September 7th, 2010
Many of us, myself included, are often too busy to remember to make appointments with our healthcare providers on a regular basis. I do love getting those reminder postcards in the mail, though, since that is often my cue to call! But with all of technology – smart phones, cell phones, etc. – I wonder how many physician and dental offices use these mediums to communicate with patients?
One of my coworkers goes to a local dentist who regularly sends text messages to patients, including appointment reminders, satisfaction surveys, and Happy Birthday messages. The office recently sent her a Happy Birthday message for her husband, too, which served as a convenient reminder to her that she needed to make appointments for her family. Of course, the dental office phone number was right in the message, making it easy to find.
Your patients may or may not appreciate the friendly reminders, but it would certainly be worth finding out. It could be an easy way to differentiate yourself from competing offices.