During this incredibly uncertain time, it’s more important than ever for your practice to communicate. Communicate with your patients, your staff, the community…and your referring providers. When the dust settles and things get back to normal, your constant presence and connection will only further elevate your practice as a trusted, credible and reliable source for information and eye care.
While many ophthalmology practices have made the decision to close their doors temporarily to help slow the spread of the Coronavirus (COVID-19), some practices have chosen to close completely, or remain only available for urgent or emergent eye care needs and chronic eye conditions. It’s vital that we not only communicate these changes to your patients but to your most valuable assets and partners in business – your co-management network.
Website – by now, you’ve most likely dedicated a page on your website for COVID-19 updates where you can provide updates on your hours, availability, and links to credible websites with helpful information: Centers for Disease Control (CDC), World Health Organization (WHO) and the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO). Be sure that your network has a link to your COVID-19 page and remind them to check for updates and important information.
E-Blasts – sending E-blasts is an inexpensive, efficient way to maintain continued communication and support. Make sure that your e-blasts are professional and well-branded for your practice. When you update your hours, services or start providing telemedicine, reach out to your referring network and keep them in the loop. Include links to your social media pages, a link to your COVID-19 page, info on how to connect their patients with your practice for telemedicine appointments.
Build Trust – provide reassurance that fellow ophthalmologists’ and/or optometrists’ patients will remain their patients. Your practice will provide the urgent or emergent care they need and will be sent back to the referring provider for ongoing eye care needs. During these uncertain times, building trust is more important than ever.
Credibility – if your practice has remained open, or is available for emergencies, be up front with referring providers (and patients) as to why this decision was made. (ie: staying open for emergencies because we do not want to burden local hospitals with patients in need of urgent eye care.) Same if you have decided to close – communicate why.
Protocols – instill confidence by communicating with your referring providers the steps you have taken and protocols that have been implemented to ensure the safety of patients, providers and staff. Let them know that your practice is carefully monitoring state and local government, CDC, and AAO Guidelines and making protocol adjustments as necessary.
Scheduling – be sure to provide clear means for providers or their patients to schedule an appointment, such as a dedicated phone line that will be answered for emergencies, link for online scheduling, hours of operation.
Your Network – if you do not already have a database with contact information for all of your referring providers, now is the time to begin building one. It’s important to foster these relationships, thank them for referrals and communicate new services, technology or events. If you have a database of existing providers, you may want to consider using this extra time to develop an outreach database of prospective new referral sources that you can reach out to and begin the invaluable process of networking to increase patient volume.
Keeping your referring provider network informed and up-to-date, now more than ever, will help demonstrate your commitment to the partnership and help foster the flow of incoming referrals when you’re ready to open your doors again. Take this extra time and use it wisely to build and expand your network – one of your most valuable assets.
Eyemax is here to help. Please do not hesitate to reach out to us via info@eyemaxgroup.com or (303) 221-5004.
