Whether you provide physiotherapy or cosmetic surgery, whether you’re an acupuncturist or a nutritionist, aftercare will form an important part of your treatment plan. As well as providing any necessary clinical follow up required after treatment, aftercare provides an opportunity to continue and build on your relationship with your patient. This is vital to fostering trust and will help encourage referrals and thereby the growth of your clinic.
Why aftercare is so important
Depending on the type of treatment, aftercare can vary in nature and length, but is usually vital to the success and efficacy of treatment. The most important factor is of course your patient’s health and safety, and not providing the necessary information and services could result in your patient experiencing adverse events. By offering a comprehensive aftercare package within your treatment plan, you’ll improve outcomes and ensure patient satisfaction.
For example, a physiotherapy treatment will often precede an exercise plan for a set period, which will build upon the treatment itself and provide additional benefit that the treatment alone cannot. Aftercare following an aesthetic treatment meanwhile, may involve providing a sample of a particular skincare product to be used, following given directions at set times, in order to reduce the ‘down time’ of the treatment and increase the longitude of the effects. Aftercare is really a continuation of your treatment to ensure the health and safety of your patient, which will also more than likely lead to improved outcomes and patient satisfaction. This is why it is so important and should be included in your treatment plans as standard.
How to deliver aftercare
Aftercare should always be tailored to individual needs, and will of course vary depending on what treatment you are offering. It is a good idea to transition your patient into the aftercare part of their treatment plan within your consultation with them, explaining what it will entail and guiding them through the process. This will give them the opportunity to raise any questions they have, and potentially to flag any difficulties they may have with what you have planned. Consider providing a written step by step guide for your patient to follow, including dates of follow up appointments, diagrams of exercises, or a timetable for medications, for example.
Whilst some patients may prefer a printed copy of this, it can be efficient and effective to produce this digitally to go through on screen in person, then email to your patient for their reference later. Utilising integrations in your clinic management software such as Physiotec will help you to deliver more complex and detailed aftercare such as home exercise plans tailored to your patient’s individual needs. In e-clinic you can also create automated tasks for patient recalls and follow ups, as well as other bespoke aftercare communications. In some cases it’s also appropriate to advise a review appointment at a set number of days or weeks after the initial treatment or appointment. This offers your patient peace of mind and indicates a high level of service, providing an opportunity for them to ask any additional questions that have arisen or discuss any issues. You may also benefit from the chance to document their progress, and in some cases take ‘after’ photos and receive feedback. (Photos and diagrams can be easily attached to a patient’s record in e-clinic.) Touching base with your patient at a follow up appointment is a powerful way to boost your relationship with them, building trust and rapport, as well as providing valuable educational opportunities for you too.
How improving aftercare can improve your clinic
Providing aftercare should be considered an integral part of providing a professional service, and not an optional extra. A well planned and thought out aftercare plan will show your patients that you are an expert in your field, and that their business is important to you, giving them confidence in your treatment and your clinic. This makes them considerably more likely to return to you in the future and to recommend you to their friends and family, providing word of mouth marketing and a boost to your clinic’s growth. Having continued contact with your patients also gives you the opportunity to discuss any additional treatments that may be appropriate for them to consider, and at the very least make them aware of the other services that you provide so that they can bear you in mind in future. It’s generally far easier and less expensive to retain and rebook existing clients than acquire new ones, so loyalty is key.
e-clinic offers a number of features and solutions, including integrations with market leading software to help you incorporate aftercare into your treatment plans seamlessly and efficiently. Contact us for a no commitment demonstration so that we can show you how our clinic management software can help you increase patient satisfaction and grow your business.
