PART 4 - WHERE DOES VIRTUAL FIT INTO MY PRACTICE?
Ever since “The Day the World Changed” earlier this spring, I have spent many hours talking with practices, talking with industry experts and doing virtual lectures regarding the virtual processes and digital workflow in practices. The term in our industry is not new. We all know the products available to us, most everyone has attended at least 1event (most likely many more!) over the past 6 months regarding implementing virtual processes and likely tried out some of the products targeted towards the virtual exam or the virtual appointment with varying success.
Every practice I have talked with has their own view of what this looks like for their business, what this looks like for their patient experience, what this looks like for dollar per chair in the treatment area. Practices also have their own perspective of how to get comfortable with doing appointments and exams virtually and achieving the same results and the same close rates.
Whether you are in a large city or small town, multi doctor/location practice or single doctor/small staff practice, your patients, the consumers you are targeting, have had a shift in their habits over the past 6 months. Yes, we all want the personal touch, however as time goes by, more and more consumers are going to be driven by convenience and finding that balance for your patients will be a very important key to your success and growth. Do not bring your own personalization or perception to this virtual process! This has become the expected standard of care, or at least options provided, to patients. Covid has changed society in that we have an added spatial awareness that will not be going away.
Virtual has the ability to decrease costs and increase the profit to the practice when done right. I encourage you to explore what that looks like for you. Feel free to ask questions or reach out directly if you would like some guidance for your practice.