As a business owner, it’s essential to keep up with trends and developments no matter your industry. Only by keeping on top can you offer the absolute best to your clients. And, only by offering the best can you ensure that they’ll come to you rather than your competitors. Of course, this is common knowledge in the majority of industries. A retailer is unlikely to start up without an online store. Someone working in real estate may list properties online before anywhere else. And, a product manufacturer is sure to invest in the best machinery for production. This is common sense stuff, and keeping on top in these ways is the only chance of finding success.
In some industries, though, growth can be harder to come by. In healthcare, for example, many entrepreneurs prefer to stick to tradition. Traditional methods are, after all, tried and tested. It makes sense, then, that a professional here would want to stick with what they know works. These are lives and not products at stake, after all. If you tend to do this as a healthcare surgery owner, you certainly aren’t alone. But, what if we were to tell you that sticking to known methods is putting your patients at risk? While it can be dangerous to jump on the next healthcare bandwagon, the following traditional methods bring much more significant risks.
Outdated Treatment Options
Treatment in healthcare is changing all the time. Everywhere you look, there are new treatments and technologies. While some are in early development, many are tried, tested, and given the seal of approval. If you then continue to offer old treatments, you’re doing your patients a disservice. You could even get into trouble if they discover that they could’ve received more efficient treatment. Patients will leave your services for more advanced options. They may even take legal action against you for worsening their condition. With that in mind, it seems like a no-brainer to splash out on developments. While this may cost, it’s a move which could fast save you money if it helps you avoid the threats mentioned. As such, it’s worth your while to take out a loan or try to attract investors to your efforts here. Either way, old treatments are no way forward in this field.
Old-Fashioned Filing Systems
For some of us, the statement ‘stick to what you know’ is something of a mantra. Hence why you’re still using old filing systems to keep on top of your patient notes and appointments. These methods have served healthcare professionals for millennia, after all. You’ve heard about all these online filing methods, but why change things now? You’re quite happy how you are, thank you very much. The trouble is that we are far more aware of the risks of privacy breaches than we ever have been before. Companies are increasingly having to improve the way they handle sensitive client information. And, never is that more important than when it comes to medical records. The fact is that keeping paper files in cabinets leaves you open to all manner of serious breaches. If that were to happen, you would again face legal implications for having breached your HIPAA responsibilities. If patients caught wind that you file information this way, they might not even consider coming to you. Instead, then, it would be well worth taking your filing online. This ensures that you can password protect and encrypt any sensitive information. Anti-virus efforts can even ensure that no unapproved eyes see that all-important info. Just like that, you’ll find that patients are far more willing to come your way. You may even find the unexpected benefit of being able to track and manage your notes in a much more efficient way. What is there not to love about this?
Only Advice Posters
We’ve all seen those old advice posters plastered around our doctor’s office, haven’t we? You know the stuff; stop the spread of germs; recognize the signs of cancer. Reading material like this is what keeps most of us sane as we wait for appointments. It can even lead to a diagnosis we didn’t know we needed. But, if you only use posters to spread patient information, you’re missing a trick. In reality, you should be online spreading the word. How else are you going to reach the largest audience possible? By posting something like a daily health check on social media, you ensure that more patients spot issues and bring them to you. Some healthcare entrepreneurs are even now making use of online video. By working with a videographer, you can send informative health videos out into the world on a regular basis. You could even go all out with a health-focused blog. Methods like these extend your reach no end. By putting them in place, you ensure that people don’t need to be in your building to learn how much you have to offer.
Over the Phone Appointments
Last, it’s time to consider how you accept your appointments. An astounding amount of healthcare surgeries still only take bookings over the phone. There are merits to this, such as the removal of a technological error, and the immediacy of speaking to someone. In general, though, this is a way of doing things which could be holding you back. The fact is that we’re all busier than we ever have been. As such, there’s a chance people are searching for you in their lunch break, or during their commute. It’s unlikely they’ll be in a position to call you at these times, but they will be able to make a quick online appointment. As such, they could well overlook you if this isn’t a service you offer. We mentioned confidentiality earlier, and that applies here, too. Taking appointments over the phone means the wrong ears could overhear private conversations. You remove that chance entirely when your bookings are automated.
So, what are you waiting for? Isn’t it about time your healthcare facility caught up with the times?
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