It all started with a bunch of printed instructions and a glossy, pre-printed folder. Some starry-eyed marketing executives decided that after-care for a patient would be much more effective if it looked marketable. And so it began, the folders with information in reusable bags bearing the hospital logo, the onslaught of the idea of after-care. Sleek, hot off the press and usually left in the car without a second thought.
After-care is a perfect example of something that is done wrong, but if and when it is done right, it can be the most impressive asset that belongs to a practice. As experts in your field, you know that after-care is necessary because monitoring progress is vital to successful procedures. Successful procedures are necessary to increase bookings. It is a devilish loop of giving and taking. And it could be the thing that your practice becomes famous for.
Redefining After-Care Including Engagement
Patients, no matter how many procedures or how long they have been coming to your practice, always have a bit of nerve before a procedure. It is just so human to consider the “what-if’s” in a sterilized environment while wearing a paper gown. So the “before” is what makes the after-care so important. Subtle ways of reassuring the patient that they made a good choice, that it all went smoothly, and that they will begin to notice results right away – those are all components of after-care. But they are clinical components. Let’s move beyond the clinical.
Elective procedures speak to a certain amount of prestige, a higher elevation than just a few follow-up appointments and then a release. If you, as a practice, can embrace the idea of how prestigious you are as a by-product of being chosen by prestigious people, then after-care outreach opens up a whole new window on traditional marketing strategies. We are talking more than a glossy folder and some papers; we are talking about personalized after-care for your patients.
How do you personalize it?
The options are endless, but they all start with knowing your patient. This is a new level of first-person data. How do you figure out how to get it? You could use part of your consultation time to have the patient fill out a Personality Profile with questions more suited to personal preferences: favorite restaurant, guilty pleasure, favorite snack, etc.
This is a great ice-breaker, and it provides you with a wealth of information about your patient that can be used to put together an after-care package or gift. If you have a product line, a private label product specifically for after-care, make sure you have that sent to the patient as a nice surprise while recovering.
Why it Matters
The clinical aspect of after-care is obvious. You have to see patients gather information about progress. But after-care is an opportunity as well. A phone call from one of your office staff the next morning to check on the patient can make a difference. A check-in service that has one of your office staff on call in the evenings can put the nervous patient at ease, knowing if they come up with questions or concerns, they will be able to speak with someone who is familiar with their specific case.
It matters because it is the relationship you want to share with your patient. It matters because it is the kind thing to do, the right thing to do. You should seize the opportunity any time you can make someone feel special. We forget that when we are busy and moving through life as fast as we can.
After-care is not about casting the wide net. It is about one-to-one personalized care, counter-intuitive to what digital marketing is supposed to do. But sometimes, counterintuitive can be productive. It can ignite new ideas and a new passion for what you do. And if you feel passionate about making your patients feel comfortable and cared for, they will be the best advertisement money can buy.
If you’d like to work on your after-care outreach strategy, design a private label product specifically for after-care, or put together a post-surgical after-care custom gift, Caledon Virtual can help! We offer specialized shopping services, gift curating, package design, and even private labeling services that can put an exclusive product on your shelf all in one place. After-care should never be an afterthought.
Think ahead now for your customized after-care outreach program and send us a message or give us a call if you are interested in any of our services. At Caledon Virtual, we are experts at what we do so you can focus your expertise on your practice. We focus on web design, conversion rate optimization, and more.
