First impressions matter. Try these 5 things to make sure your patients leave their appointment with good things to say.
Posted in Articles on Thursday, February 27, 2025
There's truth to the old adage, "You never get a second chance to make a first impression" — and it's especially true when it comes to your patients.
From the moment a patient considers booking an appointment to the post-visit follow-up, every step along the way impacts whether they decide to walk through your door again. Creating a welcoming and effective patient onboarding process is one of the best ways to keep them coming back.
Make the First Steps Easy
While word of mouth is still an effective form of marketing, your online presence is also crucial for new patient discovery. Your website should be up to date and informative and should clearly list your specialties, services, and conditions treated.
Take a few minutes to fill out your own forms or schedule an appointment from your website. Is it an easy process, are there steps that can be removed? Ideally, you’ll want your forms to be complete but succinct, and easy to fill out on mobile devices.
Once the forms are filled out and submitted, your process should include follow-up text or email reminders to provide the new patient with practical information such as location or parking tips to help avoid last-minute obstacles. The goal is to make every step as smooth as possible.
Create a Warm Environment
Your staff will help set the tone when a new patient arrives at your practice. Encourage them to stand to greet new patients warmly and be sure to use their names to help build a friendly rapport. Transparency is also vital, which includes the staff informing the patient of any wait times or slight delays.
First impressions matter, so make sure your reception area is clean and inviting.
Build the Relationship
Forging a relationship with your patients is a priority. You can help foster that positive environment by focusing on understanding the patient as a person rather than jumping straight into clinical questions. Building a rapport through casual conversation about their life, family, and interests can make a significant difference in their experience.
This will not only help build a closer relationship, but also provides a more comprehensive understanding of the patient’s needs. Being aware of a patient’s hobbies or background can also help open a window into possible treatment plans.
Through these conversations, you can also uncover the reasons why they chose chiropractic care. This is more insight you can use to tailor the treatment to align with their expectations and needs.
Schedule the Second Appointment
How you end the appointment can be just as impactful as how it starts. Always end with positive feedback and highlight improvements and progress, no matter how minimal.
This is also where you should explain the importance of a follow-up appointment and schedule it before the patient leaves. This is also an ideal time to ask the patient to leave an online review. A personal, in-office request is more effective than passive prompts in emails or QR codes.
Follow Through on Follow-Up
Follow up the initial appointment with personalized emails summarizing the visit and outlining the treatment plan. Effective and timely communication helps patients feel valued and reinforces their decision to choose you for their chiropractic care.
Onboarding new patients effectively is a comprehensive process that involves clear communication, personal connection, and follow-up. By focusing on these steps, you can increase patient satisfaction, foster loyalty, and grow your practice.
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