Running a private practice can be a stressful task when you’re trying to manage your revenue, client retention, marketing, training and everything else. Physical therapy and acupuncture practitioners don’t particularly want long-term clients because the goal is to solve problems. This means your practice needs a constant influx of new patients. But, so does every other practice in your area.
Huh.
Outbound marketing is one thing, but that just gets your audience to your website. How do you make it as easy as possible for your audience to turn into customers? Today we’re going to look at a few tips for creating a patient-first website.
What even is patient-first?
It’s very easy to think about your own needs when you run a business; after all, it’s your business. However, a business isn’t just the people who operate it, it’s the customers who use it. In the health world, a patient-first business is one that designs its operation around the patient’s needs and experience. While many businesses like to think they put their patients first, it’s not always true.
So how do you know if you’re putting your patients and prospective patients first? Here are some tips.
#1 Clear Services
On your website and marketing materials, are your services listed in a way that new patients can understand? You can’t assume that prospective patients understand medical terms, therapies or processes. Unclear services include cursory mentions of a therapy but then no follow up mention of it or presence on the price list; do you offer it, or not?
Where your services are listed, they should be clear to understand by someone who has never previously experienced that service. Photographs can be particularly helpful here, as prospective clients can see immediately what you mean by ‘cupping therapy’, for instance.
#2 Display Prices
There is a demographic to suit every price point and you don’t want to waste anybody’s time seeking out your prices only to discover you don’t fit their budget. Similarly, you don’t want your phone to constantly be ringing with price enquiries.
No matter what price point your services sit at, make your prices (or price ranges) easy to find on your website. By being open and upfront about the cost of treatment, you will get more targeted enquiries and more easily sign up clients who fit your price point. Without prices on your website, your audience will go to your competitor’s site for that information.
#3 Comprehensive FAQs
Imagine how relaxing life would be if we were all 100% healthy and never had to worry about our minds or bodies? Unfortunately, that’s just not the case. Chances are if you run a practice in the health industry, your patients are most likely experiencing something that they wish they weren’t and they’re coming to you for your help.
When something isn’t right, life becomes more stressful and it’s easier to worry about uncertainty. Healthcare appointments can be stressful for this reason and many prospective patients may have put off treatment for a considerable amount of time due to this worry.
No matter what therapy or services you offer, the best way to alleviate worries is to explain them clearly on your website. Will patients experience pain or discomfort? Will they need to undress? Is there an option or a male or female clinician? Do they need to bring anything or prepare in any way for treatment? How long will an appointment be? Should they pay at the beginning, the end or in advance? Is there are waiting room? Are there toilet facilities on the premises?
All these questions may be running through someone’s mind as they debate whether you book an appointment at your clinic. Many people suffer from anxiety and other mental health issues, increasing these types of worries. The more your website can outline exactly what a patient can expect, the fewer worries they’ll have to contend with.
Design your website from a patient’s perspective
When you make your audience’s lives easier and provide all the information they need to pick your practice, you’ll save time fielding enquiries and uncertainty. There’s no reason to lose prospective clients simply because they couldn’t find a price within a minute of being on your site or were worried about whether they need to undress during their appointment. Easing anxieties by offering clear information goes a long way to securing new clients.
