Q: “Our new associate doctor and massage therapist have been conducting posture screenings at health fairs. He has them fill out a stress questionaire and asks for their name and email address. The practice management firm that he has recently joined suggests that he call the prospects after the screening to try to schedule them for an appointment. Is that a good approach?”
A: One school of thought is that if prospective patients are willing to divulge their contact details, go for it!
However, a phone call, depending upon how it is made, can come off being somewhat confrontational. If it were me, I’d send a “report” or information about their condition via email or send an Answers brochure with a cover letter via snail mail.
I can imagine how tempting it would be to call a prospective patient and “ask for the order.” But be careful. Depending upon how it is done it can be seen as “undoctorly,” or worse demonstrates a profound mistrust of the prospective patient. I know. Trying to get these sorts of commitments is justified as “being in the patient’s best interest,” but it’s parental, manipulative and often self-serving.