As physical therapists and fitness professionals, we have been conditioned to treat and heal patients.
At the end of the treatment process, the patient is usually grateful and brings a gift or sends a card, which we display in our office.
Unfortunately, the relationship usually ends there.
To be successful physical therapy business, a clinic must educate and empower the patient, and the best way to achieve this is to communicate with the patient post-discharge using a consistent, information driven mechanism.
An empowered patient is a well treated patient.
Consistency of communication and the quality of information disseminated to the patient set the foundation for a long standing patient relationship, which can be worth thousands of dollars per year for the clinic.
Consistency of contact begins with personal communication during the visit and phone / postcard / email follow up after the visit. By educating your patients, physicians and local media to recognize your physical therapy business clinic as a local authority in your field/specialization of therapy, your clinic will instantly stand out.
So how do you make your clinic stand out, and increase your potential to command cash-paying programs? How would you get your client to spend more?
In order to make your clinic stand out as the first healthcare choice and to build a steady and predictable flow of high-value patients, your clinic must offer a broad range of services and 2-3 specific programs that enable you to stand out as a provider.
Examples of such programs include fall prevention for seniors, pre and post-pregnancy physical therapy, injury prevention for athletes, fitness and lifestyle management programs, etc.