Patient Communications During COVID-19: Best Practices for What to Say and What to Avoid

With many states ordering non-essential businesses to cease operations, there has been confusion if chiropractic is deemed essential, since it falls into the healthcare category. Chiropractors have looked to their professional state organizations for guidance and, luckily, many of those organizations have provided that needed guidance. That same confusion can trickle down to your patients; they, in turn, look to you for guidance.

Essential or Non-Essential

There may be questions on how your business is operating during this time and you are the best source to answer those. Most patients will not know if you are considered an essential business unless you communicate that with them directly. Without that guidance, patients may assume you are closed when you are not or may wonder why you breaking the restrictions by seeing patients if they do not understand you are considered essential healthcare!

If you are considered an essential business but have limitations on the types of appointments you can take, be sure to include that information in any communication you send. For example, some states only allow chiropractors to see patients with an acute injury. In those states, communicating that maintenance visits need to be rescheduled is necessary.

Reiterate Safety Protocols

If you are open and seeing patients, make sure any communication you send includes a brief message about what you are doing to protect your staff as well as patients who visit the office. Your patients will value hearing about the increased efforts you are taking for practice hygiene and anything you are doing to enhance social distancing within the office. This can also be an opportunity to remind patients who have a possible COVID-10 exposure or symptoms to refrain from coming into the office.

Remote Patient Engagement

For those offices that have had to or chosen to cease operations, now is a great time to increase your communication overall with your patients. Take this time to touch base with your patients on tips to stay healthy during this challenging time and to encourage them to re-engage in their care as soon as they can. Alternatively, many offices are seeking ways to provide professional guidance to their patients remotely through telehealth. Stay tuned to our blog for tips and tricks on increasing patient engagement and best practices on telehealth.

ChiroTouch provides this information with the understanding that authors or speakers are not experts in finance, regulatory policy or law. ChiroTouch shares this information to the best of our knowledge and experience. The information is subject to change as the COVID-19 crisis evolves.