Spring is traditionally a time of renewal and rejuvenation. For dental and health care practices, this season offers a perfect opportunity to ‘spring clean’ patient files, ensuring data is up-to-date and communications are effective. Utilizing our specialized Mailing Services for sending Recall and Reminder Postcards and Laser Cards is an excellent strategy not only to clean up your databases but also to enhance patient retention and re-engage those who may have lapsed in their visits.
Why Should You Implement Spring Cleaning in Your Practice?
Reaching out to your entire patient file allows you to update vital information and purge files of patients who’ve moved on while giving you the opportunity to reactivate patients who’ve fallen off the radar.
There’s hidden money in your patient file and we want to help you find it! Spring is an ideal time to encourage those with dental benefits to use them early and maximize their preventive care
benefits for the year. Even those without insurance may be done procrastinating and ready to start focusing on their oral health. Your communication is what will remind them to make it a priority.
Top 3 Spring Cleaning Goals
- A boost in hygiene production to increase profitability
- Increase patient loyalty and increase referrals by reaching out to your patients with news about the practice, limited time offers and fun events
- Update your patient file with returned cards due to patients’ moving (this will save money in the long-run)
Segmenting your lists is the ideal way to reach your practice goals and improve the health of patients. You’ll want to select a message that’s appropriate to each group.
Past Due: Recare Due Date 30 Days—6 Months Ago
These are your best patients that will deliver the biggest return. You need to make sure they don’t go any longer than a year without an appointment or your chances of reactivating begin to diminish. Let them know they’ve been missed and give them a reason to call!
Extremely Past Due: Recare Due Date 7+ Months Ago
For this campaign, go out further than you normally would – up to two years. They will need more than a subtle “It’s time” message but make sure it doesn’t feel harsh. Some patients may be embarrassed that it’s been so long—let them know they’re welcome back no matter how long it’s been and your #1 concern is their oral health. They will come back! Also, ask them to call and let you know if they are being cared for by another dental group. If so, offer to transfer their files to keep their health history together. Then, close out the patient as inactive.
Spring Cleaning Sounds Great, but I Don’t Have Time!
Partner with SmartPractice to tackle the hard part. When you use our Mailing Services, you can sit back and relax, knowing that we’ll do all the hard work to get your patient files cleaned up and even mail out your reminders for you to active and lapsed patients, alike.
How Do Mailing Services Work?
Our services start with a critical component: comprehensive address validation. We employ CASS certified software from the USPS, which allows us to ensure that the addresses in your patient database are accurate and current. This process involves checking for valid addresses and updating those for patients who have moved within the last 48 months. By correcting misspellings of street names, adjusting incorrect house numbers and more, we ensure that your messages reach the right place, every time.
This meticulous validation helps prevent the frustration and added cost of undeliverable mail. Each year, undelivered mail costs health care providers significant amounts in wasted postage and materials, not to mention the missed opportunity to connect with patients. By eliminating these issues, our service helps you save money and improve the efficiency of your communication efforts.
Enhancing Patient Communication
Sending Recall and Reminder Postcards and Laser Cards is not only a great way to ensure your patient data is accurate, it’s also a crucial tool in patient retention and re-engagement strategies. Regular, consistent communication with your patients helps keep your practice top-of-mind, reinforcing the value of your care and services. Whether it’s a reminder for a routine check-up, dental cleaning or a seasonal greeting card, these tangible reminders can greatly impact patient satisfaction and loyalty.
Additionally, reaching out to lapsed patients through these mailings can be particularly effective. A friendly, personalized Postcard can remind former patients of the positive experiences they had at your office and encourage them to revisit for necessary treatments or check-ups. This not only helps in filling your appointment schedule but also in re-establishing valuable patient relationships that might otherwise be lost.
Spring cleaning your patient files with our comprehensive Mailing Services is more than just an administrative necessity—it’s a strategic move towards more efficient, cost-effective and successful patient engagement.
By ensuring that every mail piece reaches its intended destination, and by using these communications to strengthen relationships, your practice can look forward to a healthier, more productive season.
Let us help you refresh your approach to patient communication this spring and watch your practice bloom in response. Call 800.588.0800 ext.7595 or visit our website to schedule a FREE Direct Mail consultation today.
