How to achieve success with online patient engagement

The foundation of any successful dentistry business is a having a loyal community, which can be built online, by engaging patients through acceptance of online appointments, recommendations, feedback, and more.

Clara Carol, DDS.

A dental practice or any other medical practice can be most successful when patients get a forum or make a community to interact with dentists and other patients. This increases know-how of patients and dentists to a great extent. A loyal community of patients can help boost dental practices by understanding and following recommendations. It also improves staff productivity and patient behavior.

Online patient engagement management is not a difficult task; here is a list of the ways to achieve success:

Building a loyal online community online
These days more people stay hooked to their smartphones or tablets than watch television or listen to the radio. Almost everyone is always connected to the Internet. Dentists can make use of this by creating online organizations or forums where they can directly interact with their patients after treatment. Staying online will also get more feedback than in person.

Through online patient engagement management programs, loyal patients can help dentists a great deal. These patients will keep their appointments, accept treatment recommendations, remain active with their recare programs and complaints, post reviews, pay their bills, and refer other patients as well. This engages many who may not be directly linked with the process.

Creating smartphone- and tablet-friendly websites
Most people have moved beyond personal computers and use smartphones and tablets, because they feel the need to be constantly in touch with the Internet (see above). Online patient engagement programs should make use of this and adjust their websites and pages according to the viewing capacity of these smaller displays. Patients with a smartphone or a tablet will not make the effort to get in touch with their dentist after returning from work since they are online throughout the day.

Going beyond simple online reminders
Patients sometimes relate online engagement management programs with automated reminders. This apart, a good online management system should enable patients to view and manage appointments, pay bills online, post reviews and feedback, access financial records, customize contacts, and refer other people. If your online engagement program is only working as a reminder without a holistic approach, you will likely not garner the level of results you are hoping for. The patients must feel that every aspect is being taken care of by these programs to ensure a sound connectivity on both sides.

Improving patient communication
Being active on social media is the only way these days to stay connected and in touch with your contacts. An effective and sound management program requires dental organizations' active participation in social media, where people are able to get in touch with each other and post their reviews and comments. Referrals are very easy and fast this way.

According to research, more than 70% of the people feel that they can stay in touch with their doctors and their recommendations if they are able to do it online (like most of the other aspects of their life). Online strategies not only help them keep connected, but makes sure that the dentist they visit is part of a good network. A sound online engagement strategy makes people believe in the organization and hence helps attract them.

Clara Carol, DDS, is a practicing dentist in Brooklyn, NY. She has written articles on practice management, dental hygiene, and overall health for various health blogs and e-magazines.

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