The Optometric Minute

For Practice Growth, Treat Patients Like Family

Nov. 16, 2016

Eric M. White, OD, treats patients like family, giving them his personal cell phone number and writing thank-you notes after exams. Personalized service has enabled him to build a $2 million+ practice.

 

SEND PERSONAL THANK YOU. At the end of each day, take 15 minutes to send a personalized thank you to every patient you saw that day for a comprehensive exam. Save a standard thank you note in your EHR, adding a brief note acknowledging something you talked about with the patient in the exam room. Send the e-mail from your e-mail account, rather than from a general practice e-mail account, and write “A personal thank you” in the subject line of the e-mails.

ASK FOR ONLINE REVIEWS. In each thank-you note, let patients know that you would be honored to see their friends and family as patients, and that you would appreciate their review on Yelp or Google Reviews.

REACH OUT TO DISSATISFIED. If a patient lets you know they were unhappy with any part of their time in your office, call them yourself, apologize, and, if possible, let them know it won’t happen again.

PROVIDE CELL PHONE NUMBER. Give patients you personal cell phone number, so they can reach you whenever they need you. This builds trust and loyalty between you and your patients.

COMMUNICATE REGULARLY. Send e-mails to patients throughout the year to update them on new happenings in your office, like the acquisition of new equipment or products, or special promotions.

Eric M. White, OD, owns Complete Family Vision Care Optometry  in San Diego, Calif. Contact him: idol@drericwhite.com

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