Practice tip of the week: 5 Ways PCPs can retain patients (and attract new ones)

With all the useful information available on Physicians Practice, it is easy to become overwhelmed.

With this in mind, the tip of the week is a chance to reflect on some of the wisdom found all across the site. In a December 2021 article 5 Ways PCPs can retain patients (and attract new ones), Lisa Grabl writes the following:

"To remain competitive, primary care physicians need to adapt to consumer preferences and industry trends.Here are five things primary care physicians can do to earn their patients’ loyalty.

1. Be available.

When a patient is sick, they want to see a provider that day, if not immediately. According to the Advisory Board, the ability to walk in without an appointment and receive care within 30 minutes is twice as important to a patient than whether or not they see a doctor versus an advanced practice provider and five times more important than a short commute to the clinic. Some are even willing to pay more for same- or next-day appointments. The bottom line is if you want to keep patients and attract new ones, it’s imperative that you offer on-demand access and make yourself available to patients when they want to be seen.

2. Simplify the next steps.

Patients want their healthcare to be simple and convenient. Not only do they want digital simplifiers like online scheduling and lab results, but they also want a primary care facility that offers ancillary amenities like onsite X-rays, labs, and a pharmacy. Patients also want the clinic staff to coordinate any follow-up care needed, including scheduling appointments with specialists and sending health records."

Click here to read the rest of the article and be sure to check back next week for another Tip of the Week!