessary. That’s why you should make booking online appointments simple and effective. We highly recommend you consider installing a widget into your website that makes it easy for patients to schedule an appointment.

You may want to consider developing a tailored mobile experience that streamlines the way your patients are able to schedule an appointment. Maintaining a holistic mobile presence should be your first priority.

Keep Your Website Updated

Your website is your greatest asset and your best advertisement. Make sure you are continually making updates to the content on your site and staying up to date with the latest technology and mobile optimizations. Sleek web design that is optimized for mobile is an easy way to drive more traffic to your site via SEO keywords, a mobile app, and your social media presence.

We also recommend that you keep your Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter accounts active and lively every day. If you don’t have time, you can hire a third-party professional to create content for you, manage your social posts, and ultimately help you maintain a strong social media presence.

There are other creative partners you can hire like copywriters, content creators,  and art directors to create brand-friendly content that will resonate with your demographic. This includes blog posts, social media tiles, vector art, and website assets. Remember, content keeps a steady flow of traffic coming to your site, and you can use it to efficiently streamline new patient acquisitions and retention rates.

Update Business Listings

It’s simple. New patients are always looking for your information.

Keep a consistent presence in frequently trafficked areas and common places for patients to look for new healthcare options. Discover the areas where your demographic is looking for the services your practice offers and start advertising there as soon as possible.

Look at Performance Metrics as a Guide

When you put new technologies and strategies in place, your analytics will give you a precise indication of what is working. Don’t be surprised when you notice some of your efforts aren’t producing the results you had intended they would. Instead, use this data as an opportunity to come up with new strategies and ideas that will resonate well with your demographic.

Creativity is an important tool to utilize for many reasons in the digital age, but ultimately, it can give you a distinct edge over your competition. When you create some remarkable PR content that resonates with your audience new patients will start to identify your practice with a brand they can connect to. This opens a world of new doors and opportunities to better understand your patients and their needs.

Get in Touch with GrowthPlug

GrowthPlug is dedicated to helping healthcare practices thrive in a contemporary environment with a digital growth strategy. In order to remain competitive in your field, it is critical you continue to expand and improve your digital outreach. By focusing on growing a strong online presence, GrowthPlug helps accelerate new patient acquisition and improve retention rate.

We’ve proudly helped hundreds of different healthcare practices all across the country thrive on a daily basis. When you work with us, we impart our expertise in your practice and exponentially boost your new patient acquisition and retention rates. Together, we can grow your online presence while helping shape your medical practice into the modernized entity that will acclimate to the rapidly changing world around us.