{"id":15098,"date":"2017-07-17T11:30:06","date_gmt":"2017-07-17T16:30:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/about\/?p=15098"},"modified":"2023-10-30T13:49:22","modified_gmt":"2023-10-30T18:49:22","slug":"common-patient-referral-program-mistakes-to-avoid","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/resources\/blog\/article\/common-patient-referral-program-mistakes-to-avoid\/","title":{"rendered":"8 Common Patient Referral Program Mistakes (And How to Avoid Them)"},"content":{"rendered":"

If you\u2019ve been following the first three\u00a0installments of our four-part series on patient referral programs, you know that tapping into your existing patient database for referrals is the most cost-effective and successful practice growth resource available for dentists and other providers. We\u2019ve covered the basics<\/a>, the best practices<\/a>, and the role of health care liaisons<\/a>.<\/p>\n

For the last installment, we thought we\u2019d make some big mistakes\u2014namely, highlighting the typical blunders and missteps practices make when trying to get a referral program off the ground. If you\u2019re a provider or office manager who wants to take advantage of referrals but isn\u2019t seeing results, take a look at these eight common errors that might be holding you back and what you can do to resolve them.<\/p>\n

Mistake 1: You\u2019re afraid of being perceived as \u201cneedy\u201d<\/h1>\n

No one wants to appear desperate for a date, and no one wants to appear like their practice is in dire need of business. \u201cSome patients will say, \u2018I didn\u2019t even know you were looking for new patients,\u2019\u201d says Kevin Nelson, a consultant with Wintersteen<\/a> dental marketing. \u201cDentists won\u2019t always bring it up because they think it makes them sound needy.\u201d<\/p>\n

Solution:<\/h2>\n

According to Nelson, there\u2019s an easy way of broaching the topic of a referral without being concerned your practice\u2019s image might take a hit. \u201cThe fact is, 14 percent of people move every year. If your practice has 1500 patients, you\u2019ll lose 213 just out of normal attrition. So you can say, \u2018We sometimes have patients move from the area, and we\u2019re always looking for new faces.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

Mistake 2: You\u2019re spamming social media<\/h1>\n

If you\u2019re relying exclusively on social media<\/a> to spread the referral word, you\u2019ve already got an issue: Face-to-face solicitations are always best. Still, there\u2019s nothing wrong with reminding your Facebook or Instagram followers that you\u2019re on the lookout for new patients. The problem comes when every single update relates to your business needs. \u201cPeople don\u2019t like offers on social media feeds,\u201d says Kevin Tighe, CEO of Dental Practice Consultants<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Solution:<\/h2>\n

Dial it down. \u201cConsider a referral mention once a week or so, but make sure your other 20 posts are informative or educational,\u201d Tighe says.<\/p>\n

Mistake 3: Your timing is off<\/h1>\n

While you may be pursuing a daily or weekly quota for soliciting a referral, aggressively pursuing those numbers without having a little discretion can be a big mistake. A patient fresh out of the chair from a root canal, for example, might not have the endurance to tolerate a sales pitch while being checked out. Ignoring them completely isn\u2019t the answer, either.<\/p>\n

Solution:<\/h2>\n

Don\u2019t pass up the opportunity\u2014just postpone it. \u201cThis would be an excellent time to make a follow-up call,\u201d Nelson says. \u201cA dentist could phone the patient later that day and ask how she\u2019s feeling after she\u2019s had time to relax.\u201d With the most uncomfortable parts of the procedure in the rearview, the patient is far more likely to entertain a referral, especially since the provider went the extra mile with a courtesy call.<\/p>\n

Mistake 4. Relying too much on gimmicks<\/h1>\n

The \u201crewards\u201d part of patient referral programs are usually subject to state and federal laws that govern financial acknowledgements made to parties that match doctors with patients. Regardless of whether you offer incentives or not, it should never be the focus of a program: According to Nelson, incentives are more of a business transaction. In some cases, perks like a sweepstakes or drawing might even discourage patients, since some might believe the odds of winning are against them.<\/p>\n

Solution:<\/h2>\n

Keep it personal. \u201cI prefer a more organic approach,\u201d Nelson says. \u201cMake a good, honest request. Program discounts are not as genuine.\u201d If your service is sound, a patient will want to refer you to help a friend or family member out, not just to score free movie tickets.<\/p>\n

Mistake 5: Not asking a referral for a referral<\/h1>\n

Your front desk clerk answers the phone. It\u2019s a new patient who wants to make an appointment\u2014and they were referred by an existing patient. Success! But if all you\u2019ve done is pencil them in, you\u2019ve missed an opportunity.<\/p>\n

Solution:<\/h2>\n

It\u2019s never too early to ask for a referral. \u201cAsk for that during that very first phone call,\u201d Nelson says. \u201cAsk if anyone else in the household needs an appointment. That way, you\u2019re educating them from the start that you\u2019re a referral-based business.\u201d Providers can also send out confirmation letters with referral copy in between the call and the appointment.<\/p>\n

Mistake 6: You\u2019re asking patients, but you\u2019re not listening to them<\/h1>\n

There\u2019s nothing wrong with having some phrasing on hand that helps office staff communicate their desire for referrals, but generic pitches often sound exactly like that\u2014generic and rehearsed.<\/p>\n

Solution:<\/h2>\n

Patients give you clues about their lives and habits during virtually every visit. \u201cWhen you really listen and get to know them, you\u2019ll find things,\u201d Nelson says. \u201cDo they belong to a parent-teacher group? A certain church? Use those facts to verbalize that connection.\u201d If they belong to a garden club, ask if any garden club members might be looking for a new provider. It will demonstrate to the patient you\u2019re listening, and it will give the patient a specific avenue for a possible referral mention.<\/p>\n

Mistake 7: You don\u2019t have a plan<\/h1>\n

Practices that offer only haphazard attempts for referrals will get haphazard results. Unless you\u2019re targeting specific patients with specific services on specific days, your return rate is going to be anemic. And without prepping for that new patient, he or she might feel like too much of an old face.<\/p>\n

Solution:<\/h2>\n

\u201cPlan on doing daily huddles,\u201d Nelson says. \u201cReview who\u2019s coming in so you know, as an entire team, who the new patient might be.\u201d Rolling out the red carpet for that new referral will help retain them. And by targeting specific existing patients and assigning the most amenable office staff to ask for a referral, you\u2019ll avoid team members brushing it off to the side.<\/p>\n

Mistake 8: Your staff isn\u2019t invested<\/a><\/h1>\n

Your team may recognize the need for recruiting patients, but that doesn\u2019t mean they\u2019re comfortable asking. \u201cThe biggest road block is always discomfort with it,\u201d Nelson says. \u201cThey wind up sabotaging themselves.\u201d<\/p>\n

Solution:<\/h2>\n

Remind your staff<\/a> that what you\u2019re doing is genuinely beneficial for all parties involved. \u201cYou need to feel like you\u2019re providing a genuine benefit in order for any referral request to feel honest,\u201d Nelson says. \u201cJust be honest with how you feel. The first couple times might be awkward, but you\u2019re providing a service. It is absolutely something worth sharing.\u201d\"\"<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

If you\u2019ve been following the first three\u00a0installments of our four-part series on patient referral programs, you know that tapping into your existing patient database for referrals is the most cost-effective and successful practice growth resource available for dentists and other providers. We\u2019ve covered the basics, the best practices, and the role of health care liaisons. 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