Using Custom Check-in Questions to Increase Premium Service Revenue

Forward-thinking ophthalmology practices are using their check-in approach and other patient communications to increase interest in premium services, outside of a normal eye exam. Instead of spending ad dollars, or in addition to it, you may be able to capture interest in premium services from your existing patient base. Review the steps ophthalmology practices are using to successfully increase patient interest and revenue. 

How Ophthalmology Clinics are Leveraging Their Existing Patient Database

One comprehensive ophthalmology clinic spent an average of $20,000 per month on Google and Social Media ads to increase their volume of LASIK surgery leads. Looking to reduce ad spend, they tested a new approach. The practice added a question to their check-in kiosk, asking patients of the right demographic if they are interested in learning more about LASIK.  

In 30 days, this eye clinic captured nearly 300 interested leads, at no additional cost. Guido Piquet, Chief Operations Officer at Mann Eye Institute shared their approach and the insights gained in a recent webinar that you may find valuable. Here are the steps they took. 

3 Steps to Drive Interest in Premium Services and Increase Your Revenue

Using a flexible and automated patient check-in system, you can quickly identify interest from your existing patient base and capture free leads. 

1. Determine the custom questions you can ask to gain interest 

Consider your current workflows for patient communications and intake. As you send appointment reminders or capture patient information ahead of their appointment, add questions to determine patient interest in the specific premium services you offer. It could be as simple as adding one question to your check-in process, like Mann Eye Institute did.  

For example, using an online check-in system or kiosk, you could ask your patient: “Would you like to learn about LASIK or Laser Vision Correction?” Patients who respond “Yes” indicate their interest, providing you with free leads from your existing database.   

While capturing leads, this approach also takes the burden of making the ask off your staff. It’s not uncommon for front-desk staff to avoid asking these types of questions as inquiring about specific services like Botox, for example, may sound offensive. Instead, digital check-in or patient engagement solutions keep the request confidential to the patient and reduce any human error in data capture. 

2. Use demographic information to capture qualified leads 

If you’re looking to increase premium service revenue and are already running ads, you’ve likely targeted your ad spend towards certain demographics of patients who are most likely to need those services.  

For example, LASIK and other types of laser vision correction are often targeted toward individuals who wear glasses or contact lenses and are between the ages of 18-45. 

With a smart check-in process you can add rules to your workflows to only ask custom questions to patients who fit the right demographic criteria. This approach can help you focus your efforts on patients who will be most likely to purchase or book premium services.  

The right check-in system should allow you the flexibility to customize your workflows and rules to ask specific questions to patients based on age, appointment type, gender, etc.  

3. Alert staff and physicians when interest is expressed and define how they should follow up 

Determine client interest through custom check-in questions and automatically capture that information in your patient management system or electronic health record. Next, make sure your front desk staff or physicians are alerted and can follow up accordingly, either via that same appointment or down the line. For example, Mann Eye Institute uses MDprospects to route “Yes” answers to physicians, in real-time, so those physicians can provide education on premium services to interested patients during their appointment.  

Mann Eye Institute also leverages Clearwave to run reports to see how many patients have responded to specific intake questions and what those responses were. Using Clearwave, customers can also create tasks for front-desk staff when certain responses come through via patient check-in. From there, staff can follow up accordingly by coordinating with physicians, reaching out to the patient to gather interest in a consultation or helping the patient book a premium service appointment.

If you’re considering a patient engagement system or have one in place that you want to use to target patient interest in premium services, ensure you have a way to capture and use that data. With an intuitive and highly integrated system, the data should be there and available at your staff’s fingertips, so you can easily tap into your existing database and move those leads closer to booking premium services. 

If you’re running ads to capture leads for premium services, consider integrating these free leads into your current follow-up approach. Have your staff reach out to patients via phone, two-way texting or other mass patient communications and request for patients to book premium service appointments. Using a CRM is beneficial here, as it can assist in the process of following up with the patient after their appointment. 

Offering a free consultation is another option we’ve seen ophthalmology practices use successfully. If the patient says “Yes” to learning more about a premium service, like LASIK, offer a free consultation to that patient with the goal of helping them learn more about the benefits of the procedure. Use the consultation to educate patients and encourage them to book premium services. 

See How Mann Eye Insitute is Increasing Premium Service Leads and Revenue 

Ophthalmology practices are already benefiting from this strategic approach to capturing interest in premium services. See it in action. In this on-demand webinar on Driving Premium Service Revenue Without Ad Spend, learn the approach Mann Eye Insitute uses to capture patient interest and increase premium service bookings.