Why the modern patient experience is all about being mobile

Today, we’re all connected via our smartphones. And patients, just like regular consumers, now expect a similar connection with your practice.

In this digital world, it’s no longer enough to simply have a website. You need to have your website optimised for smartphone use. After all, these days close to 60% of people use their phones to search for information.

Part of our 2018 Patient Behaviour Report focused on the way mobile connectivity affects your patients.

With 77% of patients having used their phone to find local health services in the past 6-months, the outcome was clear: if your website isn’t optimised for mobile use, your patients will look somewhere else.

Here are three ways to help you give your patients the best mobile experience possible.

Make your site quick and responsive

Patient experience consultant, Shelley Thomson, says that “in today’s world, delivering an excellent patient experience is no longer a choice. It is a necessity.”

It’s true. And a website that loads quickly and smoothly is part of that. In fact, Google has even said that if a website takes more than 1 second to load, users are more likely to look elsewhere, and research shows that 29% of smartphone users will switch to another site immediately if the one they’re using is too slow.

The key to this is having a mobile responsive website, which means it’s created so that the design and content changes depending on the device your user is connecting from. A website that’s mobile responsive loads faster, and is much easier for patients to navigate.

Make it easy to book

You want to be able to capture those patients who are looking to book on-the-go. They don’t want to spend time filling out forms, they want to book right away, or speak directly to someone who can help.

For these ready-to-book patients, there are a couple of simple ways to make it as easy as possible for them to do so:

1. Include a Click-to-Call button on your website. This means that instead of copying down a phone number and then dialling it, they can simply click a big friendly button that says ‘Call now’, and their mobile phone will automatically call this number. It’s simple, yet effective.

2. Make the booking process quicker by adding an online booking system to your website that enables patients to book instantly. Your booking tool should show which practitioners are available, and at what times. Patients can then simply click on the slot they want and book in right away. It’s personal, fast, and convenient.

Free Patient Behaviour Report

Create a better experience by understanding the latest patient trends.

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Offer an alternative booking journey

HealthEngine makes it easier for your patients to book in at your clinic, with the smooth, fast experience they expect from any modern website.

Every month 2.2 million patients search for and book appointments using HealthEngine. And, with 87% of bookings on the HealthEngine platform coming from existing patients booking, HealthEngine makes it easier for loyal patients to book quickly and easily with their regular practice.

Summary

These days patients expect healthcare to be optimised for their smartphones – just like everything else.

To give them the best experience, we recommend you make it as easy as possible by having a fast, mobile-optimised site. One that they can find on the go, with easy-to-find buttons laid out on your website.

The easiest way to achieve this is by using HealthEngine. Our platform does all this for you, so your customers have a better mobile experience, and they keep coming back to your practice.

It’s an easier way for your clinic to go mobile.