Why Your Outpatient Therapy Practice Needs to Start Thinking Like a Retailer

When it comes to healthcare services, patients are now more active and empowered than ever, and outpatient therapy is no exception. They’re no longer relying on hospitals and doctors to direct them—they’re in the driver’s seat, and looking for on-demand, accessible, and convenient services. 

Patients are now navigating the healthcare industry in much the same way they do the ever-evolving e-commerce marketplace, sparking a significant shift within the sector. With this in mind, you might wonder what practices you should consider to prepare and adjust. After all, if you can’t beat them, you must join them. Therefore, we’re going to share some helpful insights designed to set your clinic up for ongoing success. 

1. Adjusting Your Perspective  

The healthcare market has changed dramatically in the last decade, and in some ways many people didn’t anticipate. Let’s just reflect for a moment. Technological advancements have allowed us to transition from paper-based records to electronic ones and add services from in-person physical therapy (PT) visits to virtual appointments. Occupational therapists (OTs) no longer have to rely solely on their own expertise; they can get a hand from artificial intelligence to create customized treatment plans and predict a patient’s health outcomes. Outpatient therapy clinics can even monitor a patient’s health in real-time, and while they’re in the comfort of their own homes, using remote patient monitoring technology (RPM). In short, the way we do healthcare is different.  

The Evolution from Patient to Healthcare Consumer 

Given all these changes, it was inevitable for the patient’s role to also transform. For instance, they’ve gained more control thanks to EHRs, which enable them to sign into patient portals to schedule appointments, view lab results, and message their provider. 

Many patients these days are collecting tons of personal data by using wearable fitness trackers to monitor their sleep patterns, physical activity, and vital signs. They then want to use that data to manage their health and make proactive lifestyle changes. 

Many patients look to health information websites for medical advice after experiencing different symptoms. In fact, a 2024 survey revealed that, after hospital systems and doctors, health information sites are the second most trusted source for health and wellness content. 

Overall, the modern patient has access to information and experiences that simply weren’t available before. And now that they’re equipped with it, they no longer want to be viewed as “just a patient”. Consider this: the term “patient” derives from the Latin word “patiens”, which means one who suffers. However, individuals no longer want their physical therapist or primary care provider to view them from just this somewhat bleak perspective. They want to be understood as a proactive partner in their healthcare experience, and if that’s not accommodated, they’ll go somewhere else.

Ultimately, this newfound perspective has led to the rise of the healthcare consumer, and the biggest thing to remember with that shift is that consumers make “choices”. They’ll shop around for the outpatient therapy practice with the best deal, much like someone would with other goods. 

2. Transform the Patient Experience

In retail, customers don’t just buy a product; they’re investing in the experience. Outpatient facilities that hope to thrive should assess how they can better meet patient expectations. To improve their experience, try putting yourself in the patient’s shoes and think about the factors they take into account when selecting an outpatient therapy provider. 

Factors that Affect the Patient Journey 

Clinics can boost patient satisfaction and loyalty by keeping the following factors in mind.

• Superb Communication: The clinic’s staff provides clear explanations regarding diagnoses, treatment plans, and billing. They demonstrate empathy, send timely reminders of their next appointment, and don’t rush interactions. 
• User-Friendly Technology: Patients can easily use digital platforms and devices to schedule appointments, access EHRs, input and track information, etc. 
• Easy Access to Care: The outpatient facility is conveniently located, offers ample parking, and has sufficient availability. 
• Effective Care Coordination: Clinic staff collaborate with other providers as needed to ensure patients receive comprehensive care. 
• Comfortable Clinic Environment: Ensure examination rooms, waiting areas, workout spaces, and other areas are clean and welcoming. 
• Practices Patient-Centered Care & Autonomy: The practitioner considers the individual patient’s preferences and needs. They also empower patients by making sure they’re involved in decisions related to their care. 

Identify Misconceptions That Can Impact the Patient Experience

It’s also crucial to identify what misconceptions individuals might have about your services, so that you can aim to alleviate them. For instance, Harvard Health Publishing shared common myths people have about physical therapy, including: 

• Patients can only see a physical therapist with a referral 
• The only time people see a physical therapist is for pain 
• A physical therapist will tell me to stop doing activities I enjoy 

If patients have these poor perceptions, they probably won’t give your clinic’s services, or potentially even PT as a whole, a try. If a patient already has a negative view of PT but decides to try it anyway, any barrier to treatment is more likely to cause adherence issues later. So, what should clinics do about it? Well, it would be worthwhile for outpatient clinics to evaluate how they can address these perception gaps, just like traditional retailers would do.

Retailers are skilled at identifying potential barriers and bottlenecks that may prevent someone from making a purchase. Outpatient practices should take a page from the retail playbook and ask themselves, “At this stage in the decision process, what are patients looking for?”. Perhaps they are looking for a white paper, blog post, or educational video that debunks myths, misconceptions, and more. 

3. Use Data to Leverage Company Outcomes

Chances are your practice has a lot of data. From therapy reports and patient records to referral logs and insights from wearables, there’s plenty to work with. Yet, according to a McKinsey & Company survey, healthcare organizations greatly underuse the data at their disposal. 

In fact, their survey revealed that 44% of consumers are willing to provide their personal and health data to healthcare facilities voluntarily. However, only 19% of consumers felt that way about retail. So, why don’t rehab therapists and clinic organizers utilize more of what other industries wish they could easily obtain? 

The short answer is that the healthcare industry is governed by regulatory compliance rules and ethical principles, while retail strongly focuses on consumer demand and market trends. Although outpatient therapy practices certainly shouldn’t dismiss regulatory and ethical guidelines, they could stand to borrow more of the retail industry’s consumer-demand attitude by focusing on highlighting what they can do to meet patient expectations and needs. 

In the McKinsey & Company survey, more than half of customers were interested in using their healthcare data for the following: 

• To manage their chronic conditions
• Obtain personalized health and well-being insights
• Receive personalized product and insurance recommendations

In light of this, clinics should strive to use their patients’ data in a more meaningful way (think: analytics to understand patient performance or advertising your ability to treat long-term issues, chronic conditions, and preventative concerns). Not only will that attract more potential patients to your facility, but it’ll likely also improve their healthcare outcomes.

The Data Every Outpatient Therapy Practice Should Collect

If you want to improve your practices’ operational efficiency and financial performance, look to your data. The metrics you review can reveal gaps that may be affecting patient satisfaction, adherence, the number of referrals, and other key outcomes. And conveniently, a lot of the information you need is already captured in your EHR (though adding a dedicated analytics tool is always a great idea, too!). 

Outpatient clinics that think like a retailer will carefully analyze their data to determine how it can be used to enhance the patient experience, boost sales, and more. Here are some key metrics every PT, OT, and speech-language pathologist practice should look at to make informed strategic decisions.

• Number of New Monthly Patients: Assess how many new patients you’re booking each month and create a goal for future months. 
• Average Number of Sessions per Patient: This looks at the mean number of treatment sessions attended by each patient during their treatment. This will likely be influenced by the type of concern you often see in your practice. For example, if you’re typically dealing with sports injuries, this number might be lower than a practice frequently seeing post-surgical patients.
• Cancellation Rate: Assess the number of cancellations that occur over a certain period of time. Is the number higher or lower than before? 
• Patient Retention Rate: This is the percentage of patients who continue using your services over a specified period. 
• Average Patient Wait Times: Determine turnaround time from appointment booking to service delivery. You may discover that patients are waiting for unreasonable amounts of time, which negatively impacts the patient experience. 
• Existing Patient Referral Rates: Measure the percentage of new patients acquired through referrals from current patients. If it’s low, do you need to create or refine your referral system? 
• Patient Completion Rates: Assess how many patients completed their treatment plan with your clinic. 

4. Enhance Your Brand and Content Marketing Strategies 

When you think about it, the patient journey begins well before a patient even walks into your practice. It starts with your branding and referrals, which is often reflected by your online presence. So, what can you do to compete in this age of healthcare consumerism? Take a Close Look at Your Brand Elements 

As you review your logo, typography, and asset library, what feelings do you think potential consumers have? What colors do you use? Are they associated with warmth and empathy? What sort of imagery is displayed on the company’s website and social media profiles? 

These are essential questions, as you want to ensure that prospective patients get the impression of recovery and well-being when they see your marketing, not just illness or debility. 

Ensure Your Website Wows 

Did you know there’s a perception that most healthcare websites have uninspiring visuals and generic written content, are overly clinical, and just downright bland? You don’t want this for your outpatient therapy company. Keep in mind that your website is the first thing many consumers will see, so it should wow them. Ensure it’s mobile-friendly, easy to navigate, and contains engaging medical information. 

Have an Active Social Media Presence 

The right social media strategy can draw consumers in, but it requires a thorough understanding of your target audience (e.g., those most likely to purchase your service). 

The most successful retailers are dialed in on the following things about their target audience: 

• The social media platforms they’re most active on
• The frustrations they have about existing solutions (i.e., competitors have extensive wait times, poor customer service, a difficult-to-navigate website, etc.)
• The biggest obstacle they face that your outpatient therapy practice is capable of resolving 
• The communication style they use (e.g., is your audience cheeky, serious, etc.) 
• Their typical shopping process for services like yours 

Once you’ve figured that out, it’ll be much easier to create relevant content. Some examples of what you could include are: 

• Featured testimonials 
• Patient transformation stories
• Behind-the-scenes content of your day-to-day operations
• Challenges and contests (you could reward winners with a free session) 

Don’t Forget about Email and Text Marketing 

While often in social media’s shadows, email marketing can be a strong aspect of your campaign that complements your other marketing efforts. It’s here where you can nurture potential patients and turn them into healthcare consumers. 

Earlier, we mentioned that consumers want their data to be utilized for personalized insights and recommendations. With that in mind, the use of patient engagement tools is how some outpatient therapy clinics could stand out. They make it possible to stay connected with your patients outside of visits, which strengthens the provider-patient relationship. 

This could look like: 

• Delivering appointment reminders 
• Automatically sending patient satisfaction surveys 
• Allowing patients to submit appointment requests
• Providing patients with insights and words of encouragement between visits 
• Sending links to electronic intake forms instead of having them search for it

How Outpatient Therapy Practices Can Think Like a Retailer 

The way patients approach the healthcare industry has changed, and practices that fail to adapt will struggle to compete. Organizations cannot expect to stay in the running by simply existing and assuming that patients will come because they need the care. Instead, they’ll have to re-envision the patient journey, from start to finish, and make a lasting impression.