Attracting more patients is something almost every hospital and medical group focuses on — but how do you do it? Unfortunately, there’s no single correct answer; even if a strategy works for one organization, there’s no guarantee it will work for yours.
However, with that in mind, getting more patients often relies on some level of experimentation to determine what works for your health system/medical group.
We’ll discuss five low-cost strategies you can try to get more patients, and some best practice bonus tips to help you build a roster of patients.
5 Steps for Hospitals to Get More Patients
Every independent medical group and hospital should start with these five steps to bring in more patients:
1. Establish An Online Presence
Google handles almost four billion searches every day, and 80% of people say they use the internet to get answers to their health questions.
Related: How Patient Care Is Like Tinder
If your organization doesn’t have a strong online presence, many patients won’t be aware it exists. So your first step should be to create an informative and user-friendly website for your medical group or hospital. Don’t worry — creating a simple website is easy (and affordable) these days.
It’s crucial to design your website in a mobile-friendly and easy-to-use way — almost 60% of searches come from mobile devices; creating your website with that in mind is absolutely essential.
However, establishing an online presence means more than creating a website. For example, you should also:
- Submit your organization to online directories like Google My Business
- Create profiles on review sites like Yelp
- Be active on social media and interact with your patients and followers
2. Ask for Reviews and Referrals
There’s a reason why almost every business asks for reviews and referrals — it works.
People’s health is a serious matter, both to them and the people around them. To ensure they choose the right healthcare provider, people will often look for patient reviews of health systems nearby to get a look into how others describe your treatment. This practice is especially common when someone has recently moved to a new area and needs to find a new provider.
There’s always a demand for referrals and reviews — ensure you have the supply to keep up with it!
You can send follow-up messages through text, email, social media, etc., with a link encouraging your patients to leave you a review online. You can link to popular healthcare review sites like Healthgrades and ZocDoc, along with general sites like Google reviews and Yelp.
3. Establish Good Relationships with Current Patients
As providers, sometimes we focus too much on getting new patients instead of focusing on our current ones. While using your resources to get more patients is a must, don’t forget about keeping your current patients happy.
For example, instead of making your patients call in for a new appointment, follow up with them to help them schedule. You can also send reminders about their scheduled appointments and follow up with them with some health tips, updates, etc.
Related: How AI Chat Builds Brand Loyalty
Similarly, if your patient starts a new medication, you can reach out in a few days to ask how it’s working for them, if they’re experiencing side effects, etc.
It’s a small step, but it can mean the world to your patients — it shows them you truly care about their health, encouraging them to stick with your medical group rather than seeking a new provider.
4. Start a Blog
Because so many people look up health information online, publishing well-written blog posts can help answer questions and potentially bring those people to you as patients.
You can write about various topics, including your thoughts on new treatments, wellness tips, case studies with your current patients, and even new updates about your hospital.
By regularly posting original, relevant content, you can help boost your organization’s ranking in search results, making it easier for new patients to find you. You can also promote your blog through your medical group’s social media profiles to further engage with current patients and discover new ones.
5. Use Modern Technology
We’re in a digital age — and healthcare is no different. It’s time for our hospitals and health systems to embrace it. And upgrading your technology doesn’t have to be as confusing and costly as you might think.
To start, you can consider using technology that makes life easier for your patients. For example, you can let your patients schedule their next appointment online or ask you quick questions through a patient portal. These conveniences not only save your patients time but it helps you and your staff save resources too.
You can also offer electronic check-in options for when your patients arrive, offer free Wi-Fi while they wait, and have streaming platforms available in the lobby for them. Most patients will be alright with waiting a little longer in a comfortable room with a few amenities.
Bonus Tips to Get More Patients
Here are a few extra tips you can try to implement in your healthcare organization to bring in more patients:
- Connect with your community — you can host seminars or classes to help educate people about healthcare and your medical group.
- Have flexible hours — many patients can’t regularly visit their provider during work hours; offering flexible appointment times can draw in new patients.
- Take every case seriously — even if it’s not a big deal to you, respond to your patients’ concerns promptly. If you ignore them while they’re worried, they’ll look elsewhere for their healthcare needs.
Related: Pushing the Boundaries of Virtual Care
Get More Patients With Clearstep
Attracting more patients to your healthcare organization is essential for your livelihood. That’s why we created Clearstep, to make healthcare access easier.
We help independent medical groups and hospitals get more patients and keep their existing ones happy by delivering a patient-centric experience. Our AI healthcare solutions drive better patient engagement and outcomes, automate your workflows, and increase your overall efficiency.
Ready to draw more patients to your medical group or hospital? Schedule your demo of Clearstep — get more patients while retaining your current ones.
