Finding a medical business that is right for you can be challenging. There are so many different options out there, and each one is unique. However, if you have children or plan on having children, there are some things you need to consider when looking for a medical facility. Here are six tips that will help attract more families with kids to your practice:
Make Sure You’re Visible Online
To attract more families, you need to ensure you are visible online. You may already have a website and Facebook page for your medical practice, but if not, now is the time to create one! Your new website will allow you to reach out to potential patients by searching on Google and other search engines. This can help you stand out among your competitors and get more traffic than they do.
Make Sure Your Office is Family-Friendly
When you’re starting a business, you want to impress. You want people to come back. You want them to tell their friends and family about your services so they can come in and try the practice. This is especially true if your service is medical or health-related; people are often wary of those things because they can be expensive (and scary) without anything fun. To attract families, ensure that your office is clean and well-maintained. If it’s not, families won’t want to come back for fear of illness spreading through their children. Also, ensure there’s no background noise from machinery or other sources (especially those with high pitches!). Temperature also matters —too cold or too warm can lead to distraction, limiting productivity levels throughout the day. Finally, as part of regular checkups, toys and books should be provided free of charge so long as proper cleaning protocols have been followed beforehand.
Be Sensitive to the Needs of Children and Parents
While you may want to provide a quiet, stress-free experience for all adults, it’s important not to forget about the children in your waiting room. Let parents know that you welcome their children with them during the appointment and ask them if they’d like to bring toys or books for their kids. A quiet room where kids can play safely is also necessary if you don’t have one built into your office design; keep in mind that some moms will be breastfeeding or pumping at this time (which requires extra privacy). Being flexible with these things increases the likelihood that someone will return—and word gets around among families who use your services regularly.
Show That You Are Up To Date with the Latest Technology
Doctors and staff who are up to date with the latest medical technology can help patients feel more at ease. Newer technologies make it easier to get through checkups, procedures, and other necessary tests. For example, investing in a great manual examination table will elevate your medical business.
Many pediatric offices now use digital x-rays instead of film. Digital x-rays produce better results than film and don’t require development or processing, so they are much faster than traditional methods. Another example is whole body CT scans (WBCT). They provide detailed images of the entire body in just one scan, which is helpful when diagnosing serious conditions such as cancer or stroke. The exam takes about 5 minutes compared to the 30-45 minute MRI procedure, which creates three-dimensional pictures using magnetic fields instead of X-rays as WBCTs do.
Offer Payment Plans for Families That May Be Struggling Financially
Offering payment plans is a great way to put your patients at ease. You are offering them another option regarding financing their medical bills, which will improve the experience for everyone involved. If you want more families in your office, then make sure you offer payment plans that are affordable and easy to understand. Your payment plans should also be flexible so families can continue seeing you without worrying about paying large amounts of money upfront.
Be Flexible with Appointment Times
Be flexible with appointment times, especially for families with young children. It’s important to make sure your office is open during normal hours and accessible for parents who may be juggling multiple children. You also want to ensure that you’re offering convenient appointment times for families with younger children and families with older children. Additionally, it would be best if you tried to accommodate working parents by offering late afternoon and evening appointments.
Conclusion
There are many ways to attract families to your medical practice as a medical professional. Following the tips above can increase your visibility and get more business from families needing medical care.