Sponsored by ChiroTouch
There are two sides to the mobility coin: the effect mobility has on practice efficiency, and the expectations patients have as they live in the mobile era.
Speaking to the ladder, and now that mobile adoption has offered patients access to the Internet from anywhere, user engagement is rapidly on the rise. As smartphones, tablets, and other mobile devices are now ubiquitous, users are flocking to their portable screens to get information on pretty much everything—including where to find the best chiropractors in their area.
Because patients are now keeping tabs on their providers right from the palms of their hands, mobile apps and push notifications are quickly becoming the golden eggs in every chiropractor’s marketing basket.
And for those doctors who understand the power of mobility and how to leverage it, the efficiencies found in mobile-empowered practices is considerable. And there’s icing on that cake as well – how do you think a patient views a practice that leverages mobile technology versus one that is still bound to clipboards, paper, and appointment cards?
Mobility and the patient
With ever-increasing technological sophistication, your opportunity to remain engaged with your patients after they leave the doors of your practice has blossomed. Currently, approximately 80 percent of Internet users are searching the web right from their smartphone. Even more impressive is the fact that they are interacting with their phones at least hourly.
What does this mean for you? It means that there’s an opportunity to connect with your patients in a manner that was unthinkable even a few hours ago. Compare this with how many opportunities you have to interact with each patient in person, and you’ll begin to see why smartphone apps are a critical component of your patient engagement strategy.
Smartphone apps are one of the easiest ways to get in front of your patients and secure a strong presence in your patient’s mobile world. Stationing a mobile app as the cornerstone of your mobile marketing strategy can help you secure that consistent line of communication between your practice and your patients as well as your patients network of friends, family and colleagues as well.
Getting the most from your mobile app
Your smartphone app should be uniquely customizable so that you can cater it to your particular patient demographic. It should be a portal to your practice that consistently keeps you and your patients well connected. The right app should also have a wide variety of interactive and informative functions, including these 8 critical features.
1. Critical practice information
Your app should provide practice information such as your location, hours, phone number, and e-mail address.
2. Scheduling options
Your app should keep scheduling functionality within your patient’s reach and allow them to request appointments on the fly. The patient should also be able to view confirmed appointments and see all future-scheduled appointments.
3. Appointment reminders
Your app should be able to send automated reminders that keep your patients apprised of their current, future, and missed appointments with you.
4. Push Notifications
Along with appointment reminders, your app should be able to easily notify your patients of upcoming promos, coupons, and notable events.
5. Social connections
Get your patients engaged with your social media sites by keeping Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn accounts front and center within your app.
6. Messaging
Secure communication is one of the great benefits of a provider-patient smartphone app. In-app messaging can provide you with the ability to instantly send information such as birthdays, holidays, office specials, newsletters, and upcoming events.
7. Patient exercise
Have you been struggling to get your patients to follow your exercise plans or review educational material? A smartphone app with industry partner integrations can provide your patients with education and exercises tailored to their particular treatment program.
8. Patient referrals
Adding a referral link to your app can help you get those hard-to-procure referrals from your existing patients by placing referral opportunities right at their fingertips.
Find the perfect fit
Fortunately, you don’t have to delve into the app-building world alone. Do yourself a favor and harness one that has already been road tested and built with your patients in mind. Find an app that is an easily adoptable solution that is already constructed with the features and functionality best suited to help keep you connected to your patient population, while at the same time is fully customizable to reflect your practice name, logo, colors, etc.
Once you have your app in place, you must then take to the task of successfully pitching it to your clients. Find creative ways to demonstrate the benefit and incite them to download your app, and make sure that you routinely remind patients of its usefulness by sending push notifications that will pique their interest (perhaps a discount or referral reward).
Robert Moberg is a seasoned and tenured business professional with a solid combination of corporate and entrepreneur business experience. As President and CEO, he has helped establish ChiroTouch not only as a trailblazer in the software industry within the chiropractic community, but also as a stalwart leader in the profession. His commitment to chiropractic is not only evident in the innovations ChiroTouch brings practicing doctors, but in the countless ways he has lead the charge in giving back to the profession. From supporting the state and national associations, to chiropractic colleges, to the Foundation for Chiropractic Progress, Robert works tirelessly to help raise awareness of chiropractic and the benefits only the profession can provide.
About ChiroTouch
ChiroTouch is the premier provider of certified 2014 Edition Complete EHR chiropractic software technology solutions including ChiroTouch Complete Practice Software and SmartCloud Chiropractic EHR Software. With industry-leading support, training, and compliance expertise, we partner with practices of every type to help them easily automate operations, improve patient care, and increase profitability. Request a demo today. Our six user-friendly, native iPad apps make documenting on the tablet easy and provide you with mobility to move room to room with patients. Native iPad apps provide a better user experience than web-based apps through improved speed and performance, as well as providing safety and security of the app, due to the requirements of apps in the Apple App Store.
