Got this from a friend or colleague? Why not subscribe?

Hey Practice Builders — it's Steve with Healthcare Marketing Vitals!

Last week, we swam in the promise of Google's Local Service Ads and I warned you of potential choppy waters (I guess I’m doing a sea/nautical theme this week 🏴‍☠️ 🤷‍♂️?).

This week, I'm diving into something that hits even closer to home: patient retention and reactivation.

If you’re squeamish around scary stats, beware:

• Over a span of five years, the average new patient retention rate is 43%

• Which means physicians & clinicians lose roughly 57% of their patient database every 5 years

• 42% of millennials are somewhat likely to changes their PCP in the next 2 years (stats for other specialties are as bad or worse)

That means most practices are navigating in a leaky ship—constantly having to plug leaks through Pay-Per-Click (PPC) ads and higher-cost new patient acquisition.

(That’s it for ship metaphors, I promise…🤞)

In This Week’s Email:

• [30 sec] Worth Your Time: Patient retention resources that actually work

• [4 min] Spotlight: The psychology behind patient ghosting + strategic reactivation

• [30 sec] By the Numbers: Stats that'll make you rethink your retention strategy

• [30 sec] Quote for the Week:  There’s always someone else

TOGETHER WITH KERAGON

Save 10+ admin hours every week - no code required.

Keragon is the #1 healthcare automation platform that helps you sync data across all your practice software in a HIPAA compliant way.

Connect the healthcare tools you already rely on - EHR, CRM, scheduling, intake forms, spreadsheets, texts, billing and more.

Build your first automation in minutes and cut your manual work by up to 40%:

• Connect your intake forms → EHR

• Set up scheduling automations

• Streamline patient communication

• …and any workflow across 300+ supported tools

🎁 Healthcare Marketing Vitals exclusive: 20% limited discount offer off all plans if you start before June 30th

Start with a free 14-day trial (no credit card needed)

Keragon has already helped practices eliminate 4M+ manual tasks in the last 12 months - and it's fully HIPAA & SOC 2 compliant.

14-day trial • No credit card required

WORTH YOUR TIME

Resources to level up your patient retention game

📧 Healthcare Email Templates - 25 ready-to-use HIPAA-compliant email templates for patient communication, including reactivation sequences. LeadSquared's comprehensive guide

🎙️ Podcast Listen (34 min) - "Ep391 The Secret To Patient Loyalty: How To Master Retention In Your Practice" on Marketing Your Practice (Episode 391). Angus is a chiropractor in Australia who gives 13 great strategies for retention—some more applicable than others to every specialty, but a great listen regardless. Listen on Spotify | On Apple Podcasts 

📨 Email for Retention - For simple email reactivation campaigns, ActiveCampaign is a great email marketing option. For practices wanting an all-in-one solution (CRM + email + SMS + landing pages), GoHighLevel provides a complete patient communication platform. Both have HIPAA-compliant options that are excellent for patient retention workflows.

📊 Retention Formula - Calculate your practice's patient retention rate with this formula. Control your numbers lest your numbers control you. (that sounds pretty smart, right?)

SPOTLIGHT

Bring Them Back

4 min. read

It’s commonly said that it costs your hospital or practice about 5 times more to obtain a new patient than to keep an existing one.

While that may not be completely true, acquiring patients is clearly more expensive than keeping ones you have relationships with already.

On average healthcare orgs pay “an average of $286 per new patient”—up 5-25x more than it costs to retain a patient.

Yet most practices I talk to or work with spend 80-95% of their marketing energy chasing new patients and let easy opportunities for retention slide by.

Many believe the only factor in patient retention is patient treatment satisfaction.

While that’s obviously one factor. It isn’t the only one.

Patients don't only leave if treatment isn’t working or they're angry. They often leave because they feel disconnected.

…Much like a shift adrift at sea…(okay I’ll stop now)

As business coach Bob Hooey observed: "If you are not taking care of your customer, your competitor will."

The Real Reasons Patients Ghost You

After reviewing recent research and some anecdotal evidence from practice owners, here are a few common psychological factors that drive patient attrition:

1. Lost Value Patients don’t feel confident and hopeful that you’ll resolve their issue—which is the whole reason they chose you in the first place!

Without regular touchpoints and clear level-setting on expectations (ex. ‘it will take time, but here are some milestones we’ll be working toward’), your expertise fades from memory and the benefits are less tangible.

This is especially true if you’re not checking in with them and they don’t feel comfortable reaching out to you with questions.

As Damien Adler, a registered psychologist and co-founder of Power Diary, explains: "The 'drop-off' from the first to the second session is directly correlated to the amount of hope the practitioner instils in the patient. If the patient doesn't have hope that they'll improve, they're less likely to return."

2. Anxiety About Re-engagement Patients who've been away for months (or years) feel embarrassed about returning.

Research shows that "sometimes people are afraid to come in for an appointment because it has been so long since they've been in. Other times they feel like they can't afford to make an appointment because their insurance coverage has changed."

This psychological barrier can also masquerade as "being too busy."

3. Convenience Drift Life actually does get busy, and without systems to keep you top-of-mind, patients simply drift to more convenient options or are in the habit of not seeking care.

According to recent research, 92% of patients expect their healthcare providers to send them personalized reminders and messages.

If you’re not top of mind, then “being busy” may actually be why they haven’t returned when they need to.

Sometimes being busy is real, and sometimes it's an excuse.

Knowing some potential causes helps you address them.

A Strategic Reactivation Framework

Don’t just do generic "We miss you" campaigns.

As healthcare experience expert Dr. Sonal Kedar notes: "Patient retention is a multifaceted endeavor that involves ongoing dedication, communication, and empathy."

The key steps:

• Check in genuinely

• Acknowledge time gaps without judgment

• Reinforce your original value

• Make return effortless through flexible options like telehealth or complimentary consultations.

Make it easy for them to reengage.

Option A: Suggested Timing Framework

For reactivation campaigns, timing varies by practice type, but here are suggested testing starting points:

• Dental: 7-8 months post last cleaning

• Physical Therapy: 4-6 months post discharge

• Mental Health: 2-3 months post last session

• Primary Care: 14-16 months post annual physical

• Other Specialty Care: varies

Email Sequence Framework

Use a flexible reactivation approach that balances genuine care with gentle re-engagement through email:

The 3-Touch Sequence (Adjust timing based on your practice):

Email 1: The "No Pressure" Check-in

• Acknowledge the time gap without judgment

• Brief health tip relevant to their previous condition or general wellness

• Soft offer for a quick check-in call or question/survey about their condition

Email 2: Value & Care Reinforcement (7-14 days later)

• Remind them of their previous progress/results

• Share relevant health education or success story (anonymized)

• If applicable: Health tip or clear next step to maintain wellness

Email 3: Gentle Return Opportunity (7-14 days later)

• If applicable: Seasonal health offer or complimentary consultation

• Multiple easy booking options (online, phone, text)

• Natural urgency through seasonal relevance ("back-to-school checkups," "before year-end insurance")

Then step back. Avoid being overbearing - let them know you're available when they need you.

Option B: Ongoing Care Touch Approach

Instead of reactivation campaigns, some practices prefer:

• Monthly, bi-monthly, or quarterly wellness newsletters with practice updates

• Annual milestone reminders (treatment anniversaries, birthdays)

• Seasonal health tips relevant to their conditions

• Open-door "we're here when you need us" messaging

Choose the approach that fits your practice culture and patient relationships.

Newsletters

One of the most effective retention tools is often overlooked: regular patient newsletters. Healthcare newsletters that patients actually read keep you top-of-mind without being pushy.

Monthly or quarterly newsletters with health tips, practice updates, and educational content maintain that crucial connection between visits.

They position you as a trusted health resource, not just a service provider.

The key is making them valuable, not promotional. Think health tips for the season, new treatment explanations, or staff spotlights that humanize your practice.

Retention in Practice

The practices seeing the best retention results are doing three things consistently, as noted in healthcare retention research:

1. Automated, but Personal: Using tools like ActiveCampaign (for email-focused campaigns) or GoHighLevel (for full patient communication workflows) to send personalized reactivation sequences based on patient type and last visit date.

2. Staff Training: Front desk staff trained to handle "welcome back" patients with extra warmth and no judgment about the time gap—celebrate their return.

3. Ongoing Value Delivery: Regular newsletters and educational content that keep the relationship alive between appointments.

Looking for help with patient newsletters or retention strategies? I can help.

Remember: For every 1% increase in retention, there is a 4% improvement in the projected patient lifetime value. The math is compelling, but the human psychology is what makes it work.

BY THE NUMBERS

Stats that matter for patient retention

1. 43% of healthcare organizations say they lose at least 10% of their revenue due to poor retention.

2. A 5% patient retention increase will increase profits anywhere from 25 to 95%.

3. 23.46% of patients open health-related emails, with 3.62% clicking on their links—much higher than other industry averages.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

When you’re ready, here are 3 ways I can help

1. Get Patient-Practice Alignment - Figure out your Ideal Patient Personas in minutes! Create Your IPPs →

2. Join the Conversation - reply to this email with your biggest patient retention challenge or success.

3. Work Together - Ready for a systematic approach to patient acquisition and retention? 👇

*Some links in this email may be affiliate links. They support this free email at no cost to you. Your support of our sponsors means a great deal to me and goes a long way.

That’s All for Now

Have a great week Practice Builders—and remember to market to your current patients, too.

See You Next Week,

Steve