ASC’s rapid rise in popularity has opened the door to affordable care for millions of Americans. These new facilities, however, may not be the first thought for patients who have become accustomed to traditional forms of care, such as heading to a hospital outpatient department (HOPD). To help inform patients of this alternative, ASCs should find ways to get involved with their community to drive engagement and bring awareness to new patients.
Community involvement will also help grow your center’s brand and build a solid foundational trust in your physicians’ and staff’s care and interests. Below are some ways your ASC can market your location through community engagement.
Host a Facility Tour
What better way for potential new patients to understand your services than by having them come in for a visit? By opening your doors for an after-hours tour, patients can become accustomed to your ASC’s layout and tools and get to know your staff.
When patients can see exactly how you operate and learn more about your services, they can establish trust. Additionally, the ability to meet with those who will be providing them with care combined with the benefits of ASCs over HOPDs may add to your list of new patients.
To those outside the healthcare industry, the constant streams of acronyms, jargon, and technology can confuse and concern patients. This relaxed environment allows staff and physicians to answer questions and clear away any anxieties about what exactly is done during procedures.
Attend Health Fairs
Community health fairs have become another avenue for providers to meet with patients in a stress-free, educational environment.
Taking advantage of the opportunity to meet with patients at health fairs also allows your staff to distribute vital healthcare information and inform those in attendance about the benefits of receiving care at your ASC versus an HOPD.
While some may see the impact of attending health fairs as limited, the connections made through these face-to-face interactions can create a sense of trust in your staff and location. The added benefit is informing patients about related health risks and best practices. The limited time requirement involved with attending these events and the multiple benefits make health fairs another strong way to develop relationships with your community.
Partner with Community Groups
Seeking relationships with local organizations may provide your center with yet another chance to reach large groups of potential new patients. These can be as small as local charity organizations or more extensive partnerships, such as with school districts where ASC staff speak with students about medical careers, medical technology, procedures, and diseases.
Regardless of who you decide to reach out to, this option again allows staff to get in front of potential patients and make a direct impact. Print materials, including your center’s address and phone number, keep the door open so that patients can reach out when they need to receive care in the future.
Over time, your efforts in engaging with these community groups can create strong ties within your community and eventually lead to the presence of your center at events being requested rather than the other way around.
Social Media
In today’s digital-savvy age, using social media as a versatile tool to engage with your community has become a standard within the industry. These digital “communities” can become some of the most effective means of dispersing information and interacting with your patient base. Creating profiles on various social platforms increases the likelihood of being found by patients scrolling online and makes finding opportunities to get involved in your community even more accessible.
For example, many communities host local groups on Facebook to discuss upcoming events, including registration, location, and times. Local governments also often have these pages where they promote similar events.
Managing social media profiles does require a defined strategy. Analyze your patient demographics and create a plan of attack to meet your patients where they can most commonly be found. Older patients are more commonly found on Facebook, while younger generations are more often active on X (formerly Twitter), TikTok, and Instagram.
If your ASC does not already have a social media presence, consider creating a business page on one or more platforms. The benefits of this light effort can pay big dividends if managed and utilized correctly.
As you work to meet patients where they are, be cognizant of your code of ethics, and the responsibility of providers to protect patient privacy and any sensitive information that may be transmitted via these platforms.
Social media can also provide a streamlined way for groups to contact you for upcoming events or to request information on the availability of your center.
Conclusion
Never underestimate the value of becoming an influential piece of your community. As providers, ASCs and their physicians and staff are vital figures patients look to for guidance, comfort, and care. The more time your location invests in getting to know members of your town, the more likely they are to come to you when they require care.
Advances in technology have made it easier than ever for your location to get involved, but don’t disregard the ability to connect through face-to-face interactions, just as it holds true when patients visit your center.
Want to read more from our ASC Marketing 101 Series? Check out previous editions below:
