Today’s patients want to use technology to enhance their overall experience, gone are the days when patients would like to make phone calls as they have become outdated. Tech-savvy patients want both digital health tools and human interaction for the best health information and services. So practices and hospitals need to strike a balance between digital communication tools and one-on-one human interaction for maximum patient satisfaction.

Effective hybrid communication supports a rewarding patient experience at all touchpoints which helps to achieve a revenue boom.

Hybrid communication strategies for medical practices

 The patient wants a personalized touch in communication which makes them feel important as it shows the practice has made an effort to connect on a personal level. Practices can connect through the robust patient portal EMR software platform by sending emails and text messages regarding appointment reminders or providing rescheduling options. Patients want to feel on top of their healthcare by tracking and monitoring their health through wellness apps installed on smartphones and wearable. Seamless communication can have a positive change in patient patterns and behavior.

Several patient engagement solutions can be used by hospitals and healthcare providers to achieve diverse and full-rounded communication to increase patient involvement and satisfaction rates. These include,

  • Follow-up Communication – Sometimes patients don’t retain all the information that is shared during an appointment with their provider. So it’s crucial to send necessary follow-up information via text messages or emails to keep patients content.
  • Program Promotions – Health and wellness related workshops held by providers can better meet their practice goals by communicating about such initiatives via messages.
  • Message Broadcast – A message broadcast system helps to avoid any inconvenience for the patients which can arise from the provider’s end. For example, a message broadcast can be used to inform patients about facility closures due to unexpected circumstances this can avoid patients getting frustrated by showing up at a closed clinic. This shows that the practice wants their patients to stay in the loop of everything important that is happening.

Use multiple channels for communication

Digital tools and communication channels have made it possible for healthcare organizations to communicate with patients at any given time which means that they receive any important information update on their smartphone. A recent survey conducted by healthcare providers revealed that 71% of patients prefer digital appointment reminders via message and emails as compared to phone calls as it is more convenient.

Digital devices can be used to send email reminders, appointment reminders, and health updates to the patients. If your patient is a millennial then they prefer such information to be communicated through messages as opposed to emails and phone calls. So the practice needs to know what exactly your patient group wants and communicate according to their liking.

By integrating Electronic Medical Records (EMR) software and Practice Management (PM) software solutions practices can build an effective patient engagement strategy. Integration of robust software systems ensures that the information that is used and sent to patients is 100% accurate and precise. The proactive communication with the patients ensures that readmissions are reduced and the number of appointments is increased to provide a stable revenue stream.

Hybrid communication is a new way forward to maintain all-in-one communication with your patient which is convenient for them to use and a touch of customization and personalization can keep patient satisfaction rates high.