Successful healthcare marketing for ASCs goes beyond delivering the right message to the right audience; to achieve long-term retention and business growth, it's essential patients see an ASC as a reliable place to receive care, according to Lakewood, Colo.-based Pinnacle III.
Pinnacle III shared the following tips on how to weave patient experience into marketing efforts on their blog:
1. Marketing alone can't improve or retain an ASC's reputation. Instead, the entire organization needs to commit to the effort through building trust with patients, improving patient experience and business practices.
2. Because healthcare fits into the service industry, patients evaluate how an ASC addresses their needs, as well as the quality of service. Therefore, patients can often control an ASC's marketing message through relaying their experience to others. Understanding how marketing and patient experience can go hand-in-hand can help ASCs move into the digital space.
3. Helping patients understand expectations through education is one way to increase satisfaction. Creating guides for patients to walk them through their procedure can help improve their experience.
4. Educating staff on good customer service practices can help them engage with patients in positive ways. Asking patients for feedback on their experience can also help identify areas for improvement.
5. Investing time communicating with patients and having a policy for dealing with upset patients can help physicians build healthy relationships, which can establish customer loyalty.
6. ASC staff should be aware of what patients are saying about the organization through monitoring reviews through sites such as Facebook and Yelp.
7. Lastly, ASCs should be aware of the changing healthcare market to ensure they're providing the best services for their patients.