How Digital Patient Engagement Leads to Happier Patients
In the chiropractic business, your primary goal is to take care of your patients. This typically focuses on their body, but it should also focus on their life and time and using energy in the right places. A holistic view of caring for the patient involves utilizing great techniques and strategies inside and outside of the office.
Patients expect their doctors to stay up to date on the best treatment practices and the latest research in the field. No patient would feel cared for if their chiropractor used treatments that were fifty years old, especially if it was common knowledge that new, better treatments existed.
The same is true of how you communicate and work with patients when it comes to things like scheduling. Changes in lifestyle and communication preferences have occurred quickly over the past decade, and a clinic focused on the overall happiness of their patients will recognize that and make the necessary alterations to keep up. Paper calendars and planners are no longer as prevalent as online solutions for most adults in today’s world, and things like telemedicine can work in certain contexts. These types of changes are examples of how chiropractors must keep up on the latest digital client solutions just as they would for the latest treatment techniques.
Chiropractic practices must adapt to these changes if they haven’t already. Digital patient engagement is the key to communicating with patients in their preferred manner in the chiropractic clinic.
By responding to their needs, you can save your patients time and energy, thus creating a happy experience for them.
“Help me manage my calendar.”
Finding time to access care can be a challenge for patients, so what should not be a challenge is getting an appointment scheduled. According to one survey, 70% of adults in the US operate off a digital calendar, and those same people expect their healthcare to do the same. Text-based services are much easier for all parties, saving time and energy and creating happiness.
“Help me engage when you need me to.”
Patients, especially loyal ones, love to sing the praises of their chiropractors. What patients do not love is a “complete this quick survey” request at the end of every interaction. Digital patient engagement does not mean pushing every digital bell and whistle all the time. The right strategy can engage the right patients for feedback while not overwhelming them. This is why keeping the patient’s happiness in mind is crucial. Since digital tools are so easy to use, it is tempting to use them constantly, which can lead to irritation. By keeping a strong feedback loop open with the patient, office staff can ensure that digital solutions are helping support the patient’s lifestyle and are not interfering with it.
“Help me reschedule with ease.”
Life changes rapidly for patients, and when that happens, they don’t want to sit on hold for thirty minutes to reschedule an appointment. Automation assists with scheduling and rescheduling and saves time. This is another way that happiness can be achieved through a digital solution; automation is more efficient and better able to meet the needs of patients.
“Help me talk to a human when I need to.”
Not all communication can be handled through automation, so a direct line to the office still needs to be an option. Fortunately, if the practice manager has invested in the correct infrastructure, staff will have the time for a personal connection with patients when needed. The automated system can take care of the easy tasks, so staff will have time to troubleshoot and solve the more complex problems that can arise for patients.
Ultimately, happiness exists for patients when they feel cared for. Their bodies will heal from treatment, and their minds will heal from all the time that they save by going to a chiropractic clinic that supports them from start to finish. With digital patient engagement, happiness is possible for all patients, and the entire practice will benefit.