It is no secret that a lot has changed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Around the world, people are staying home and practicing social isolation in order to curb the spread of the disease. Fewer people are going to work every day as they instead work from home, with their children home from school as well. Healthcare practices like your hearing practice are taking extra measures to ensure the safety and health of both staff and patients.
Limiting the number of patients who come to your office is likely one of these measures. You may have restricted your office to emergency or essential appointments only. With all these new guidelines and restrictions, it is important to recognize that your goal in using social media is now different than ever before.
Prior to this health crisis, it was essential to maintain a strong social media presence and to create a brand that attracted the notice of your target customers. Once they noticed your brand, your social media was one of the ways they could learn more about your practice and eventually become a patient. While you can still use social media to bring new patients to your practice, its role is different than ever before.
In this time of uncertainty, when their everyday lives are disrupted and they may have loved ones who are suffering or at risk for the virus, people want to see kindness and compassion. Take this opportunity to showcase that your practice truly cares for your patients. Share messages of encouragement, hope, and compassion on your social media pages.
Take steps to ensure that your patients feel cared for. If patients are canceling or rescheduling their appointments, consider waiving any usual fees for these changes. Be flexible with rescheduling, especially as most cities, counties, and states are uncertain of when “stay at home” restrictions will lift. Be compassionate, understanding, and accommodating when emergency situations arise.
Offer options to keep your patients cared for while in-office visits are limited. Telehealth technology is one way to ensure that your patients can still receive high-quality, personalized care while staying home. This form of healthcare utilizes telecommunications technology to allow you to see, talk to, evaluate, and care for patients without meeting them in person.
Since this can be done in most cases using a computer (laptop or desktop), tablet, or smartphone, most patients will have access to this type of appointment. For your patients who are unfamiliar with telecommunications technology (such as senior patients), be sure to provide clear, simple instructions and be ready to patiently answer questions.
Now is the time to use social media to offer genuine empathy and real value to your patients. When this time is over and life becomes more normalized again, you want your patients to remember your practice as one that truly cares. To learn more about how you can take advantage of tools like telehealth during this unique time, we invite you to contact us at AudiologyPlus today.
Brand Messaging on Social Media During a Time of Crisis
