Good patient care and the best clinical research calls for patient retention. It amazes
me why some patients stay with their practitioner and others don't. I recently spoke with
a California practitioner who surveyed his patient database and found that his patients
hailed not only from numerous other countries, but also from every North American state
except for Rhode Island. (That must be because the practitioners in Rhode Island are so
good, not because there are so few people in the state).
Why do patients come from far away to see practitioners? Certainly it's not an issue of
convenience or low cost. Oh sure, some patients come back because it's convenient, because
of the plan you're in, the cost or the fact that it has become a habit. But more
importantly, people come back because of the bond they have with their practitioner and
their trust for the office staff, which is developed by having good communication and
problem-solving skills. All of these factors leave the patient with a sense of well-being
from the quality of care they receive.
Why do some of your local patients stay with you and others don't? The same reasons, to
be sure. Plus, a full tool set of skills and products to solve their problems surely
helps. We know that many of our new patients don't even know their previous practitioner's
names. One way to be sure that this doesn't happen to you is to have your staff use your
name repeatedly and to communicate with patients regularly via follow-up phone calls and
mail (newsletters, post cards, letters, e-mail).
I was at a clinical research conference once, where a young Irish ophthalmologist
researcher reviewed an elaborate process for making sure she measured every patient in a
county with the condition she was studying as best she could, and then measured every one
again. When she reported 100 percent patient follow-up, the audience erupted in applause.
In clinical research, retention better be in the high 90 percent or you're not trying hard
enough to please your patients or some of them have died. Another tip for retaining
patients is to make sure they know you're up-to-date on the newest technology. Today's
patients may have already heard about a new product or procedure from the media, and if
you don't talk to them about it intelligently, they may be more likely to look around for
a practitioner who will. Remember, it's easier to keep your current patients than it is to
get new ones. In practice, this is all too often perceived simply as marketing and
self-promotion, unlike clinical research, where it's perceived as a necessity for good
science. One hundred percent patient retention is good for your patients, their ocular
health, and for your practice.
