Dear Dr. Hayes,
I read with interest your June 16 blog, “Staff Projects For When The Doctor Is On Vacation”. It was the one about having a staff member phone patients who don’t respond to written recall messages. (click here to read)
To be honest, I am not always comfortable doing that in my practice because I think it gives patients the impression we are out beating the bushes for business.
Your thoughts?
Best regards,
Dr. S. Terry (name changed on request)
Dear Dr. Terry,
This is a fair question and one that I’m sure many OD’s grapple with. Here is how I recommend you reconcile the matter in your own mind.
ALWAYS ACT IN THE BEST INTERESTS OF YOUR PATIENTS.
For example, let’s say you’ve just seen Sally Seer, a healthy 25-year-old myope who in your best professional opinion, needs to be seen in two years for a general eye health exam and refraction.
If that’s how you truly feel, don’t tell them to come back in one year just to generate more business for your practice. Just follow your conscience and put them on two year recall.
On the other hand, you’re concerned about Peter Pressor, a borderline glaucoma prospect, and want to see him again in three months. In that case, do your best to get him in on time. Not six months later.
Friendly follow up is usually well received
Using that logic, I personally do not feel that a friendly follow-up phone call from your staff to patients who have not responded to a sincere and well-intentioned written recall notice is overly aggressive.
In fact, follow up calls are a ‘tried and true’ practice builder that are employed by a variety of highly respected optometric, dental and medical practices.
How do patients perceive recall?
When handled properly, 99% of your patients will consider a follow-up phone call to be a sign of personal interest from a caring healthcare provider.
So, unless you’re practice is so busy you’re turning patients away, I stick by my original advice.
If you truly feel that your patients need and deserve regular eyecare visits, call those who don’t respond within two weeks to your written.
What’s good for patients is usually good for your practice.
Best Regards,
Jerry Hayes, OD
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