Patient Loyalty: A Thing of The Past?

Yes. Patient loyalty is waning and quickly. The current profile of a typical patient ‘consumer’ is vastly different than that of 10 years ago. Today, it’s about instant gratification, a new generation of egocentric patients, a 24/7 digital world with endless communication channels. Combine all of those factors with the overwhelming desire of today's patients wanting CONVENIENCE, it's no wonder practices are having to work harder than ever to retain loyal patients and attract new ones.

The 2014 Primary Care Consumer Choice Survey listed some of the top attributes patients look for in primary care clinics.

• Walk-ins, and a guarantee of being seen within 30 minutes
• Lab and x-rays done in-house
• Provider is in-network for insurance
• Visit is free
• Clinic is open 24 hrs. a day, 7 days a week

Consider this stat – of the patients surveyed, only 9% indicated they would follow their primary provider to another clinic.

When patients were asked how likely they were to stay with their primary care physician in the next 12 months, 53% indicated yes.

Something’s missing for that 47% who are going to be shopping the market for their next provider. What are you doing to stay top of mind with your patients and attract new ones?

POS is a healthcare communications company that helps practices communicate better with patients.