The number of Existing Patients booking appointments with your clinic indicates how well your clinic nurtures and retains existing patients. Does my clinic create a welcoming atmosphere? Are my patients getting the results they want? How many patients have a Treatment Plan?
Useful for:
- Tracking how well your clinic is retaining existing patients
- Evaluating Retention techniques – you will have to put effort into retaining some customers, track which techniques are proving effective.
Further Insight:
- Building Existing Patients Contribution – It’s essential that your patients keep coming back. It is helpful to track Revenue Per Appointment and Number of Visits Per Patient to improve their overall contribution to your clinic.
- Waiting List – if used to good effect you should expect to see an increase number of existing patient appointments as “lost” appointments get allocated.
Questions to ask yourself:
Are increases due to campaigns or other known sources?
If you can identify the factors behind a steady in crease in existing patient appoinments you can applify those measure for continued success. For instance, they may like the decor of your clinic, or the friendliness of staff or your abilities as a practitioner to get results.
Are the efforts we are putting into Waiting List working? If not, why not?
The Waiting List is a great tool to fill any gaps in the schedule, and get patients the appointments they want, when they want. To find out more about using Waiting Lists follow this link.
Can trends be established with certain months that allow us to anticipate additional business?
If you know your existing patients are keen to look good for summer, then you could investigate adding additional staff or opening your clinic longer to take advantage of the demand.
Are we neglecting to seek out new patients?
It is important to grow your patient numbers as you never know when a current patient may stop returning – although how much effort you put into acquiring new patients depends on how much you feel your clinic can grow.
