Digitise your patient communications – it’s more environmentally friendly and business smart!

If you are still using paper-based patient communications it’s time to stop!  Dan Durie, CEO of digital and attention marketing specialists SmileVision, explains why this is not only bad for the environment but also harmful for the profitability and image of your practice.

Think of the environmental impact

Are you still using leaflets and letters to promote your services to patients, remind them about appointments and generally keep in touch?  That’s a huge waste of paper and ink.  It means more trees destroyed, more ink cartridges going to landfill.  Then there’s the environmental cost of physically delivering those items – more lorries and vans, more emissions.  

It’s costing your business money

Paying for all that printing is a waste of money. On top of which there’s the cost of postage.  Think of how much you’ll save by cutting out this unnecessary expenditure.

Equally worrying, how many patients actually bother to pick up a leaflet or factsheet these days?  Even if you actually hand it to them, or post it, how many will read it?  If you want people to engage with the information then it needs to be in a digital format, straight to their phone, as a video or text.

You are damaging your relationship with your patients

You may be unconcerned about the environmental downside of wasting resources in this way.  But what message are you sending patients?

According to the 2021 Price Waterhouse Cooper Consumer Intelligence Series survey on Environmental Social Governance issues (ESG) more than three quarters of those polled said they’ll reward companies that actively pursue good ESG practices.  Most people care about this stuff – even if you don’t!  If you continue to use paper-based communications this will have a very negative impact on your patient numbers.

This damage will be made worse by the fact the huge majority of patients take digital communications for granted.  They do everything, from paying bills to getting information, receiving reminders to booking appointments, on their smartphone.  Patients will find it very inconvenient and frustrating if they can’t interact with your practice in this way. 

Stick with paper-based communications and you are encouraging your patients to move to a competitor!

SmileVision – the simplest and most costeffective digital communication solution

We provide a complete digital communications package that totally replaces your paper-based efforts.  It cuts costs, boosts profits and makes life so much easier for you, your staff and patients – whilst also enhancing your environmental credentials!

The SmileVision TV channel

This plays on a monitor in your waiting room and enables you to promote those more profitable services that patients may otherwise be unaware of.  Typical patient dwell time is 15 minutes and this is an incredible opportunity you cannot afford to waste – you have their undivided attention in an environment where they are particularly receptive.

The programme is silent and tailored to suit your practice. Our team update it remotely on a daily basis, ensuring the content is always current, fresh and engaging. You and your staff don’t have to do anything other than choose which treatments, products and promotions you’d like to feature.  We provide everything you need for just £33+VAT a month.

The SmileVision digital and mobile tools

We make it quick and easy for you to turn treatment and product enquiries into bookings and sales with a library of videos and digital leaflets. These arepersonalised to your practice and can be emailed direct to patients when they request more information.

It couldn’t be quicker and easier to follow up on enquiries. You and your staff can concentrate on providing excellent patient care while the videos and digital leaflets communicate essential information about what treatment involves and how products work, along with useful advice about aftercare and general oral health advice.  You can also post these videos and leaflets on your social media feeds and website. This is a great way to promote treatments and products that patients may not be aware you offer – everything from teeth whitening to wrinkle treatments.

Subscription to this service costs just £22+VAT a month.  If you want to combine this service with the TV service the complete package costs just £44+VAT a month.

What are you waiting for?

Every day you delay the move to digital communications the more damage you are doing to the environment and the profitable functioning of your practice.  You can discover the benefits of the SmileVision solution for yourself with a free trial – just call 0207 99 33 888 or email digital@smilevision.co.uk.  

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