Building Patient Loyalty

The best way to ensure that a small medical practice survives despite the hardships associated with running a small business is to build a large base of patients who are loyal to the practice and the people who work there.

Building customer loyalty is an important part of maintaining staying power as a practice. In order for the practice to stay open for business, there should be multiple people out there who are willing to say that it’s the first place they go when they have a problem.

Make Them Feel Comfortable And Safe
When patients visit a doctor’s office, they are entrusting their health into the hands of everyone on the premises. In order for patients to continually return to a medical practice, they need to get the sense that the staffers are capable and that their physicians are going to put their health above all else. Therefore, practice managers should ensure that every patient feels like they are in good hands from the moment they step through the door.

Go Above And Beyond Expectations
Small practices are going to see patients from all walks of life, from low-income families to single businessmen. In order to make everyone feel as welcome as possible, practice managers, physicians and staffers should be one step ahead of meeting patients’ needs. Offering an alternate payment system to families who are struggling to afford their medical bills could be helpful, as could anticipating patients’ potential medical problems before they see them coming. Does the single businessman eat a lot of salty fast food? Instruct staffers to provide him with information regarding what his diet could do to his body if he doesn’t start to eat healthier.

Give The Best Quality Care Possible
First impressions only go so far. No matter how comfortable the waiting room of an office makes a patient feel, if they get sub-par care in the examining rooms, they are not going to return. To keep them coming back, practice managers should be sure that all of their physicians are ready to give the best care that they possibly can and are equipped with excellent bedside manners. Staffers should be capable and efficient, as the smallest mistake could put a patient’s health in jeopardy.

This content has been created by Bankers Healthcare Group. BHG is dedicated to helping arrange loans for doctors, physicians dentists and veterinarians looking to purchase new equipment, move into new facilities or grow their business in any other way.

Sedation dentistry: Is it worth the cost?

Dr. Jerry Strauss, owner of a dental practice in New Jersey, is just one of many dentists beginning to offer sedation dentistry, according to Dentistry IQ. As the practice of making nervous patients more comfortable through sedation becomes more popular, many are left wondering whether the draw of this form of dentistry is worth the cost.

According to Web MD, sedation dentistry involves decreasing the tension in nervous patients through various levels of sedation. The available levels span from minimal, where the patient is awake but noticeably relaxed, to general anesthesia, where the patient is rendered completely unconscious.

Although the practice of sedating patients may be require an expensive increase in supplies, many dentists justify the new costs by noting that the practice will draw in patients that otherwise would completely avoid going to the dentist at all costs. Sedation dentistry is meant for patients with severe anxiety, allowing people who are very uncomfortable with the idea of going to the dentist maintain a level of comfort.

Furthermore, although the cost of equipment would rise, dentists are able to apply for medical loans to cover their expenses. If dental practice owners apply for loans from lenders who understand the medical industry and the needs of medical practitioners, they should be able to cover the cost.

This article has been created by Bankers Healthcare Group, which is the leading provider of financing for physicians, dentists and veterinarians with loan programs designed for working capital, debt consolidation, practice expansion and more.

Study finds Texas DSOs enjoying advantages over independent dentists

Research into state reimbursement claims data in Texas suggests Dental Service Organizations (DSOs) in the state are operating more efficiently, on average, than individual dental practices.

DSOs are also reaching underserved patients, including children on Medicaid, many of whom have not previously had dental care, despite the fact that they are treating patients more conservatively than dentists. The apparent success of the DSOs comes from the use of advantages such as group buying power, electronic medical records and centralization, according to economist Arthur Laffer, who conducted the study.

Dentists running individual practices have some disadvantages. One is the fact that it is typically more challenging to implement electronic medical record systems, since smaller practices may have more difficulties securing the needed expertise and paying for hardware, software and related costs. Additionally, the structure of DSOs allows them to pay certain costs, particularly administrative ones, more efficiently than independent practices.

Many dentists in Texas do not accept Medicaid patients, whether they are affiliated with DSOs or are independent. The efficiencies that DSOs can create allow some to do so, which can be challenging since reimbursement rates are significantly lower than they are for privately-insured patients, even with a relatively recent increase in the state’s Medicaid reimbursement rates. The advent of DSOs has made a difference for many previously underserved patients.

Broader implications require further investigation

Because the research was only on Texas DSOs, it is not entirely clear how relevant the findings might be on a national level. Dentist or DSOs in the state may operate somewhat differently due to state regulations or for other reasons, in which case these findings could imply that Texas dentists are currently at a disadvantage. If the differences are similar in other states, however, then dentists might want to examine the way DSOs operate to see if there are any business innovations or strategies they can benefit from.

DSOs in the state typically performed fewer procedures per patient, which contributed to the lower costs paid by patients. Offering a similarly conservative approach might also work for independent dentists seeking to reach new patients, who cannot necessarily afford more expensive care. Further investigation may reveal other possible changes dentists can make to improve their practices and adapt to changing circumstances.

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Dentists explaining issues and treatment may meet challenges

It can be frustrating for dentists to deal with patients who are hesitant or reluctant to follow a treatment plan.

The dentist typically spends some time considering the patient’s circumstances and considering how best to aid him or her. Patients may explicitly ask for advice on what to do next, or imply it by the fact that they are going to see an expert. Once a course of action is formulated, the dentist might spend a significant amount of time explaining it and the reasons it is best, only to be told that the patient wishes to think about it.

This may be the simple truth, but is also often the response when the patient does not want to follow up on the idea, according to Dental Economics. Experts note that many of the decisions people make are emotional, rather than logical, so even the best explanation may not really reach them. While some explanation is warranted and even necessary, going into too much detail may be focusing energy in the wrong place.

In order to reach patients effectively, dentists may need to adjust their approach to appeal to the emotions as well as the intellect. This could be done by describing the effect a course of treatment or the lack thereof would have on the individual’s life, considering what activities they might be able or unable to pursue depending on the circumstances.

Presentation can strongly impact how advice is received

Describing the consequences of leaving a dental issue unresolved can help. This may include simple details, such as the way a patient’s mouth is likely to look or feel. Future pain, larger expenses or inconvenience might sway their decision-making where a medical description does not. Staff members can help, to an extent, by reinforcing confidence in the dentist and the importance of proper care in general.

Dentists may be prone to going into too much detail in their descriptions of both problems and solutions. Operating contrary to that tendency can help avoid boring or confusing patients and make it easier to communicate with them effectively.

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Dentists may be challenged by managing practice’s web presence

Setting up a website for a practice is only the beginning of the challenge of establishing a presence online.

While other matters demand their focus, dentists may need to devote some attention to the long-term maintenance and effectiveness of their website. Staff members can help or even take charge of the practice’s web presence, but it will still be wise to at least check on their progress and efforts. While a website may not be intended to serve the exact same purpose for every practice, there are bound to be major similarities.

An effective website and online presence may help to bring in new patients, communicate with current ones and serve other purposes. The basics, in any case, require a website that people can find and use easily, and which is up-to-date. Names, email addresses, or any other information about the practice should be reviewed regularly to ensure there are no mistakes. The more information is on the website and the more specific it is, the more frequently it may need to be checked and revised.

Generally, an effective site will be clean and professional, which tends to give a positive impression to new and returning patients, while keeping things simple and easy to navigate. Concrete information on forms, contact information and related matters should be easy to access. The site represents the practice it is associated with and should reflect that in a positive light.

Designing and maintaining an effective website

Ideally, a website will also be among the top local search results so that prospective patients will be more likely to find it and investigate further. If a website is not receiving attention, it may be time to review alternative strategies that could improve its prominence in search results. It may also be prudent to ensure that it is effectively connected to any other online tools being used, such as social media.

Another concern to look into is how others discuss a practice and professional on other sites. Doing so can give a valuable insight into how current patients perceive a practice and what prospective patients might hear or read when considering whether to make an appointment.

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Computer guidance may benefit high-risk dental implant patients

The evolution of dental implant surgery has transformed it from a procedure that spanned six months to one that may be completed within less than an hour, inflicting a smaller amount of post-operative pain and swelling. One technological advance that has allowed for this improvement is the use of computer-guided surgery.

This platform even makes it possible to operate on patients who lack adequate bone, according to a case report published in the Journal of Oral Implantology.

In the past, surgeons may have faced challenges that included a suboptimal amount of bone at the implant site, or bone that is too high or too narrow. Such situations may have required the opening of a flap and reduction of bone before the implant could be placed.

However, the new case study of a 54-year-old patient demonstrated that computer guidance can eliminate the need for these two processes in individuals who have a narrow ridge of bone.

“In the virtual planning phase, a different implant length was used to reposition the guide sleeves,” the journal publishers wrote in a statement. “Drilling sequences were changed, using a starting drill that would allow deeper penetration. Osteotomes, instruments to prepare the bone, were incorporated, as was the use of an alternative implant seating mount.”

With these adjustments, the computer-guided procedure was a success.

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Aging population will affect dentists’ practices

Dentists will likely find a shift in demand for their services as the baby boomer generation ages.

Some estimates suggest that those over the age of 65 will account for even more than 20 percent of the national population by 2030, as the age group is currently the fastest-growing in the United States. Some analysts say that older people with limited access to care are less likely to schedule regular dental visits, Dentistry IQ notes.

The news source notes that oral health often deteriorates among the elderly living in long-term care facilities. Hygiene is commonly neglected, especially among the cognitively impaired or functionally dependent. The percentage of the elderly who fit those criteria is expected to rise in the coming years.

The way care is provided may need to change in order to reach this growing population, or else their dental health could deteriorate rapidly. Dentists should consider whether they will lose patients who become less able or unable to travel to reach their practice unaided.

It may be possible for some to partner with long-term care facilities in order to meet the oral health needs of their residents.

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North Carolina law designed to protect dentists’ autonomy, patients

Lawmakers in North Carolina recently passed new legislation meant to improve access to high-quality and affordable dental care in the state.

This could help to address a major issue, as the Alliance for Access to Dental Care notes North Carolina currently ranks 47th in the United States in terms of access to dental care. The Alliance will be represented on the new task force assigned to ensure access to dental care in the state, along with the North Carolina Dental Society, the North Carolina Board of Dental Examiners and third-party members from outside the dental industry. There will be six individuals on the task force.

The law is meant to maintain high standards of care by protecting dentists’ ability to make clinical decisions in their practices. It states that only dentists can own dental practices, in an effort to prevent excessive oversight and control by dental management corporations, according to the Gaston Gazette. Some in the industry are concerned that business interests with management expertise could be intruding too far into clinical decision-making.

Dealing with practice management

This bill is meant to prevent that. In the past, there have been complaints of corporate management denying treatment, requiring costly procedures and overriding dentists’ decisions, the news source notes. Proponents say the new law will be good for patients and dentists alike.

“The increasing burden and complexity of running a modern dental practice have prompted a growing number of dentists to affiliate with dental service organizations (DSOs) to handle nonclinical functions such as accounting, human resources and purchasing, thereby allowing dentists to spend more time caring for their patients,” Alliance member Doug Brown recently stated.

Dentists may wish to investigate the DSO model to determine whether their practice could be improved by bringing in others to perform nonclinical services. The new law in North Carolina may go a long way in addressing concerns that could discourage some from contracting DSOs to help their practices, making the option a more practical business choice since some undesirable consequences can now be averted.

Dentists there and in other states should check their laws and watch to see whether similar legislation spreads. Lawmakers and officials have expressed some concerns about the sparsity of dental care in parts of the country in recent years, so additional legislative actions are very possible.

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Staying aware of and addressing dental patient concerns

As part of running a practice, it is inevitable that patients will cancel appointments or choose not to undergo treatment from time to time.

Dentists should keep several things in mind when such occasions arise. While there is no reason to be rude or unnecessarily confrontational, dentists or their staff members should try to make clear that cancellations or last-minute requests to reschedule present a significant inconvenience and disrupt the practice’s schedule, potentially affecting other patients as well.

Avoiding the issue entirely can send the message that it is not a problem, unintentionally encouraging repeat behavior, Dental Products Report notes. To deal with this, staff and dentists must be prepared to be firm while remaining friendly and professional. Striking that balance can be challenging, but can be key to the long-term functionality of a practice.

It can be difficult to pinpoint and improve on issues with patient communication because they are intangible rather than quantitative. The matter can come up when a patient chooses not to receive treatment. They may be doing so for financial reasons, but assuming that is the case can be unwise and lead to further misunderstandings in the future.

Reaching out to patients

If a patient refuses treatment, it might be a good time to check in with him or her and ensure that he or she does not have other concerns or reservations. Patients may not always fully understand the nature or importance of a treatment, or they may have misconceptions that cause them to worry or feel afraid.

The only way to deal with that kind of issue is by taking the time to offer explanations and answer questions. While money can be a factor in decision-making, often other factors are the deciding ones. Understanding treatments, their benefits and the consequences of skipping them and the confidence in their dentist tends to be the greater concern for many.

While pressuring patients can backfire, clear explanations are a necessity. Patients may not be prepared to take the initiative to ask the questions that are on their mind. Uncertainty may cause them to shy away from starting the discussion, and that can lead to avoiding treatment.

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Marketing and managing a practice’s online information

Dentists seeking to attract new patients should ensure they manage and control their practices’ online presence.

One marketing expert recently noted that online searches through Google + Local are commonly used by potential patients. As this and other online resources grow in popularity, electronic marketing tools and resources will become even more vital in determining whether a practice can attract new attention. Once a potential patient is convinced to visit, the practice can bring them back on its own merits.

To establish a practice online, a variety of tools are available. Social media networks may prove valuable, although staff members and dentists themselves may need to be careful that they avoid discussing certain matters online for liability reasons. Giving advice or discussing a patient’s personal medical information could lead to a number of issues.

Specialized software may be available to help dentists manage their online presence, Dentistry IQ notes. Such applications can help to track patient reviews, collect and sort information from different social media sites and increase online visibility, among other advantages. While specialized tools of this nature are an expense, they can be worthwhile. It may be wise to consider software and hardware updates to a practice simultaneously.

While doing so might seem unwise, it could minimize the period of disruption as the dentist and staff adjust to changes, and help to ensure that any compatibility concerns are addressed. Such a comprehensive set of changes could necessitate dental practice financing in order to afford the upgrade, but the advantages may be worth it.

Managing online information

A practice’s presence online can include a wide variety of information. While reviews might be useful to help understand what impressions and opinions patients have about a practice, other data can be useful in a number of ways. Mentions of a practice may include contact information or other data which could need to be updated over time, for example.

Social media can also be used to advertise to prospective patients and stay in touch with current ones. Individuals linked to a patient may see that he or she attends a practice and ask them for their opinion as a result, leading to beneficial referrals. Dentists should ensure that they and their staff are prepared to fully harness these tools to maximum effect.

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