Patient Acquisition for Urgent Care practices is a “top priority” for clinics across the U.S. But attracting new patients in a competitive market can quickly become an “arms race” trying to outspend the competition, and it can also miss the point.
Patient Acquisition is only the first step
There are over 10,000 Urgent Care Centers in the US. Industry-dominating players like CVS Minute Clinics already control over 55% of the retail health industry and is converting over 1000 of their locations into urgent-care providers. Urgent Care facilities face explosive competitive factors for new patients. Most Urgent Cares rely on a steady flow of new patients for their survival, but it may be time to look back to lessons from a more traditional model.
With increased competition, the cost to acquire new patient continues to rise, with an average “cost per click” for Google Ads of over $5, and a patient acquisition cost of $18 to $27 in many areas across the US.
The Urgent Care Association (UCA) Industry News regularly presents Industry Perspectives focused on Patient Acquisition Rate, with a combination of new and traditional marketing expenditures to attract patients. But acquiring patients is just the first (expensive) step. The long term payback of your investment comes from patient retention.
It costs less to retain a patient
Industry statistics show that new patient acquisition is 6 to 7 times more expensive than patient retention. Retaining a patient immediately translates bottom-line profitability.
There are many tried and true ways to retain patients
- Improve the office experience
- Minimize wait times
- Communicate with patients on an ongoing basis
- Build relationships
- Help patients in additional ways
The overall patient experience, from check-in, to waiting time, to communicating (both during the visit and afterwards) is directly related to patient satisfaction and their interest in continuing the relationship. Once that is achieved, try something new, like…
Helping patient in additional ways.
The top reasons for patients to visit an Urgent Care are:
- Bites and Stings
- Ear Infections
- Tests
- Urinary Tract Infections
- Sore Throat
But you do far more than that. Today there’s COVID-19 Testing, Flu Shots, School and Immigration Physicals, Stitches, and ongoing family care, all at a convenient time and place.
How to promote your additional services
Every day your phone rings. Prospective patients call with questions about location, hours, insurance, test results and more. According to AT&T research, up to 69% of those phone calls are placed on hold. Your callers are probably stuck listening to the default “music on hold” that came with your phone system.
Why not use that time to educate callers?
Informer Messages on hold replace music on hold with information about your Urgent Care: building your professional reputation, educating callers about your “additional” services, and reinforcing the value of these services.
Did you know that most of your patients know about less than half of the services your provide?
Patient Retention depends on
- Patients knowing how you can help them
- A quality patient experience and reason to return
If they don’t know, they don’t have a reason to come back. Inform them. With Informer Messages on hold.
Click here to find out how they work for other Urgent Cares, and can work for you.
For answers to your questions, call to speak with an Urgent Care Marketing Pro: call (800) 862-8896 today. Or email us by clicking here.
