If you’re not measuring patient satisfaction in your optometry practice, you’re missing out on one of the simplest ways to grow your business. Patients and customers who leave happy come back. And beyond that, they tell their friends and family. But how can you track patient happiness without a lot of hassle?
That’s where the Net Promoter Score (NPS) comes in.
What’s NPS, and why should you care?
NPS is a quick and effective way to measure patient loyalty. It’s based on a single question:
“On a scale from 0 to 10, how likely are you to recommend our practice to a friend or family member?”
- 9-10 rating: These are your biggest fans, your Promoters. They love your care and are likely to refer others.
- 7-8 rating: The Passives. They’re satisfied but not enthusiastic. They won’t badmouth you, but they won’t rave about you either.
- 0-6 rating: Your Detractors. Something didn’t sit right with them, and they might even discourage others from coming to your practice.
To calculate your score, simply subtract the percentage of Detractors from the percentage of Promoters. A positive NPS is good, anything over 50 is great, and above 70 — well, you’re crushing it.
Why it matters for ODs
As we know, loyal patients mean steady revenue and the boon of free referrals. And with online reviews playing such a big role in healthcare decisions these days, a solid base of Promoters can have a huge impact on your practice.
Plus, tracking NPS over time helps you spot patterns. You’ll quickly notice if scores are slipping. Maybe your wait times are creeping up, or patients aren’t getting enough frame selection advice. Having the ability to catch these issues early will keep your practice competitive.
How to collect NPS (without annoying your patients)
Keep it simple and convenient. You know what it’s like on the patient/consumer side; you’ve been there. Here’s what works:
- Send an NPS survey via text or email shortly after an appointment. You can set this up to happen through your patient communication system.
- Use a tablet at checkout for quick responses.
- Include a short comment box so patients can tell you why they scored you the way they did.
To make NPS collection smooth, designate specific team members to own the process.
The goal is to grab this data point without overwhelming your staff or adding unnecessary admin headaches.
What comes next
You’ve got to actually assess and act on the results (we suggest a timeline for this below). If you see multiple Detractors complain about rushed exams, it’s time to look at your scheduling. If Promoters say they love your staff, reinforce that positive patient experience! After we return from Vision Expo East, we’ll share a really great team-building reward system you might employ to do this.
Take action with your Detractors, too. A personal email or call asking how you can improve could turn an unhappy patient into a loyal one. As we noted in our steps to take if you receive a bad online review: At the end of the day, patients value authenticity and actions that show you care.
NPS evaluation timeline:
You or an office manager might skim through responses once a week for any immediate red flags. Those team check-ins you’ve hopefully scheduled out for the entire year? Include evaluation of these NPS scores on the agenda. What’s working? What needs improvement? Discuss any patient comments.
And then, plan to do a quarterly deep dive. Compare scores over time and set small goals. Example: If your NPS is 45 and your goal is to hit 60, what specific improvements can be made?
Bottom line: If you’re not already tracking patient loyalty, NPS is going to be the easiest way to start.
Use this one simple question and see what insights you uncover.
