Hospital systems and
hospital-owned clinics have an opportunity to connect with patients,
potential patients and those who influence them like never before.
Below is a list of 10 ways to do it, and please note none of these
include spending more on traditional advertising.
2. Make sure your
physician locator includes maps, directions, parking
instructions/validation information, and links out to area services
for patients’ family members, such as pharmacies, restaurants,
shopping.
3. Create and
locally promote a searchable patient ambassador network tied to
physicians, clinic locations and conditions, so your patients can
read about others “like them.”
4. Encourage
patients and their “care guiders” to provide satisfaction or “How
Are We Doing?” information at every stop along your system’s
health care path.
5. Leverage
technology to communicate with patients where they are — mobile,
online, your waiting room, Facebook, email.
6. Any time your
clinic is going to make a referral to a specialist, provide printed
materials that cover information on that specialist from the
physician locator.
7. Create two-way
communications opportunities for patients to build a community of
care with them.
8. Ensure every
patient-facing messaging effort accomplishes the following
objectives:
- Sets appropriate
expectations
- Guides through your
system’s healthcare maze
- Educates patients
and care guiders
- Improves
satisfaction, from general practitioner to hospital to recovery to
rehab
9. Always provide
quality, custom and easy-to-understand patient education materials on
conditions and treatments options.
10. Finally: Always,
always, always connect with patients! Use images, words and methods
your patients will understand.
