If you own a GP practice, your patients’ wellbeing will be your top priority. You will want to leave them feeling properly cared for, heard, and understood. In doing so, you can be quite sure that they will develop a sense of loyalty towards your practice and continue choosing one of your doctors as their primary healthcare expert. The question is, aside from prioritising superior patient care, how can you successfully optimise patient loyalty and trust? Here are a few pointers.
Invest in the right supplies
A doctor is only as good as the tools they use! Make sure that you find a reputable medical supplier for your GP practice supplies that promises quality and consistency at a great price. Here at Medical Supermarket, we specialise in next day delivery on all orders placed before 4pm and can provide GP practices with high quality and branded medical supplies and medical equipment, from blood pressure monitors and PPE to office supplies and medical furniture all at affordable prices.
Offer your patients convenience
Nowadays, patients expect to be able to book their appointment with ease and in seconds. So, if you are still relying on telephonic bookings, now is the time to investigate what tech-savvy solutions are available to simplify and streamline this process. Ideally, patients should be able to book their appointments using their mobile phones or PCs.
However, if you have the funds available, you might want to think about taking your booking portal a few steps further by including other functionalities, such as paying medical bills, requesting prescription renewals, and more.
Re-think your approach to offering patient care
Some modern-day GP practices have done away with bookings completely and encourage their patients to walk in as needed. This is a way to offer patients convenience and could help you stand out from other practices in the area. However, it is vital that you ensure that your practice is equipped to cope with the demand. You will need a few more physicians and nurses on hand than you would for a traditional practice.
If the walk-in approach is not viable for you, another approach to consider would be offering access to medical professionals outside of the traditional 9am – 5pm working hours. Extending your hours maximises convenience and could be a real game changer from a patient loyalty perspective.
Hire the right office staff
Having a full house of incredible doctors and nurses is not enough to leave a lasting impression on a patient. You also need competent, supportive office staff. The right receptionist, for example, will try to get to know each patient individually to personalise their experience whenever they visit for a check-up or when they are feeling ill. A receptionist who calls the patient by name without needing to refer to a file, or asks how their family members are, can make a great difference in helping the patient feel important and prioritised. At Medical Supermarket, we have partnered with Pro Nursing Healthcare, a reputable recruitment company dedicated to helping healthcare providers find the right staff. Click here to learn more about this service.
Ultimately, the secret to building and nurturing patient loyalty all boils down to the right bedside manner, the right supplies, the right technology, and the right staff members.
