Every day more people are showing an interest in medical aesthetics, and it’s your job to provide them with the best care possible.
As a clinic owner, knowing what not to do can be just as important as knowing what to do.
With this list of do’s and don’ts, you’ll have your clinic running seamlessly while providing the best care for your patients and ensuring your employees are happy.
Your team
Choosing the right people to join you on your journey of improving the lives and confidence of others is essential, but that’s not all. You need to make sure your team evolves continuously.
DO – invest in staff training
This means time and money. If you want to incorporate the best technologies into your clinic, your employees need to be fully trained to understand them. Encourage your staff to broaden their skillset.
DON’T – cut corners on training
While you may be looking to cut corners with the recent economic crisis, training for your staff should not be something you reduce. Training not only helps your staff gain knowledge and improves their skills, setting them above the rest, but it will also ensure they follow updated regulations and guidelines within the healthcare industry.
As a bonus, having skilled staff will also motivate them and allow them to feel more secure in their roles.
DO – foster a positive workplace culture
Create a positive work environment that promotes collaboration, communication and respect among staff members. Your employees should work as a team while feeling comfortable in their roles within the team.
Encourage team activities. This could be a fun team-building activity, or you could host a work event. You want your team to show up every day with a smile on their face. Create a positive environment to work in, and they will!
DON’T – tolerate unprofessional behaviour
Ensure all staff members behave professionally and respectfully towards patients, colleagues, and other professionals.
Create a space where your team can bring up any issues that arise and where they feel comfortable to come forward. Take on board criticisms and use them to improve while you constructively pass on any improvements to other team members.
Ensure your team is trained on how to talk to patients and create a safe space where they can bring up any doubts they may have.
The patients
A positive patient experience is crucial for a successful clinic. From their initial consultation to post-treatment, you should provide excellent care, encouraging them to return and share their experience with others.
DO – prioritise patient satisfaction
As a clinic owner, you must ensure your clinic provides a high level of care and services to patients to ensure their satisfaction and loyalty. Then you can ask your most satisfied patients for reviews to help promote your clinic. Social proof builds immediate trust with potential patients looking for similar treatments encouraging them to contact your clinic.
Your patient should receive the best, not just during treatment but before and after, too. Their needs should be met throughout their whole journey to increase their patient experience.
DON’T – neglect patient feedback
Listen to and address patient feedback, both positive and negative, to continually improve your clinic’s operations and services. Hold regular meetings with staff to review feedback and brainstorm how to improve as a team.
Don’t get defensive when listening to criticism; see it as a learning opportunity to improve your patient’s experience to make future treatments and procedures positive.
DO – prioritise patient confidentiality
Protect patient confidentiality and ensure staff members understand and follow all applicable regulations and guidelines.
If you use patient images on your website or social media accounts, ensure you have full permission to do so, and understand that not all patients will agree to this.
DON’T – make promises you can’t keep
If you promise your patients unrealistic results, you’ll break the trust that you have built up. Patients will be more likely to share their negative and disappointing experiences. You don’t want word to get out that you are setting expectations that you aren’t meeting.
Your duty as the clinic owner is to explain to your patients the realistic potential outcomes and what they are likely to see. Avoid guaranteeing results.
Technology and trends
Technology within the healthcare industry is constantly evolving and improving. You’ll need to keep up with it to provide top patient care.
DO – stay up-to-date with industry trends
Stay current with industry trends, research, and advancements to provide your patients with the latest information and the most effective services. You want to be a leading healthcare provider in your area, and the knowledge of new trends and technology will help guarantee this.
Attend events and seminars where you can learn about the latest trends and newest research, and sign-up for relevant newsletters, so you are the first to know!
DON’T – ignore regulatory requirements
Ensure your clinic complies with all applicable regulatory requirements, including licensing, insurance, and safety standards. Your staff should be trained appropriately to keep in line with these requirements. You should have relevant certifications visible for your patients to see to increase confidence in your clinic.
DO – utilise technology
Utilise technology to streamline operations, improve patient communication, and enhance the patient experience.
Consider investing in newer technologies if you can see the financial benefit. Having the latest machines and technology will aid you in becoming a leading clinic in your area.
DON’T – cut corners on quality
Maintain high-quality standards in all aspects of your clinic’s operations, including equipment, supplies, and staffing. Staying ahead of trends and technology while providing appropriate training will ensure you provide your patients with top-quality treatments and care.
Squeezing too many patient treatments into one day can also affect the quality of care, and this is something patients will notice. Ensure they feel they have your full attention throughout consultations and treatments, up until post-treatment follow-up and care.
Marketing
Marketing your clinic is essential to get new patient enquiries through the door, but you’ll need to know the do’s and don’ts to ensure your strategy is effective.
DO – develop a marketing plan
Develop a marketing plan that aligns with your clinic’s goals. Find your target audience and set objectives to discuss with your team. Use a combination of online and offline marketing strategies to achieve your goals.
Dive into our blog on improving your marketing strategy for your clinic to gain some invaluable tips to boost new patient enquiries.
DON’T – rely solely on one marketing channel
Diversify your marketing efforts and avoid relying solely on one marketing channel.
Use the various social media platforms to reach new audiences, encourage your patients to talk about your clinic for word-of-mouth referrals and send out newsletters to patients willing to sign up for them.
DO – use social media
It’s common for clinics to underestimate the power of social media. They see social media as time-consuming, and results aren’t guaranteed. However, social media can be a powerful tool for promoting your clinic and engaging with patients, so don’t neglect it.
As a free platform, you can engage with your followers and patients, keep them up to date with new treatments, and provide a community where questions and doubts can be answered.
Social media platforms can also be used for paid promotion of your clinic and the treatments you offer. Check out our blog post to learn the difference between organic and paid social media.
DON’T – forget about your online reputation
Hopefully, you will have had the chance to ask your happy patients to leave positive reviews online. Remember to monitor these reviews and your general online reputation. Respond promptly and professionally to any negative reviews or feedback and use them as an opportunity to learn and improve.
To round up
As a clinic owner, you need to stay on top of all the changes in the industry while making sure both your patients and your staff are happy. It’s a lot of work, we know – especially when you’re trying to get new patient enquiries in.
If you would like help getting new patients through those doors, book a call with our team. It’s a no strings call where you can decide if we are a right match for you, and likewise. We only work with clinics we know we can help.
