Top 7 Patient Engagement Tools

Key Takeaways

• Patient engagement tools aim to improve patient-provider communication and healthcare outcomes.
• Stay connected with automated appointment reminders, text messaging, digital intake forms, online scheduling, website chats, reputation management, and personalized messaging.
• Many tools integrate with electronic health records for seamless data management.

Fact: Your patients want to hear from you. Data shows that 61% of patients want better patient engagement from their providers, with one in five saying doing their taxes is less painful than managing healthcare.

When you’re proactive about engaging your patients, you can get them into your office, keep their care on track, and make a lasting impact. 

We’re sharing the best patient engagement tools that make it easy to stay connected and give patients the level of interaction they want.

The Top 7 Patient Engagement Tools

Multiple stakeholders influence patient engagement, including data and technology partners, healthcare admin teams, and the patients themselves. When providers offer the right mix of patient engagement tools, patients are more likely to use them and take an active role in their care. 

Let’s explore seven key patient communication software features and why they work to boost engagement.

1. Text Messaging for Patient Communication

Secure, HIPAA-compliant messaging allows healthcare practices to communicate with patients in a method they’re already familiar with.

Two in five individuals prefer texting over any other method of communication. And given their convenience, it’s no surprise that text messages have a higher open rate than emails—98% compared with just 20%.

Immediate and direct communication can reduce appointment no-shows, allowing patients to keep their care on track while also boosting the practice’s revenue. 

Consider a patient communication platform with two-way texting, which allows patients to respond to your text messages, and message broadcasting, which allows you to send texts to groups of patients.

Customizable templates, multi-user support, and integration with other practice management solutions can also enhance the patient experience and give you more control over patient engagement.

And it goes without saying that choosing a texting platform that offers HIPAA-compliant messaging is a must. 

2. Automated Reminders to Reduce No-shows

Patient no-shows can have a ripple effect across a healthcare organization. No-shows waste precious resources, not to mention they take time and care away from other patients who could have booked that same time. Around 37% of healthcare organizations reported an increase in no-show rates in 2023.

Automated appointment reminders can be highly effective in reducing no-shows while alleviating a burden on your front desk staff. Patients who have scheduled appointments will receive a reminder via SMS text, email, and/or voice (whichever they prefer) to encourage appointment follow-through. 

Practices can tailor these reminders based on patient preferences and appointment types. This reduces the number of phone calls, emails, and text messages your staff has to manually send out while keeping your appointment schedule full.

3. Online Scheduling for Patient Convenience

Online scheduling tools provide real-time availability and 24/7 appointment booking. Patients can select the time and day that works best for them, which helps to reduce no-show rates. Staff can check appointment bookings at any time to see available appointments and ensure they’re not double-booking times.

These tools also reduce the need for phone calls, as patients can control more of the process on their end. This frees up time for office teams by not having to handle as many appointments via phone. Patients also don’t have to wait for business hours in order to schedule an appointment.

Today, when consumers are using online technology for everything from ordering food to purchasing basic essentials, patients expect this level of convenience in all aspects of daily life, including booking doctor’s appointments. 

Patients want the option to schedule appointments online, with more than half of patients saying they would use the tool if it were available.

4. Digital Intake Forms to Streamline Processes

Along with online scheduling, patients can continue the care process from home by completing their intake paperwork online. Digital intake forms streamline patient intake by letting them complete forms ahead of time at their convenience. 

This reduces the need to complete paperwork in the waiting room and eliminates the need for staff to enter the data manually.

Patients can also enjoy a higher level of privacy by not having paper forms pass through as many hands. Forms sync with EHR systems, improving data accuracy while adding an extra layer of protection. Only authorized users will be able to access the forms, with no paper copies to shred or secure.

Digital forms can be completed on any device, making the process more user-friendly and accessible. It saves patients time when they arrive at your office and gives staff less paperwork to handle.

5. Website Chat for Instant Patient Engagement

Chat tools are becoming more common on websites, including healthcare practice websites. Website chat tools allow practices to engage visitors immediately and provide instant responses, even outside of business hours. 

Generally speaking, websites with chatbots see 23% more conversions than websites without chatbots. Healthcare practices can create knowledge bases with pre-written responses to a wide range of queries, then offer these responses outside of business hours. 

When patients can receive helpful information quickly and on their own time table, they’re more likely to book an appointment.

6. Managing Online Reputation to Attract Patients

Online reviews and patient feedback play a role in your online visibility. Search engines prioritize websites that are credible and trustworthy, and positive reviews can influence the algorithm. 

Reviews are like digital word-of-mouth marketing. Patients who leave reviews aren’t just expressing their satisfaction; they’re also providing feedback that influences future patients’ choices.

Healthcare reputation management tools can automate this process by prompting patients to leave post-appointment reviews. This increases the number of positive reviews for your practice, which will ultimately help you appear higher in relevant search results.

You can also keep a closer watch on your reviews and receive alerts when there’s a new review or negative feedback. Responding quickly to reviews and addressing any concerns can help you maintain a positive online presence.

7. Personalized Messaging for Better Engagement

Around four in five marketers see a positive ROI when they send personalized marketing messages. This indicates that consumers want and respond to personalized messages, and healthcare practices can use this knowledge to their advantage.

Targeted messaging allows practices to send tailored communication to patients based on appointment data. This enhances the relevance and effectiveness of messages, which opens the door to engagement. For instance, you might send follow-up care instructions, reminders, or other critical communications.

These messages can be automated via integrated practice management solutions. Automation reduces the workload on front office staff while maintaining high levels of patient engagement. 

How Doctible Enhances Patient Engagement

Doctible includes multiple patient engagement tools in a comprehensive practice management solution. From HIPAA-compliant texting to automated appointment reminders and online scheduling, Doctible ensures every aspect of patient communication is covered.

We prioritize user-friendly features that are intuitive and easy to use, ensuring your practice can quickly adopt and start benefiting from them without a steep learning curve. Whether it’s digital intake forms or website chat queries, Doctible lets you tailor these tools to meet your specific needs. 

By automating routine tasks like appointment reminders and patient communication, Doctible frees up staff time, allowing practices to focus more on patient care and less on administrative work. And, with Doctible’s reputation management tools, practices can easily monitor and respond to online reviews, enhancing their online presence and attracting new patients.

Improve Patient Engagement with Doctible

Integrating these patient engagement tools allows you to operate efficiently while improving patient communication. Better communication can reduce no-shows and give patients the convenience they expect, which can lead to overall practice growth. 

Doctible’s practice management solutions give you multiple ways to engage with patients, allowing you to meet them where they are and customize their experience. Our HIPAA-compliant platform provides secure messaging options across the patient lifecycle, from initial website visit to automated reminders and post-appointment follow-up. 

Schedule a demo with Doctible to see how we can tailor our practice management solutions to your needs.