COLUMN PRACTICE SUCCESS 3 keys to a successful re-opening BY BRAD COTE Vital communications is the lifeline of any successful business – especially in healthcare. Keeping in constant con-tact with your patients is a crucial first step in getting back to a full schedule. Regular communication about what you are doing to go above and beyond to keep patients safe upon re-opening is an absolute must. A pro tip is involv-ing them in your processes and ask for their feedback. This will help you get a better understanding of the patient’s perspective and concerns, and build a stronger professional relationship. To facilitate communications, I’ve found that a weekly e-newsletter and monthly print newsletters mailed to our patient’s homes have been a key part to our high patient retention dur-ing closures and upon re-launch. With tightened restrictions and added cleaning procedures, ensuring a regi-mented schedule is imperative to avoid delays by falling behind. The advantage we have is we can communicate to our current and pro-spective patients: due to these proce-dural changes, your schedule has been reduced and it is important to book early and consistent appointments in order to ensure that the patient gets their preferred appointment date and time. We have used a “short personal ex-pecting a reply” (SPERS) e-mail and letter to inform our patients of our re-opening, rigorous cleaning procedures and the importance for them to plan ahead and schedule their appointments now to avoid disappointment of leaving it to the last minute. The following is an example of an e-mail we sent. Feel free to swipe, edit and deploy this copy: “% FIRSTNAME % I’ve got great news for you! I’ve recently reopened and offering my world-class (insert service here) again. With that being said... I am taking extra precautions and following above and be-yond on safety measures to make sure you not only get excellent service, but keep safe. Because of this, I have limited spaces available and since you are one of my top clients, I would be delighted to offer you the opportunity to get first dibs on booking before everyone rushes back. Simply reply with what day and time works best for you and I will be sure to get you booked in ASAP” Being prepared, book ahead referral strategy in place, setting up a marketing calendar and campaigns, optimizing your website and – most crucially – a re-activation strategy are all positive uses of downtime that will put your practice ahead of the pack upon reopening. Budgeting is of utmost importance, especially for those who are paying rent and unable to work. Start by reducing unnecessary expenses. Now is the time to look at the subscriptions for things you don’t really need or use. It is a good chance to review your financials both business and personal and trim the fat. Tying it all together Use downtime to minimize loss & maximize productivity BRAD COTE is the founder of Link Performance Therapy, a successful cash pay private practice with a focus on athletes. He has grown his clinic from zero to 7-figures revenue within 18 months of operation using a combination of proven structures, systems and strategies that he now shares with healthcare business owners across North America who are looking to gain new patients and grow their business. 26 Chiropractic and Naturopathic Doctor July/August 2020 Visit us online at cndoctor.ca for general health news, techniques, business advice, profession news and events, and patient care tips. www.Cndoctor.ca Photo: andresr / E+ / Getty Images Work on your business structure, sys-tems and strategy. Often the people I speak with claim they never have time or are too busy – well, now many of us have extra time. Focusing on optimiz-ing the patient experience, putting a We are now entering a new world of therapy filled with uncertainty, but I can promise you that many patients will continue to seek our services since we provide such a long lasting positive impact in so many patients’ lives. These changes give us the opportunity to reevaluate and improve our business and our focus so that we can continue to improve the lives of our patients for years to come.
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