MedEsthetics magazines offers business education and in-depth coverage of the latest noninvasive cosmetic procedures for physicians and practice managers working in the medical aesthetics industry.
Issue link: https://medesthetics.epubxp.com/i/101607
BEST PRACTICES Personalized Patient Call Management The elective nature of cosmetic procedures requires a more personalized, customer service-based approach to front desk operations, particularly when it comes to ���elding initial phone inquiries from prospective patients. For smaller practices, having a staff member available at all times to answer phone calls and address prospective patients��� questions can be cost-prohibitive. Missing these calls or routing them through an automated phone messaging system, however, increases the chance that the patient will move on to the next practice, resulting in lost revenue. One additional option for medical aesthetic practitioners is to sub-contract answering services, such as Opticall (opticall.com). In this scenario, incoming phone calls are routed to the Opticall phone centers, where they are answered by live operators versed in your practice���s offerings and professional credentials. If a patient would like to book a consultation, the operator can make an appointment through the practice���s practice management system. For more information, visit opticall.com or call 877.238.0555. Harness the Power of Television Television advertising allows you to reach mass populations with a personalized message about your practice and services, and it���s far less expensive than you might imagine. This is the message of Jim Kraushaar, founder of Medcam Productions. For less than $20,000, his company will create a 30-minute infomercial about your practice and purchase premium local cable advertising spots to reach your target markets. ���Cable TV is the No. 1 patient generator, and physicians can place an ad in prime time���reaching 1 million to 2 million viewers���for $300 to $800 per spot,��� he says. The infomercials are ���lmed at LA Castle Studios in Los Angeles. Physicians can choose which procedures they would like to feature, and the practices receive a DVD of the infomercial that they can play in their reception areas. For more information, call 877.963.3226 or visit medcamproductions.com. Survey Patients and Improve Satisfaction Patient surveys can improve patient relations ��� I felt comfortable asking questions and practice operations, says Scottsdale, ��� I know whom to call if I have questions Arizona-based plastic surgeon Patti Flint, MD, ��� I was satis���ed with the post-operative followup who asks her patients to ���ll out surveys at two care received from Dr. Flint different times: after the initial consultation The surveys have already affected changes in felt unsure about directing questions to various staff experiences on topics, such as: members, she created a patient concierge position ��� The timeliness of your appointment so patients would have one contact for treatment- ��� The way staff shared information with you related concerns. The surveys also revealed that ��� The overall care given to you by Dr. Flint patients felt uncomfortable interrupting Dr. Flint with ��� Staff listened and were responsive to me questions during their consults. She now structures ��� Dr. Flint seemed to care about my feelings the consultation to offer time for questions ��� Dr. Flint and staff worked well as a team 8 JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2013 | MedEsthetics Dr. Flint���s practice. When patients revealed they procedure. The surveys ask patients to rate their throughout the meeting. �� ISTOCKPHOTO.COM and three months following the surgical