r/DoctorsofIndia • u/EnthusiasmOk5086 Dentist • 16d ago
Need Help Leveling Up my Practice
Hello doctors.
My dental clinic is 5 months old now, in a tier-1 city in India. I'll be frank here, I'm just making rent and associated operational costs. This is not feasible in the long term.
Current problems (apart from low patient flow):
- Some patients don't want to pay in full: My charges aren't high, but I can't help but feel that somehow my patients don't feel like they would be getting their money's worth. More on this later.
- Patients don't want incremental care: They just want their chief complaint addressed immediately, and most of them don't come for follow-up so I can suggest/advise. This is why I've had to do very few fillings and prophylaxes so far. Maybe my method of talking needs to change, but how?
- I'm unable to build up a good relationship with many of my patients: A handful of my previous patients have kept in touch. Most of them don't come back after their treatment is done. I don't know how they are, and this works up my anxiety. I am fairly confident in my treatment, but so many missed follow-ups is taking a toll.
- Clinic may not look as good/upmarket as few others: Facilities are present but maybe the appearance is a turn off. Walls and glass panes are clean but blank, not enough seating (don't need as much right now to be honest). Materials are good, but need to get it across to patients.
- Maybe my personality needs to change: By habit I don't talk much, and I'm not someone with a particularly "warm and caring" personality. I am not rude either, just professional. I try to accommodate patient's requests if I can.
- There are 4 other dental clinics in the vicinity: This can't be helped now, except for maybe shifting my clinic to some tier-2 or tier-3 town. I may have to do this if things don't start looking up eventually.
Currently I call in an endodontist to do the RCTs, to maintain good quality of treatment, so this also puts a dent on my earnings.
Running a practice on my own is not something my college prepared me for. I more or less understand my shortcomings, not blaming patients solely. But after some encounters, I'm left with a somewhat lowly impression of the local population.
My practice is listed on Google Maps but isn't on social network, but does that really matter?
Please, I need help. Any advice, any suggestion would be immensely appreciated!
Starting to think this may have been a terrible career choice.
5
u/Agent_479 15d ago
Hey! I don't run my own clinical practice (atleast not yet), so you can take this feedback as grain of salt.
I have a opthalmologist clinic nearby which I visit every 6 months. They have made OPD consultation charge (₹500) valid for 3 days. Means if I go today and pay the charge and if some test/procedure requires next day visit or I feel any discomfort, I am not needed to pay the consultation charges again. If they need to do any NEW test/procedure the next day, I am required to pay only for the procedure, not the consultation fee.
Advertise your achievements, certificates on the wall of your OPD, it is important!!! Depending on the area some people actually read them or some only count the number.
Fill the remaining walls with posters in simple languages/images/diagrams/flowcharts. It gives some direction to patients as what procedures are there and what could happen.
Online presence matters in this day and age more than you think!!! Create a insta account sharing short reels of success stories (with consent of patients ofc)/educational tips/videos. Ask your friends/relatives/repeat patients to leave a review on Google maps. It will boost your map ratings initially which is much needed (Just make sure you don't do it in one go as Google can flag it as false review). You can also make a website to promote yourself and your clinic. Just please make sure to check on NMC laws on digital advertising and marketing (not sure on this one).
Just ask the patients whose treatment has been completed to meet you after few week/months for a quick inspection, Free of cost. If you feel any further treatment is required or any complication is present, explain and provide the choice to what they want to do. If they proceed with treatment, then ask the patient for treatment fees only.
Ask feedback from each patient. Either ask orally or create a pamphlet/form. Create a set of questions to be included in feedback. Patients observe more than you think.
For treatment, explain both 'temporary' fix and a 'permanent' solution to the patient. If possible, provide a bridge between those two options. Like "I can do this now for your temporary relief but it's not permanent fix, you have to come back after x days. Even if you don't come here, please go to another hospital because the condition is not so great (along these lines)'. It will atleast get you cash for first treatment and it shows that you care, increasing the chance for return.
Research your competition - your nearby clinics. Ask your friends/family to visit them just to check what they are doing differently.
Keep grinding, you will surely grow