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GENERATING REFERRALS TO BOOST YOUR PRACTICE
CoverStory THIS TEAM APPROACH WILL EXPEDITE THE EXAMINATION PROCESS, BUILD PATIENT TRUST AND SIMPLIFY CASE PRESENTATION.
I
to the areas of concern he or she discussed with the patient before your arrival. This team approach will expedite the examination process, build patient trust and simplify case presentation, as well as encourage your hygienists to pay attention to restorative needs during periodontal therapy appointments. The objective is to prevent patients with uncompleted treatment, poor home care, delinquent recalls or episodic events from slipping into the
you
system and disrupting the schedule. By giving yourself permission to provide the patient with focused at-
tention on another day, you will be less rushed, which will allow you to communicate treatment needs more effectively. It also will allow the patient to hear and accept your message. Moreover, the team will be less frustrated, scheduled patients will be treated on time, productivity will increase and case acceptance will soar. .
GENERATING REFERRALS TO BOOST YOUR PRACTICE How to attract referrals without
spending lots of time, money DAVID SCHWAB, PH.D.
._.
generate referrals from satisfied
way to
great
patients of record
is to take better
advantage
of
communications vehicle you are already using:
a
monthly
statements.
Instead of
printing "Have
a
Nice
Day" (or
no
sage at all) at the bottom of each monthly statement, run the following message: "Some of our best patients are
referred
by
some
of
our
best
free to refer your friends and
Why several
-They
do
patients
reasons
patients. Please feel
family
to
our
practice."
need this reminder? Patients cite
for not
referring others to their dentist: practice is accepting new
do not know that the
patients.
They mistakenly think that the doctor is so busy that patients would be unable to get an appointment. doctor is about to retire (which in many cases is the think -They new
TO EDUCATE YOUR PATIENTS, YOU NEED TO REMIND THEM THAT YOU
THEM THAT YOU
WELCOME THEIR REFERRALS. 878 JADA, Vol. 127, July 1996
not true). They were referred to a specialty practice by another dentist, and
they think that all new patients need a referral from a professional. To educate
your
patients,
you
need to remind them that you wel-
their referrals. By running a message at the bottom of each monthly statement, you will continually reinforce that message. Think about it. Every time you receive a credit card statement come
CoverStory THOSE MONTHLY STATEMENTS SHOULD BE USED, NOT JUST FOR COLLECTING FEES, BUT FOR COLLECTING NEW PATIENTS AS WELL.
I
in the mail, the credit card company includes much more than just the bill itself-messages printed on the statement and on inserts or a handful of advertising leaflets. You are already paying to print and mail your statements; it does not cost you
any more money to take a lesson from the credit card companies and run your referral message at the bottom. Those monthly statements should be used, not just for collecting fees, but for collecting new patients as well. .
MANAGING PATIEN
PERCEPTIONSM< Communication is the key to keeping your patients SUZANNE BOSWELL
_ ~or the patient, selecting a health care provider is : one issue, but remaining with that same provider _ .L_ is another. No matter what the type of dental practice, the team must communicate reasons why the patient should be there-and stay there. SHARPENING YOUR SKILLS
THE STRENGTHS OF THE OFFICE MUST BE COMMUNICATED TO A VARIETY OF AUDIENCES BY A VARIETY OF MEMBERS OF THE DENTAL TEAM.
I
Sharpening up communication skills costs little, yet it can have an immediate and a powerful impact on the success of a dental practice. The strengths of the office must be communicated to a variety of audiences by a variety of members of the dental team. Here are some important paths of communication to keep open: To the team. Define your uniqueness. In a staff meeting, list at least five ways your office is unique in your area. Be specific. It's too vague to say, "We're friendly." It's much more concrete to say, "At each visit, we make an effort to inquire about each patient's family or job or particular interests." To the patients. Talk about benefits and value, concepts that are important to patients today. How does your uniqueness benefit the patient? Patients may not realize these things until you verbalize them. Express value of treatment in terms the patient can relate to; this requires knowing and understanding where the patient places value. JADA, Vol. 127, July 1996 879
I
to the areas of concern he or she discussed with the patient before your arrival. This team approach will expedite the examination process, build patient trust and simplify case presentation, as well as encourage your hygienists to pay attention to restorative needs during periodontal therapy appointments. The objective is to prevent patients with uncompleted treatment, poor home care, delinquent recalls or episodic events from slipping into the
you
system and disrupting the schedule. By giving yourself permission to provide the patient with focused at-
tention on another day, you will be less rushed, which will allow you to communicate treatment needs more effectively. It also will allow the patient to hear and accept your message. Moreover, the team will be less frustrated, scheduled patients will be treated on time, productivity will increase and case acceptance will soar. .
GENERATING REFERRALS TO BOOST YOUR PRACTICE How to attract referrals without
spending lots of time, money DAVID SCHWAB, PH.D.
._.
generate referrals from satisfied
way to
great
patients of record
is to take better
advantage
of
communications vehicle you are already using:
a
monthly
statements.
Instead of
printing "Have
a
Nice
Day" (or
no
sage at all) at the bottom of each monthly statement, run the following message: "Some of our best patients are
referred
by
some
of
our
best
free to refer your friends and
Why several
-They
do
patients
reasons
patients. Please feel
family
to
our
practice."
need this reminder? Patients cite
for not
referring others to their dentist: practice is accepting new
do not know that the
patients.
They mistakenly think that the doctor is so busy that patients would be unable to get an appointment. doctor is about to retire (which in many cases is the think -They new
TO EDUCATE YOUR PATIENTS, YOU NEED TO REMIND THEM THAT YOU
THEM THAT YOU
WELCOME THEIR REFERRALS. 878 JADA, Vol. 127, July 1996
not true). They were referred to a specialty practice by another dentist, and
they think that all new patients need a referral from a professional. To educate
your
patients,
you
need to remind them that you wel-
their referrals. By running a message at the bottom of each monthly statement, you will continually reinforce that message. Think about it. Every time you receive a credit card statement come
CoverStory THOSE MONTHLY STATEMENTS SHOULD BE USED, NOT JUST FOR COLLECTING FEES, BUT FOR COLLECTING NEW PATIENTS AS WELL.
I
in the mail, the credit card company includes much more than just the bill itself-messages printed on the statement and on inserts or a handful of advertising leaflets. You are already paying to print and mail your statements; it does not cost you
any more money to take a lesson from the credit card companies and run your referral message at the bottom. Those monthly statements should be used, not just for collecting fees, but for collecting new patients as well. .
MANAGING PATIEN
PERCEPTIONSM< Communication is the key to keeping your patients SUZANNE BOSWELL
_ ~or the patient, selecting a health care provider is : one issue, but remaining with that same provider _ .L_ is another. No matter what the type of dental practice, the team must communicate reasons why the patient should be there-and stay there. SHARPENING YOUR SKILLS
THE STRENGTHS OF THE OFFICE MUST BE COMMUNICATED TO A VARIETY OF AUDIENCES BY A VARIETY OF MEMBERS OF THE DENTAL TEAM.
I
Sharpening up communication skills costs little, yet it can have an immediate and a powerful impact on the success of a dental practice. The strengths of the office must be communicated to a variety of audiences by a variety of members of the dental team. Here are some important paths of communication to keep open: To the team. Define your uniqueness. In a staff meeting, list at least five ways your office is unique in your area. Be specific. It's too vague to say, "We're friendly." It's much more concrete to say, "At each visit, we make an effort to inquire about each patient's family or job or particular interests." To the patients. Talk about benefits and value, concepts that are important to patients today. How does your uniqueness benefit the patient? Patients may not realize these things until you verbalize them. Express value of treatment in terms the patient can relate to; this requires knowing and understanding where the patient places value. JADA, Vol. 127, July 1996 879