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The world of healthcare is changing. The means of communication are changing with it. Considering the many different digital ways the healthcare providers are reaching their patients nowadays, there is a real concern on how to reach the patients without spamming. In this article, we are going to examine the problems that come with patients being spammed by notifications and emails, as well as ways to solve them. Let us take a closer look.

Email and the implications of spam

Email is, for a good reason, one of the most common and most popular forms of communication. In the modern world of healthcare, digitalized communication is also using emails as means of reaching out to the patient. Emails, or even messages, are one of the best, most efficient ways of delivering information or a response to a patient. That is why for healthcare providers, email can serve as a perfect opportunity to express their services, practices, or concerns.

So, what are then the implications of having these valuable health-related emails marked as spam? Well, once emails or messages become spam, patients will not receive the appropriate message about their health situation, appointment information, etc. The well-being of patients and practice as well is both threatened if they are marked as spam. Therefore, reaching patients without spamming is crucial. However, this can be a bit difficult to achieve at times as 90 percent of all email is usually categorized as spam. There are some simple steps in making communication with the patients more reliable, efficient, and to the point. Let's take a look.

Ways of reaching patients without spamming

Set up your domain name that matches the exact "From" email address

Sending address needs to match your website domain. Make sure that the domain has all of the necessary and appropriate records to prove ownership and control. Of course, in addition to this, if you are sending any links to your patients such as results, or something similar, ensure that they also match the domain.

Setting up the proper structure and look of the emails and messages

Due to the fact that there are numerous devices your patients can use to open certain messages and emails such as phones, PCs, tablets, and so on, it is best to ensure the messages will display correctly and accurately when uploaded and opened. If this is not done correctly, there is a risk of patients not only misinterpreting the opened message or email but also labeling it as spam. In addition to this, have a dedicated IP address. Having a dedicated IP address when delivering messages to your patients is one sure way of avoiding spam.

Personalize communication with each patient

A platform that is capable of containing easily integrated solutions and digital products that proactively improve the patient's experience is one of the best ways of ensuring you reach your patients without spamming. Personalizing communication and contact with each patient is extremely important. It is one of the best ways of not only connecting to a particular patient but also building long-lasting trust.

Managing schedules and appointments is sometimes difficult to accomplish whit a great number of patients. However, simply sending out notifications and messages that will not really contribute to the patient's overall healthcare journey and experience is not the right way to go. This is why it is important to use platforms that enable you to manage communication with the patients more easily.

Deliver the patients necessary and relevant information prior to their care and treatment

Communication with the patients needs to be personalized, as we've mentioned above. Using a platform that allows you to deliver the patients a series of questions relevant to their upcoming care is important. These kinds of services can also greatly increase security and patient safety, as well as information protocols.

Deliver information in a timely manner

The patient's journey can evolve and run properly if he or she receives all of the messages and relevant information in a timely manner. Otherwise, the communication could turn the wrong way and end up being marked as spam. The patients need to know when they can expect the sent information and through which platforms. Again, trust between the patient and the doctor is necessary for the well-being of both the practice and the patient.

Make the email or the message worthwhile and concise. Any additional information that might detract from the original meaning of the message should be avoided. Obviously, not every patient is going to receive the exact same information. This is why it is necessary to stress the importance of personalizing emails and messages. Focus on the needs of each and every patient.

Engage the patient in the interaction

The interaction and the overall communication should not only be coming from one side when it comes to healthcare. Similar to the in-person conversation, a patient should feel engaged in his or her health journey. Nobody wants to be overwhelmed with emails. However, at the same time, it is important that the necessary information is delivered and received properly by the patient.

The patient should have more effective and easy access to your services and offers. Therefore, using online platforms that have integrated services aimed at coordinating the patient-doctor conversation properly is a must. When a patient is more engaged by receiving personalized and direct messages related to his or her journey, he or she is more likely to cooperate and communicate with the doctor in the most efficient way possible.

Conclusion

To sum up, what we have said so far, we can see that communication with the patients in today's world is constantly changing and evolving. However, simply sending out constant messages and emails to your patients about the services you offer is not the right approach. The patient needs to have trust and use your services proactively. Therefore, it is necessary to establish a timely and mutual contact ability that will benefit the patients and help them on their health journey.