For Dr. Shawn Jacobs, a doctor of chiropractic and the owner of a chiropractic practice in San Francisco, patient communication looked more like a game of phone tags, 3 months ago.\u00a0Phone lines were always tied up with front desk staff making up to 100 calls a day trying to remind patients about their scheduled appointments, informing patients about their balance due, or answering calls from patients who wanted to cancel or reschedule their appointments. That was too much for the staff to handle and even for the patients. Some patients even complained they had to wait for up to 20 minutes to talk to a staff member.<\/p>\n
Eventually, some patients gave up trying to contact the practice, leaving the clinic liable for more than 7 patient no-shows every day, on average. Dr. Shawn and his practice weren\u2019t actually engaging and helping patients through phone calls, they drove them away. So Dr. Shawn decided to try 2-way text messaging technology from zHealth Software. Within a month of using zHealth Conversations, a\u00a02-way text messaging solution\u00a0for wellness providers, Dr. Shawn realized that patients pay attention to text messages. They read messages immediately, and most importantly, patients\u00a0respond<\/i>\u00a0to text messages.<\/p>\n
So which communication method delivers the best patient engagement results? We have the answer now.\u00a0As\u00a0chiropractic practices\u00a0<\/a>look for ways to boost patient engagement, it\u2019s more important now than ever before to implement a text messaging solution for better communicating with and engaging patients.\u00a0<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n Conversational messaging involves using text-like interactions to communicate with patients. This can include appointment reminders, answering queries, providing health tips, or even addressing concerns in a conversational manner through messaging platforms. It aims to enhance patient engagement, streamline communication, and create a more personalized and convenient experience for individuals seeking chiropractic care.<\/p>\n 1.\u00a0\u00a0 A survey<\/a> says that four out of five people prefer conversational text messaging to communicate with healthcare providers.<\/p>\n 2.\u00a0 3 out of 4 consumers get frustrated when they can\u2019t respond or take action after receiving an automated text message.<\/p>\n 3.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a061% of consumers think businesses should use the same number for calling and texting.<\/p>\n 4.\u00a0\u00a0Some 76% of consumers recently reported that they don\u2019t like talking to businesses on the phone.<\/p>\n 5.\u00a0\u00a0People are 4 times more likely to respond to a text message than call back to a voicemail.<\/p>\n 6.\u00a0\u00a0More than 8 out of 10 patients want to be able to send texts to and receive texts from businesses.<\/p>\n \n<\/td>\n Open Response 98%<\/p>\n<\/td>\n 45%<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n 20%<\/p>\n<\/td>\n 6%<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n \u2022\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 84% of people won\u2019t answer a call from an unknown caller.<\/p>\n \u2022\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Texts from an unknown number are 7 times more likely to get a response than a voicemail.<\/p>\n From what studies tell us (and from simple observation), people text all the time. If you\u2019ve noticed, you will realize that patients check their smartphones all the time – while sitting in waiting rooms, when paying their balance for their appointment, when leaving the clinic, and even sometimes during the appointment session. A mobile phone is like familiar ground for patients. This offers a clear opportunity for chiropractic practices and other wellness providers to reach patients where they are – on their mobile devices. Text message-based communication reduces phone tags between patient and provider and encourages interactive, real-time conversations. By giving patients the ability to connect with providers when and where they need it, 2-way text messaging improves patient engagement and satisfaction. With zHealth Conversations, you can reach roughly all of your patients without requiring an app download or a password to remember. Providers can do conversational engagement<\/span> with patients from their desktop and patients can reply to your messages from their phone\u2019s messaging app – as if they are talking to a family member.<\/p>\n Now, if you\u2019re thinking about how to use text messaging to engage patients better, we\u2019ve put together 5 highly effective text message examples that can help you engage your current patients and attract new ones.<\/p>\n Your new patients will love this kind of message. Sending a \u201cmeet-your-doctor\u201d text helps to reduce the feeling of anxiety in new patients. They will feel more comfortable showing up to your clinic as they\u2019ve already been introduced to their doctor.<\/p>\n Have you ever considered texting instructions on how to get to the clinic? Again, your new patients will love this. Sometimes, GPS isn\u2019t reliable. Having the directions to reach your office ahead of time will help new patients show up on time.<\/p>\n Educating patients through videos, exercise recommendations, or sharing health tips in between appointments is a great way to keep reminding patients to adhere to their treatment regimen. You can directly share educational materials with patients via text messages to ensure they follow their treatment and keep coming back for follow-up appointments. Sometimes, patients need to quickly chat with their providers. Instead of calling back and forth, sending a text message from your desktop would feel more feasible.<\/p>\n How often do you ask patients to rate their recent visit? If you\u2019re not already asking for feedback or have automated this process, then you should be. We recommend automating the patient feedback process. This would help you save time and money in the long run. If you hesitate to ask patients for their feedback upfront, text messaging can help you. Send a message to your patients asking them for\u00a0a rating between 1-5. If a patient gives you a 4 or 5-star review, then you can send them a link to\u00a0post their review online.<\/p>\n Time flies. Without a text reminder, patients are likely to forget their follow-up appointments, especially when they don\u2019t visit your clinic for more than 3 months. Sending a text message will notify the patient that they need to visit your clinic for their follow-up appointment.\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n Conversational engagement through text messages allows chiropractic providers to stay connected with their patients and encourage them to actively participate in their treatment. Here are some sample messages that can be sent:<\/p>\n These messages not only serve as reminders but also promote patient engagement and a proactive approach to their health.<\/p>\n Now you know what is conversational messaging and how it helps you engage your patients, it’s time to incorporate 2-way text messaging into patient communication strategies. Use 2-way text messaging solution will help you drive patient experience, and ultimately, your practice revenue. Ready to start messaging? Want to learn more about how zHealth Conversations<\/a> can help you boost patient engagement?<\/p>\n <\/p>\nWhat is conversational messaging?<\/strong><\/h2>\n
2-way text messaging or conversational messaging is the most preferred method of communication among patients. We have some stats to prove that.<\/i><\/b><\/h3>\n
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Texting vs. Emailing Statistics<\/b><\/h3>\n
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Rate<\/b><\/p>\n<\/td>\n\n
Rate<\/b><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n Text Messaging<\/td>\n \n \n \n Email<\/td>\n \n \n Texting vs. P<\/b>hone <\/b>C<\/b>alls<\/b> Statistics<\/b><\/b><\/h3>\n
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Meet patients on familiar ground<\/b><\/h2>\n
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Use Conversational Text Messaging for a High-To<\/b>uch <\/b>E<\/b>ngagement <\/b>Outreach<\/b><\/h2>\n
1. Meet Your Doctor<\/b><\/h3>\n
2. Instructions to Reach Your Clinic<\/b><\/h3>\n
3. Educating Patients or Answer Their Questions<\/b><\/h3>\n
4. Ask for Feedback<\/b><\/h3>\n
5. Patient Recall<\/b><\/h3>\n
6. Patient Recall<\/b><\/h3>\n
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Conclusion:<\/b><\/h2>\n