Consistent communication is more important now than ever in strengthening your relationship with your patients. Even while patients are staying home and out of high traffic areas, including your practice, you can still show them that their health is your top priority by staying in touch and staying relevant. The team at SmileMakers has a few suggestions on how to reach out to patients and show them you care.

Send an email to existing patients

Whether you’ve already rescheduled appointments that you had to cancel due to temporary closings, or you’re waiting until you have a better idea of your reopening date, you should still communicate with your patients.

It’s important to reach out to your existing patient base and let them know what’s going on. Someone might have an emergency, a question, or just be curious about how your practice is doing. You can get ahead of issues by keeping your patients informed about closures, potential reopening dates, and what you can do for them in the meantime.

Remember, everyone is feeling a little bit alone right now. An email from you could go a long way in brightening someone’s day, especially if you don’t feel limited to text only. Include a photo of you and your family, your kids working remotely on their school work, or even your pet taking a nap. Give patients a look inside your daily life and show them that your days are as upside down as theirs.

Add a notice to your website

Your tech-savvy patients will naturally go to the internet to see that status of your practice and when they might be able to make an appointment. A banner on the homepage of your website is the perfect place to let your patients know what’s going on. Many offices are closed, but will still see patients experiencing an emergency—let your patients know. We recommend steering clear of hard reopening dates, so you don’t have to continually update if mandatory closing orders are extended, but if there are any services you can offer while the office is closed, including telemed visits, let your patients know.

Send a video on social

As a healthcare provider, you are an authority on health matters that patients look up to and respect. Creating a sympathetic, calming video that addresses the situation, your best advice as a medical professional, and the steps you and your team are taking to maintain high standards of sanitation at this time (and always) can be a huge relief to your community.

Use your social media platforms and your hard-earned respected brand to emphasize healthy habits your patients should embrace, to reinforce CDC recommendations, and to give tips for keeping their teeth healthy while your practice is closed.

Use the post office

We know that postage is expensive, but a card or letter in the mailbox is a surefire way to build and enhance a relationship, especially now when everyone is at home and actually looking forward to the mail coming each day.

Send a postcard just to let your patients know you’re thinking of them. Laser recall cards are perfect for printing your message quickly from your home or office printer, and the cost to mail a postcard is less expensive than a full letter.

Send a scenic card with a colorful spring image or a humorous card to elicit a chuckle. Tell them you’re just dropping in to say hi, that you hope they are safe and well, and that you look forward to seeing them when you reopen. When you have your reopening date set, send another card letting them know you’re back in business! Just think, for less than the cost of a cup of specialty coffee, you can solidify your relationship with 10 patients and ensure that they do reschedule that appointment.

SmileMakers is here for you

“We care for you like you care for your patients” is more than our tagline. That statement represents our core values and is at the heart of everything we do. We know this is a difficult time for healthcare workers, practices, and small business owners. And we’re here for you now just as we have been for over 40 years. Reach out and tell us what we can do to help you at SmileMakers.com.