There’s simply no excuse for providing a bad patient experience in your rural medical office. One of the most commonly tried excuses is that there just isn’t enough time in the day to go “above and beyond” to delight them. Not true! Let’s put an end to the myth that it takes an endless supply of time to create an outstanding experience for your patients. In reality, all it takes is a few minutes and the right attitude to make sure your patients’ experience is the best it can be. To get started, try these:

Send Cards in the Mail

They’ll definitely be impressed if they know you remember and care about them. It doesn’t take much time to send someone a card in the mail, especially since you already have their address on file. A quick note telling them you hope they feel better or reminding them that it’s time to come see you again will go a long way toward your retention rates. And don’t forget about a nice birthday note.

Offer Phone Consultations

There are several reasons why your patients may prefer to speak to you over the phone. In rural areas, it can be difficult to actually get to your medical office. Also, it could be an embarrassing problem they’d rather not come in for, or simply a mother who has a hard time finding childcare to visit the doctor. Understanding this and helping them out will be greatly appreciated.

Give Away Free Stuff

This one is a no-brainer: people like free stuff! Of course, it doesn’t have to be expensive. Kids will love stickers or picking little “treasures” out of a box. Adults will probably be happy with free items that are helpful to their treatment plan, like a box of band-aids or an ankle wrap. You may even find another local business, like a restaurant, who is willing to pair with you to give away coupons.

Fix Your Ineffective Sign-In Forms

How long does it take new patients to fill out your paperwork before the doctor or nurse will see them? What about the second or tenth time they come in? If your patients know they’ll need to fill out page after page of contact information, even if they’re a regular, they may begin to avoid your office. It’s frustrating to answer the same question over and over on different forms that go different places. Take the time to streamline this process.

Outsource Your Medical Billing

Medical billing is important, so it takes a lot of time and energy in order to be done correctly. Misreading “INN” for “OON” may cost your patient thousands of dollars and land your medical office is serious trouble. At the least it will deliver a very poor customer service experience for them. Instead of risking this, allow your medical billing to be done by experts who have the time it takes to get it done right.

When you outsource your medical billing, you’re giving yourself more free time to put cards in the mail or re-doing your forms. Your patients will thank you! Contact Aptus today to find out more about how we can help.