Smile Reminder Creates over $100 Million for Users -- in One Year
Doctors, dentists and other medical professionals are making sure their waiting rooms stay full by using Smile Reminder, a service that sends text reminders to patients weeks, days or hours before the appointment via their cell phones, PDAs, blackberries and e-mail.
Lehi, Utah (PRWEB) April 22, 2008
Smile Reminder (http://www. smilereminder. com/home. do) today announced that doctors, dentists and others in the medical marketplace using the company's automated messaging system earned a collective $112,000,000 with "recare" messaging to inactive patients during 2007. Read more. (http://www. smilereminder. com/hiw/recare. do)
For example, Water Tower Dental Care in Chicago, estimates Smile Reminder's recare notices bring in an impressive $15,000 per month in income from patients by simply reminding them they have forgotten to schedule a new appointment.
"Patients addresses and home phone numbers are always changing but their cell numbers and e-mail addresses are a constant despite these changing times," explains Catherine Glidewell, their office's scheduling coordinator. "While concerned phone calls and update letters are sent, the ability to utilize the most efficient means of communication to patients is imperative, which is what Smile Reminder assists us with."
Electronic Patient Messaging
In 2000, Smile Reminder became the first to offer cell phone appointment reminders. Initially, most clients were dentists.
Now in 2008, over 5,000 medical professionals are not only reminding their patients about appointments via electronic media but also bringing back inactive ones. In addition to dentists, the typical Smile Reminder users include doctors, cosmetic and plastic surgeons, ophthalmologists, dermatologists, medical and day spa owners, along with several others in the health marketplace. Moreover, their offices and practices are located in Canada and Puerto Rico in addition to the United States.
Appointment Reminders
For instance, before dentist Ryan Haygood, D. D.S. of Bossier City, Louisiana, started using Smile Reminder, his staff spent three to four hours each day phoning reminders to his 4,000 patients.
"Now, using the Smile Reminder service, we only spend about an hour a day," Dr. Haygood says. Ken Krivacic, O. D., a Dallas ophthalmologist, did not have Smile Reminder in February, 07. "But in February '08, when we were using Smile Reminder, we noticed our appointments for eye exams were up 30 percent," says Dr. Krivacic.
Smile Reminder Programs
The Smile Reminder software currently works with more than 110 leading practice and office management systems. Every client or practice receives its own customized reminder (http://www. smilereminder. com/hiw/custom. do) which often carries a picture of the doctor or the office staff, the practice logo, and the doctor's signature.
Other popular services include:
Recare Smile Reminder automatically finds inactive patients or customers and starts sending recare messages to their cell phones and e-mail inboxes after a specified time period such as 6 months or 1 year.
Single Button Confirming Reminder messages allow the patient to confirm and appointment right in the message or add the appointment to their outlook calendar. Patients love the idea of pushing one cell phone button to confirm an appointment.
Birthday Greetings On the big day, birthday greeting (http://www. smilereminder. com/hiw/birthday. do) messages pop up on patients' cell phones. Patients are touched while dentists, doctors, and others like having another way to stay in touch.
Last Minute Cancellations Patients who are available for appointments on short notice are notified immediately when a cancellation happens even if they are on the go.
Pre-Med Alert Some patients are required take certain medication before some office visits or treatments. Smile Reminder shoots out a timely reminder so the appointment won't need to be delayed if the medication is forgotten.
Patient Surveys After a patient leaves an appointment, Smile Reminder can automatically send a survey form to the patient or client's e-mail box, asking how he or she rates the visit. If the survey reveals a problem or unacceptable level of satisfaction, the doctor's office can get an alert sent to them allowing them to follow up promptly. The positive comments can be used as customer testimonials.
Newsletters Yet another way to stay in touch with -- and inform -- patients and customers is via customized e-newsletters. (http://www. smilereminder. com/hiw/newsletters. do) Practices can write their own articles, choose from Smile Reminder's large library of articles and graphics, or use their own content.
Patient Response
And how do patients react to Smile Reminder? Consider one man's experience:
A vacationing fisherman was enjoying a lazy Sunday on a lake when his cell phone beeped. It was an electronic birthday card…. from his dentist! He was thrilled.
When not fishing, the patient, a busy New York City ad executive found Smile Reminder's text alerts were perfect for him. He always carried his cell phone and could take and confirm appointments, even while in meetings.
Medical professionals interested in earning additional income by reactivating inactive patients or building customer loyalty through an integrated messaging service can take on an online demonstration (https://www. smilereminder. com/demo/sr/info. do) of Smile Reminder. The company also offers a 60-day, guaranteed trial period. (https://www. smilereminder. com/signup. do)
###
