Routine medical care—it’s an integral part of staying healthy as well as fighting illness and diseases. It also plays a significant role in cutting medical care costs. Yet, many Canadians forgo these necessary services each year. Encourage preventive care at your practice or facility with these tips and healthcare giveaways that promote routine services.
- Send appointment reminders: According to a survey about why patients miss appointments, more than half say they either forgot to attend or forgot to cancel. That same survey asked patients which communication methods would help them keep their appointments—40% preferred text reminders, 24% said phone calls and 20% said email reminders. The same channels your facility uses to alert patients of upcoming appointments can be used to remind them to schedule recommended screenings, immunizations and follow-ups. Encourage patients to sign up for text and email reminders by offering a healthcare promotional item, like a first-aid kit to those who do.
- Offer virtual appointments: Virtual appointments are a great alternative for patients who, for whatever reason, can’t or prefer not to make an in-person appointment. In addition to providing convenient access to care, virtual healthcare has been shown to improve patient satisfaction and reduce no-shows. Make patients aware of virtual services at every touchpoint—on your website and mobile app, via emails, on social media and with direct mail. Imprint a healthcare giveaway, like a magnet or phone stand, with a promotional message about your virtual appointment options and send it to patients who are due for routine care. If patients call to cancel an appointment because they’re too busy or unable to travel, offer virtual options instead.
- Provide clear recommendations: There are many vaccinations and screenings that are recommended from infancy through adulthood. You can help patients stay on track by providing clearly laid out recommendations and proactively scheduling appointments. Send patients an annual reminder that outlines the coming year’s recommended immunizations and screenings based on their age. Better yet, send the reminder in a birthday greeting along with a healthcare promotional item, like a hot/cold pack, imprinted with all the ways they can reach your office to schedule a visit.
- Harness the power of video: Video is an influential promotional tool. In fact, 8 out of 10 people have taken an action after watching a video. Promote preventive services—like immunizations, wellness exams, mammograms and colonoscopies—with awareness videos. Share them on your website, via email and on social media. You can give people added incentive to like, comment and share by entering those who do into a prize draw for a giveaway, like a tote or journal.
Promote patient health by encouraging routine services. Use these tips and healthcare giveaways to remind patients to take care.