Established practice
Patients don't return and don't refer, and it's costing more than you think
A patient who returns and refers others is worth many times the initial consultation. Most private consultants have no system for either. Calculate what better retention would mean for your annual revenue.
- steps
- 7
- steps
- to start
- 2 hours
- to start
The short answer
Patients judge you on everything around the consultation: how quickly they were booked, whether the bill surprised them, how long results took and whether anyone followed up. Map those touchpoints once, close the gaps in what happens after the appointment, and make it easy to come back or recommend you. Most of the gain is in the week after the patient leaves.
7 steps
Do it yourself: step by step
0 of 7 done
Write down every contact from first enquiry to discharge: call answered, booking confirmation, fees explained, consultation, tests, results, letter, follow-up, discharge. Note who owns each step and how long it takes.
- Time
- 2 hours
- Typical cost
- Free
- Who does it
- You and secretary
Done when: One page showing every touchpoint, its owner and its usual timescale
This problem is Solvable.
Copy this checklist
After-appointment checklist and discharge note
Free to copy, adapt and use. No sign-up.
After-appointment checklist
For every patient:
- Fees, authorisation and any excess or shortfall confirmed in writing before the appointment
- Results timescale explained at the appointment and in writing
- Results communicated within [5] working days, by [phone / letter / video]
- Clinic letter sent to GP and copied to patient within 7 days
- Next step clear: follow-up booked, patient-initiated follow-up, or discharge
- Discharge note sent
- Referral source recorded for every new patient
- Feedback request sent after discharge
Discharge note template
Dear [Patient first name],
You have now completed your care with me for [condition or procedure, in plain English].
What we did: [one or two lines]
What to watch for: [symptoms that should prompt contact]
If anything changes: you do not need a new GP referral from me within [time period]. Contact [secretary name] on [phone] or [email] and we will arrange to see you. If you are insured, your insurer may still ask for a referral or a new authorisation, so please check with them.
Your GP has a copy of this letter.
If family or friends need help with similar problems, I am happy to see them.
With best wishes, [Mr/Ms/Dr Name] Consultant [Specialty]
Avoid these
Common mistakes
- Measuring only clinical outcomes and never asking about booking, billing or results.
- Leaving patients to chase their own results.
- Writing to the GP but sending the patient nothing they can understand.
- Surprise shortfall bills arriving weeks after treatment.
- Discharging without telling the patient how to come back directly.
Free personal check
Done by Paul Robinson, not software
I'll look at what happens after the appointment and show you where patients drift away
What I need from you
- Your answers to 7 quick questions
- Your specialty
What you get
- The touchpoints most likely losing you patients
- What to change in the week after the appointment
- How to track referrals from patients
Within 2 working days
No sign-in, no sales call. I read every request myself and reply on WhatsApp.
Free tools
Check where you stand
Paul Robinson
14 years in UK private healthcare
I solve this one for consultants
Want a hand? I'll look at your situation and tell you the three things I'd tackle first.
A few quick questions, about two minutes. I read every one myself and usually reply the same day.
No sales call unless you ask for one. Just a straight answer from me.
I reply personally, usually the same day.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
My specialty is mostly one-off procedures. Does this matter?
Return visits matter less, but recommendations matter more. A patient who had a good experience tells family, friends and their GP.
Is it acceptable to tell patients I am happy to see their family?
Yes. Offering anything in return for a referral is not.
What single change makes the most difference?
Often, telling patients exactly when and how they will get results, and then doing it.
Should I send satisfaction surveys?
A short one at discharge, yes. Three questions you will act on beats twenty you will not.
How will I know it is working?
Record how every new patient found you. If previous patient and recommended rise over two or three quarters, it is working.
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