Affordable options to communicate with your patients

Perhaps you've seen it a few times over the years, when a patient reacts to a "new" office policy with shock or surprise, even though it's been in place for a year.

Or maybe you have had great new ideas for your practice, but they never left the drawing board, because the thought of alerting everyone, from patients to colleagues, seemed like too daunting a task.

Practices always seem to have news worth sharing with patients, such as a flu shot reminder, summer office-hours announcement or a new health trend that could benefit people with a chronic illness. But with thousands of patients, spreading information can be a tricky, time-consuming proposition.

It also can be expensive, depending on the method you choose.

Technological innovations have allowed for more options beyond simply posting a notice in your office. While the strategies are rooted in marketing principles, health care consultants said there are communication methods that can spread information as easily as they can promote your practice.

The problem with merely posting a sign in your office is that the timing might be wrong for patients, consultants said. Patients might not have an appointment in time to find out about a new development, or their next appointment might be so far in the future that the notice would be removed before they returned.

Creating a Web site and using e-mail are two alternative cost-effective methods of mass communication, although their use largely would be dictated by the type of information you need to send to patients.

"The way I would suggest practices communicate generally with patients is not through e-mail but through a Web site," said Larry Wolper, president of L. Wolper Inc., a consulting firm based in Great Neck, N.Y. "I think a forward-thinking practice in today's age should have a Web site."

A Web site offers information in a consolidated location that patients can visit at their leisure, meaning it doesn't intrude in a person's private life the way an e-mail might, Wolper said.

Consultants said a Web site can be as advanced as you want it to be. Some just include basic information and news for patients, while others can offer forms to download and online scheduling.

Arnold Feldman, MD, an anesthesiologist and pain management specialist with offices in Baton Rouge, La. and Natchez, Miss., has a Web site that allows patients to download forms as well as watch animation of procedures he performs in his office.

"The Web is obviously a great tool," said Dr. Feldman, who also has an extensive promotional strategy, including radio show sponsorships. "Our next step is the e-newsletter."

Newsletters in general are a popular tool for physicians, and with simple design programs, you can make them look professional with little time and effort. They also can present more information in a more creative manner, consultants said.

Some practices e-mail newsletters to patients, while some still prefer traditional mail. Both strategies have disadvantages. Collecting e-mail addresses for all patients can be a daunting task, and sending newsletters through the mail can be expensive.

But once you collect e-mail addresses, the next time you send out information, "it's just a push of a button," said Thomas Lang, president of Medical Enterprise Management Associates, a consulting firm in Palm Harbor, Fla.

On the other hand, bulk rate postage rates means instead of spending 39 cents per package, "you're talking pennies," said Marcy T. Rogers, president and CEO of Management Technology Resources, a consulting firm in San Diego.

"Some patients still like getting things in the mail, though it's not as cost-effective," Rogers said. "You can set it up so when a patient comes in, you can give them the choice of mail vs. e-mail."

Consultants acknowledged that there is always the fear when you're starting a new method of communication that it won't stick with patients.

You never know if they open a letter that arrives in the mail, and though you won't always get confirmation if they open and read an e-mail, you will know if you have the correct e-mail address based on whether it bounces back, Lang said. You always can follow up by calling a sampling of patients and asking them if they read the message and what their thoughts were, he said.

Technology affords a practice other opportunities to create a patient database as well. Groups with an electronic medical record system can assemble patients according to their clinical needs, creating ready-made lists for when it comes time to contact them, Wolper said.

"EMRs make it much easier to select groupings of patients that might need to come in routinely or periodically for revisits," Wolper said.

Of course, for many groups, communication is a step-by-step process, and it will take time to catch up with the technology in your office.

Brian Henry, MD, a family physician in Due West, S.C., said his three-physician practice has digital records but still posts notices by the reception desk. Getting acclimated to the new record system took a lot of time and energy, he said.

"An e-mail database is a really smart idea," Dr. Henry said. "We have an EMR now, so we're a lot more computer-savvy. We should take advantage."