Learn the 5 reasons why offering up texting is good for your business

more than 6 billion texts are sent every day in the U.S., and with Americans texting an average of twice as much as they call it is now our preferred method of communication. Why not encourage patient engagement via text? Here are five things to consider.

1 Patient Engagement.

Providing a wide range of communication channels—from texting and social media to phone and email—allows patients to connect with you in the way that fits them best. Offering the convenient option of texting will dramatically improve engagement with your patients.

2 Patient Satisfaction.

Four out of 5 patients say they prefer texting over calling their healthcare provider. Providing the accessibility patients want is necessary to keep them satisfied and coming back to your practice. Ask your patients about their preferred method of communication.

3 Easy Inquiries.

Encourage your patients to text your practice to easily check on the status of their eyewear, update their records, or cancel appointments. By quickly responding to questions like “Are my glasses ready?” or “Do you have any open appointments today?” you make working with your practice easy for patients.

4 Faster Responses.

Have a patient coming into the office and need a quick answer before they arrive? Text them! It’s easy for your patients to reply when they cannot return your call.

5 Mo’ Marketing.

Amp up your current marketing strategy through the integration of text messaging. Have your patients opt in to promotional messaging and share current deals or educational material with them via text. Allow your marketing strategy to go further by connecting with patients through all forms of communication.

PRO TIP: To stay HIPAA compliant, communicate clearly with your patients about what they can and cannot text, and with your texting service provider about secure sending and storage. Before texting with patients, ask their permission and inform them of the security features in place with your practice. —Samantha Toth