Pinnacle III Director of Operations Catherine Sayers offered eight best practices to improve patient access and increase patient volume in endoscopy centers in a blog post.
Here's what you should know:
1. Be easy to find — Ms. Sayers said center's should develop a strong web presences with an up-to-date website. She recommends integrating a responsive design into the website to allow it to be mobile friendly. She concludes, "When patients search for a place to receive a colonoscopy, you want your center showing up on the first page of results and as close to the top of that page as possible."
2. Provide direct access — Allow patients to schedule their procedures directly.
3. Conduct community outreach — Although the internet is a strong tool for patient recruitment, being present in the community at events that attract a targeted population pays dividends.
4. Streamline the referral process — Provide all-encompassing information packets to primary care providers. The providers "will appreciate your efforts to help their patients receive care," while the information is a way to directly market to patients.
5. Network with primary care providers — Similar to the aforementioned point, by reaching out to providers directly and having them network with your center's physicians, you establish strong patient referral pipelines.
6. Analyze referral patterns — Monitor referrals to your center. If there's a decline, analyze the cause and address it. When volume increases, thank the referring provider.
7. Monitor physician activity — Follow the careers of high-referral physicians, if they switch practices give the new practice your information packet. A physician that has worked with your center before is a valuable recruiting technique to expanding your referral network.
8. Stay current — Stay on top of new procedures. Offering physicians a chance to practice these new techniques can allow your center to add case volume, while adding to your center's prestige.