Ingredients of Effective Calls Out
Use these verbiage best practices to schedule more patients when making calls out.
The difference in why some patients will schedule or reschedule their appointments when contacted by phone is directly tied the words we use.
Implementing these 5 powerful ingredients will increase the conversion rates of calls out, leading to more productive schedules.
Make a Connection – Begin the call with a personal touch. Take a few moments to refresh yourself with the patient’s history in order to make a personal connection. Are there any notes form their last visit related to an upcoming life event or family? If there are no notes or hints available in the patient record, you can ask how they are doing and make general conversation for a brief moment before diving into their treatment needs.
“Hi Mrs. Smith, are you and your family enjoying the summer break?
Create Urgency – Mention that your providers are concerned, and asked that you reach out to the patient to reserve an appointment time for them. Be specific about what treatment the patient needs in order to help them understand why it is important they not delay in scheduling. This will require you to do your research of the exam notes and treatment plan.
“Dr. Jones is concerned about the tooth on the lower left that needs a crown and he asked that I reach out to reserve a time for you on his schedule. He noted a fracture in that tooth at your last visit, and we want to avoid the tooth breaking or causing you any discomfort.”
Build the Value – Avoid using minimizing words when discussing treatment needs. For example, using words like “just” or “cleaning” devalue the importance of the treatment. You also dont want to give the impression that your schedule is wide open, this can lead to cancellations.
“Sara’s schedule is filling up quickly, so we need to reserve an hour on her schedule for your preventative care appointment soon in order to keep you on track.”
Use Assumptive Phrases – Making statements like “Would you like to go ahead and schedule?” offer an opportunity for the patient to put off scheduling. If we have done a good job in removing barriers to scheduling and building the value of the treatment, we can assume that the patient will schedule if we offer up options that work for them. Offering up two options gives the patient the freedom of choice and still allows you to control the productivity of your schedule.
“Mrs. Smith I have a 10:00 am appointment tomorrow or a 3:00 pm appointment available on Friday. Which one of those would work best for your schedule?”
Finish Strong – Finish with a summary of what you have discussed to minimize the chances of a No Show or Cancellation. Include the provider name, the scheduled treatment and the appointment date and time. Do not give the patient an out by inviting them to reschedule the appointment.
“Great, I have an appointment reserved with Dr. Jones tomorrow at 10:00 am for the crown on the lower left. We look forward to seeing you then.”