Managing a business in the private medical sector presents many challenges. Fortunately, there are myriad software solutions available to support healthcare professionals (HCPs) in the day-to-day running of their medical practice.
Doctors, consultants and other HCPs increasingly rely on digital tools such as practice management software, websites and online resources to manage all aspects of their daily operations and help maintain customer engagement.
There are many solutions available, but they are not equal in ease of use and performance. In this article, we discuss the best software options to help HCPs improve patient acquisition and retention.
Practice management software
HCPs require clinic management software to automate activities, such as managing patient information, treatment planning and scheduling, and billing.
By streamlining administrative workflows, doctors and medical staff can spend more time treating and communicating with patients and less time on office tasks.
The following practice management software can help private medical practices and healthcare facilities manage all aspects of their operations:
Semble
Semble is a clinical system for managing patient medical data and admin tasks. With Semble, patients can book and pay for their appointments online, and HCPs can manage appointments and track each patient’s journey.
WriteUpp
WriteUpp is a cloud-based practice management system for clinics and HCPs. It has several tools to help streamline practices and provide high-quality customer service.
Power Diary
Power Diary boasts more than 100 features for calendar management, SMS and email communication, telehealth video calls, clinical notes, client management, and online booking and payment.
Cliniko
Cliniko is a practice management system for clinics and HCPs. Cliniko offers numerous security features, unlimited round-the-clock free support and the ability to integrate the system with other applications, such as MailChimp and Xero.
Meddbase
Meddbase is an online healthcare management system for general practice and other types of primary care. The Meddbase electronic health record system is user friendly, and HCPs can securely access it from any location on any web-enabled device.
Pabau
Pabau is a digital clinic management system that includes features such as appointment booking, payment collection and client management. Pabau also offers product inventory and reporting and analytics.
DGL Practice Manager
DGL Practice Manager was first developed in 1991 and is a virtual practice management software suite. It is used by over 2,500 practices and clinics, and it integrates into a practice’s ways of operating to improve workflows.
Appointment scheduling software
If not in the market for a full clinic management software suite, appointment scheduling software enables HCPs and healthcare facilities to manage patient appointments – as well as staff and facilities scheduling – online.
Some appointment scheduling software solutions for HCPs include:
With scheduling software, patients can book appointments and receive reminders via email or SMS before scheduled appointments, reducing no-shows. Additionally, HCPs can avoid double-booking their time by synchronising their calendar with the online booking schedule.
Patient review platform
Online reviews influence many people’s daily decisions, and the healthcare sector is no exception. According to Doctify, a healthcare review platform, almost 80% of people rely on online reviews before selecting a new doctor or clinic.
In an ideal world, all feedback would be positive, but HCPs should not fear negative responses. Any review allows clinics to respond appropriately and resolve any pending issues. In addition, engaging with patient reviews helps to retain patients and build a reputable online presence.
Strategies for getting patients to leave reviews include:
- providing a tablet in the clinic to collect feedback after appointments
- sending out an automated email link or SMS for a review following an appointment via clinic management software tools, such as Semble
- using a feedback platform, such as Doctify
- requesting Google reviews from patients via a short URL specific to the clinic
Gathering reviews can positively affect SEO, and responding to them can boost a clinic’s local search ranking.
Communication platform
Patient engagement software improves communication between HCPs and patients. It also helps increase people’s interest in monitoring and improving their health.
Communication platforms beneficial for HCPs include:
- LiveChat: This is a customer engagement channel that allows HCPs and patients to engage in real-time conversations using a live chat window on the clinic’s website. LiveChat can help HCPs to acquire new clients and nurture relationships with existing patients.
- Lumeon: This platform assists patients with playing an active part in shaping their care journey and staying in touch with their care team through multiple channels. HCPs and patients can communicate securely via email, SMS, WhatsApp and eForm.
- Medesk: This practice management software has automated tools that assist with patient interaction. HCPs can set up SMS and email notifications to encourage new patients to stay loyal to the clinic.
- DrDoctor: This patient engagement platform allows HCPs to set up automated conversational SMS and emails with patients. The system can also fill last-minute cancellations by automatically letting patients know when earlier appointment slots become available.
- MJog: This platform enables HCPs to communicate with patients using multiple channels. GPs can send individual messages or a scheduled series of messages to patients without leaving the patient record. They can also deliver smart messages to patients via the web messenger or app containing videos, images and surveys.
Content management system
A content management system (CMS) helps users edit and publish web content.
Once a website has been created and developed, a CMS enables HCPs to edit and manage their own content if they so choose, such as updating contact details or other information, without being reliant on a website developer or agency.
WordPress powers nearly half of the internet. It is an intuitive CMS that is widely used, so it is accessible to most stakeholders and is something that can scale with your business as it grows.
Other popular CMSs include:
A decent digital marketing team
Digital marketing is crucial to the success of any business. However, to have the winning edge in healthcare marketing requires a team of specialists with diverse areas of expertise in:
- website development and content delivery
- marketing project management
- inbound and digital campaign development
- SEO strategy and analysis
- social media planning and engagement
- email marketing
- lead nurturing
- database management
- marketing automation
- CRM system integration
Marketing has grown to be a multi-channel landscape, and HCPs cannot be experts in all areas.
Using a specialist healthcare marketing agency, such as Medico, can help clinics have the edge over their competition by translating innovative marketing strategies into results.
Cloudphone technology and video conferencing
The past 18 months in particular have demonstrated how important remote communications with patients are becoming. Both cloudphone technology and video conferencing are must-haves for the modern HCP.
Cloudphone technology
Medical clinics require a first-rate telephone system to communicate with patients and team members, increasing performance and productivity. Cloudphone technology, also known as voice over internet protocol (VoIP), is a flexible and cost-efficient solution for clinics.
VoIP enables HCPs to make calls through the internet on a computer or mobile.
A VoIP phone system can help enhance the customer experience, improve efficiency and workflow and reduce a clinic’s running costs.
Video conferencing
In addition to a quality phone system, HCPs often require video conferencing software to provide remote medical care to patients in their homes.
Video conferencing software enables HCPs to speak directly with patients, provide prescriptions and check the course of their treatment. It also makes it possible for multiple clinicians and specialists in different locations to collaborate on patient calls.
Software that includes video conferencing features include:
Social listening tools
Social listening is monitoring social media channels, such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn, for feedback or customer mentions about a brand. Marketers can then use those insights to influence future marketing decisions and strategies.
Using social listening tools, such as Hootsuite, HCPs can track how people feel about a clinic or its competitors. It also gives HCPs the opportunity to respond to positive or negative posts immediately.
Keywords and topics HCPs can monitor using social listening tools include:
- the clinic name and social media handles
- the names of competitors
- healthcare buzzwords
- the names of key HCPs in the clinic
- hashtags that relate to the clinic
- hashtags that relate to the health industry
A specialist healthcare marketing agency can help set up social listening for HCPs and identify innovative ideas to guide the clinic’s social communications strategy. If you would like to learn more about how Medico’s digital specialists can set you on the right path, contact us, and we would be happy to help.
