Patient Retention After School Starts

The start of the school year brings a new set of challenges when it comes to getting your patients into the office. With little free time, COVID concerns and life’s challenges getting in the way, it can be hard to secure retention with your clients. If you’re worried about that school-time dip in appointments, NARA has come up with four ways to ensure your patients are able to continue their therapy all year long. 

1. Make Scheduling Easy – It goes without saying that an easy scheduling process is going to help everyone involved. Not only does it prevent extra work for your staff, but it also allows your patient to quickly and easily achieve what they came to do – schedule an appointment. An updated website, streamlined process and automated options are all ways to keep your booking process quick and easy. 

2. COVID Caution – Even with the new vaccine, the COVID-19 variants and vaccination rates differ from place to place. With many people still adhering to social distancing rules, it can be hard to convince them to schedule an appointment. Offering virtual or outdoor appointments can help your patients feel more comfortable with continuing their care. 

3. Keep Things Simple – One of the best things you can do to ensure your patients continue to schedule appointments after school starts is to make things simple. Offering online booking, recurring appointments and various payment options are all a great place to start. 

4. Focus on the Patient – This may seem like a no-brainer but keeping your focus solely on your patient will help them feel like they are getting the comprehensive care they’re looking for.  One trick is to remember one fact about each of your patients. That way, anytime you see a patient you can immediately tailor conversations to them to help establish a relationship.  

Life gets crazy when everyone has competing schedules. With school back in session, it can be easier than ever to let patients slip through the cracks. Take some time to make changes to ensure your patients feel cared for all year long. For more information from industry professionals, join NARA today.