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In today’s market, DSOs have at their fingertips an endless variety of patient communications software options. But few of them can sufficiently equip you with the tools and operability needed to successfully tackle rapid growth, consolidation, and staffing shortages. Often the trickiest part of choosing a digital solution is ensuring that candidates tick all the requisite boxes. Does it have the right combination of tools and features? Is it scalable and cost-effective? Will it give me the reliability and stability I need for my practice to reach patients more efficiently and effectively?
Let’s take a closer look at the criteria and functionality you’ll want to examine to ensure you choose the best solution for your organization.
Invest in the Right Technology
Even a cursory glance at what’s available underscores the reality that not all patient communications tools are created equal. There’s an abundance of manual reminder systems and electronic health records (EHRs) with minimal communications abilities. But they’re either ineffective or lack the abilities needed to deliver the time and money savings you’re looking for. Seventy-six percent of practices that use a digital solution spend less than two hours a day on the phone and 33% spend less than one hour.
And don’t underestimate the patient experience. Eighty-four percent of patients want to be able to receive digital communications (as opposed to phone calls) from their practice. Similarly, 60% of younger patients and 33% of all age groups said they’d be willing to switch practices to get a better digital experience with their practice. Best practice in today’s competitive environment is to acquire a next-gen solution from a leading software vendor that gives you:
- Simple integrations with your existing EHR or practice management systems
- Easy-to-use interface that provides relevant information in one location to optimizes staff time and satisfaction
- Customizable tools with technologies like automation for optimal efficiency and a better patient experience
- Service excellence and platform reliability for proven software dependability
- Scalability features to help you increase production across your locations
- Overall capabilities to strengthen your practice’s financial health by helping you increase appointment volume, cut costs, and generate more revenue
More specifically, you’ll need a comprehensive platform of text-first tools to ensure your practice staff can reach patients more effectively to reduce no-shows, increase confirmations, and help patients get to their appointments prepared and on time. These include:
- Automated appointment reminders
- Automated recall notifications
- Real-time, two-way texting
- Online scheduling
- Digital intake
- Group messaging
- Online bill payment
- Online reviews and reputation management
- Templated newsletters
- Multi-location corporate features
Consolidate and Scale Technology Across Practices
The beauty of a modern, comprehensive patient communication platform is that you can get all the features and functionality we’ve talked about in a single solution. Plus, it can scale to all your company’s practice locations while easily integrating into existing EHR or practice management system (PM) so that implementation is a cinch. Leverage the benefits of standardization and familiarity of a single platform to gain efficiencies of scale at every office so you can more easily onboard new locations, train staff, and offer ongoing support. This enables your practices to mitigate higher costs, book more visits, and raise profit margins across the company.
Leverage Data to Make Drive Higher Productivity
Your organization’s software captures a ridiculous amount of data. But data is only as good as the actionable intelligence it gives stakeholders. Taking the next step to capture, organize, and make sense of those metrics requires a patient communications solution with the right corporate-level tools. The optimal combination of multi-location dashboard tools gives you greater visibility and insights into each office’s performance so that stakeholders can make course corrections that drive higher production. A multi-level feature enables you to scale efficiencies across your company to produce more revenue and expand your organization.
Bottom Line
In order to thrive—let alone survive—in today’s dental care market, you’ve got to have the digital tools that will allow you to rise above challenges like rapid growth and labor shortages to operate a more efficient company. A modern patient communications platform empowers you to boost productivity at individual locations while driving the efficiencies and revenue streams you need to expand your organization and surpass competitors.
For more tips and strategies download our FREE Guide:
How to Beat Inflation, Maximize Profits, and Grow Your DSO
or visit www.solutionreach.com
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