You already have a great website that attracts and engages patients daily, so why not use it to communicate with visitors directly? More practices are moving toward this approach to retain current patients and establish relationships with new ones. By designating a specific area of your site to communicate with patients, you are increasing beneficial information flow between your business and patients while improving your SEO strategies. To take full advantage of your website, you must understand the various forms of communication you can implement and how to optimize usage.
Communication options
There are many ways you can communicate daily with patients. In fact, offering an online communication service usually opens your business up to optimal 24/7 service for anyone who needs help. It also provides more access to mobile users, who make up about half of all online interactions. You can incorporate more than one of these options into your site to increase accessibility.
Online messaging
Those familiar with social media will know that online messaging is a common form of communication across apps and websites. Almost all banks, law offices, and online stores have turned to online messaging to quickly and concisely interact with customers. You can create a segment in the sidebar of your website or a popup message window that allows visitors to send a message immediately — whichever your site architecture accommodates. By putting a place for messages at the forefront of your site, you provide an easy and effective route for customers to reach you.
With so many other communication options available today, it can be easy to think that emails are going out of style. This is far from true, and many companies actually generate a large amount of business through a regularly scheduled email newsletter. While many people may not yet be familiar or comfortable with online messaging, emails are simple and reliable. Extra security measures may be needed to ensure patient privacy to help patients and physicians feel more at ease. Overall, email is cost-effective, and you can include your address on a contact information page on your site for customers.
Integrated online messaging
Similar to regular online messaging, the integrated system goes a step further to include patient information for the physician during a live communication. A physician can view the patient’s medical record while talking to them, and all messages automatically become a part of the patient’s record as the conversation progresses. This gives patients necessary connectivity while providing physicians with the tools for a successful engagement.
Why online communication matters
Many people, especially those of younger generations, feel more comfortable communicating via online sources than over the phone. Broadening the number of opportunities patients have to connect with you makes it easier to accommodate different schedules and lifestyles. Of course, simply having an online communication system is not enough — you still need to incorporate an inviting personal touch to make a human connection even though the interaction is through a screen.
Reach out for a greater understanding of online communication
Never let a lack of knowledge about online tactics prevent you from getting the most out of your website. Contact us for more insights on expanding your online audience and generating engaging content to increase communication with your patients.
Doctor Genius, located at 16800 Aston Street, Suite 270, Irvine, CA 92606, provides a range of services for practice success. We seek to meet our clients’ needs by providing a variety of marketing, SEO, practice optimization tools, and coaching to transform the healthcare experience. Though we work to provide the most accurate information, the content found on this website is solely intended for entertainment purposes. Therefore, we cannot guarantee that the information provided is entirely correct. You may not use the information on this site to cure, prevent, or diagnose a perceived medical issue. If you have healthcare-related needs, please speak directly to a healthcare professional. Never self-perform medical treatments discussed on this website. All images displayed are also for entertainment purposes only, and personal experiences may differ. Please note that the business tactics mentioned on this site might not be applicable to your industry or practice.
