It is imperative that staff members make the most of the first telephone contact with a new patient prospect. You get one chance to deliver information and convert that caller to a new patient with a consultation or examination appointment. Your staff is the key to making that 1st appointment.  Here are some staff training suggestions that will get the job done. 

1.  Basic customer service begins with answering the telephone within the first two rings. Patients are calling for a reason with some sense of urgency. They either want to make an appointment or they have a question about your practice, products or services. A prompt staff response will help build the foundation of a positive patient relationship.

2.  Staff should make every effort to meet the patient’s needs during the initial call. In the event you or another staff member needs to make a callback, it should take place in a timely manner, preferably in the same day. To effectively address the patients’ needs, your front desk staff should be able to collect enough information during that call to allow an informative call-back.  At minimum, the caller’s name, telephone number and address along with the day and time of the call should be recorded. Did the call come from a referral? Did the caller find your practice on the Internet? Collecting this basic information will allow you to track the new patient prospect so you can contact the patient again.

3.  Develop a consistent new patient response system through scripting and staff training. For example, the staff should help the patient feel good about calling your practice. The script can sound something like this… “Mrs. Jones, you´ve called the right practice, Dr. Thomas is a great doctor. I know we can help you.”  A well trained staff will help build your practice and support your marketing efforts.

4.  All new patient inquiries should be followed-up with a mailing or in an email message. Your practice should have a professionally designed new patient information kit branded with your logo to disseminate to new patients. This kit can be mailed, emailed or posted on your website in a downloadable format.

5.  At staff meetings, add marketing and new patient statistics to your agenda.  Remind your staff that every new patient prospect should be greeted and handled in an efficient and professional manner to increase the likelihood the call will result in a new patient appointment.

6.  Reward your staff when there is an increase in new patient conversions by tracking new patient prospect calls against new patient appointments.