Patients Want Customizations – Just Not Too Much!

The following is a guest blog post by Cristina Dafonte, Marketing Associate of Stericycle Communication Solutions as part of the Communication Solutions Series of blog posts. Follow and engage with them on Twitter:@StericycleComms
cristina-dafonteEverything around us is customizable: your laptop background, the layout of applications on your phone, any product dashboard you have access to. Customization sells, and consumers crave it. Consumers love to think that something is unique or special for just them, even if they know in their hearts that isn’t the case.

Patient engagement, especially appointment reminders, shouldn’t be the exception to the rule. We’ve far surpassed the days of the robo-dialer letting you know your doctor’s office was calling. Today, patients look for custom communications.

There are two ends of the spectrum that I have seen with customization of appointment reminders. The first is no customization at all.

Example: My dentist sends an email that is “Please click to confirm your appointment. We look forward to seeing you!” And includes a large CONFIRM button.

This message leaves me wondering a few things: when is my appointment? Which dentist am I seeing? What if I need to reschedule? What kind of appointment did I schedule? The message wasn’t personalized to my appointment or to me.

The second end of the spectrum is too much customization. I didn’t know it was possible to personalize a message too much until I received the following text message from my eye doctor:

(1/2) Hi Cristina, your contacts are ready for pick up. Please stop by the office at your earliest convenience to get them. Our office hours are 7-3pm on the first Monday of every month, 8-4pm every

(2/2) other Tuesday, and 8-6pm on the second Thursday of every month, and 7-12pm on Friday. Thank you for choosing [my eye doctor].

The first time I received that text message, I read it at least 3 times, trying to figure out what the office hours were for the day I needed to go get my contacts! That, my friends, is a reminder with too much customization.

Fortunately, the team at Stericycle Communication Solutions has figured out just the right amount of customization. Our patient communications are built on 4 pillars:

  1. Arrive: what needs to be done when the patient arrives
  2. Bring: what they need to bring for the appointment
  3. Prep: if there is any pre-appointment prep work that needs to be completed
  4. Do: any specific instructions for the patient’s arrival.

These best practices ensure that the patient feels the communication is specifically for them and that they have enough information to confidently and comfortably arrive at the office – without feeling bombarded with facts or instructions.

Want to learn more about Stericycle Communication Solutions’ patient engagement customizations? Download our FREE overview “Customizing Your Patient Engagement.”

The Communication Solutions Series of blog posts is sponsored by Stericycle Communication Solutions, a leading provider of high quality call center & telephone answering servicespatient access services and automated communication technology. Stericycle Communication Solutions combines a human touch with innovative technology to deliver best-in-class communication services.  Connect with Stericycle Communication Solutions on social media: @StericycleComms

   

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