Today’s medical service provider market has largely been captured by a corporation in the healthcare industry. Take an example of any state in India, most of the major hospitals will be run under the name of a big brand or by large corporations who have operations in many other parts of the country. This brings us to a very important question. Will the independent medical practice die down as more and more patients visit ‘branded’ hospitals? While there is no sure shot answer to this question, there are a few things that independent medical practitioners can do that will help them better manage their clinics and help bring in more patients to their clinics.

Always behave like a large corporation

Yours may be a small independent practice with a staff of not more than 2 or 3, but it is important to behave and think like a large corporation. It is critical for a large corporation to have their operations as steady as possible with minimum misses in expectations. That’s what you need to do. Don’t let the attitude of ‘let it be’ creep in your system. Have defined processed and roles for all your employees. Automate the process and system as much as possible to have a minimum reliance on employees. This not only reduces chances of errors but also makes the complete process streamlined. Invest in your systems to reap benefits out of it and focus on providing an outstanding patient care to your clients.

Know your practice to make it better

You may be a doctor with patient treatment taking up a majority of your available time. But it is important to have a deep knowledge and understanding of the complete working of your practice. It is important that you understand the health of your practice as you try to understand the health of your patients. Take time out to invest in your practice and help improve processed wherever possible. It is you alone who has the power to bring change to the system, don’t expect your receptionist to change it. Set up standards for your practice based on your historical performance and industry standard, then try to beat those targets every month, quarter and year. Only if you know what is happening on the ground will you be able to solve the ground level problems.

Have the right size resources that complement your practice

Many-a-time it happens that doctors and independent practitioners while looking for solutions to automate go for solutions that are made for large hospitals and corporations, including some top-notch Hospital Information Management System (HIMS) and Practice Management System (PMS). It is important to choose a solution that complements your practice and fits into the clinic value system. Use resources that are custom built for workflows and needs of a smaller practice. One size fits all is not the solution to your problems.

Be Patient Centric

Lastly, be patient-centric. If there is one thing a large hospital cannot provide to its patients – it is attention. Have a customer-centric approach to the patients coming to you. Provide them with the best and most convenient experience at your practice. Give the patients a reason to come back. Give them your attention. It is important to engage patients during the visit and build loyalty with them. Even a hello with a smile to every patient coming into your clinic will go a long way in building the much-required rapport with patients.

Like what you read? There are many other way to increase the patient walk into your clinic as an independent medical practitioner. At CareData, we have spent decades understanding the needs of clinics, hospitals, doctors, and patients. Let us be your guide in your journey as an independent practitioner. Visit our website to know more about us, or you can reach out to our amazing support team to understand your CareData can be your partner on this journey.