The Value of Handwritten Communication
“I would have written a shorter note if I had more time.”
This popular quotation of contested origin brings to mind a fascinating paradox that unfolds everyday in primary care. The less time you have, the longer the letter; or, in virtually all cases for traditional primary care, no letter at all. But in your practice, you do have the time to write short notes that can be supremely impactful. Let’s dive in deeper!
It is ubiquitous that going the extra mile in customer service is essential. Your attention to detail and the thought you put into all you do for your patients aren’t just nice gestures; they’re communications to patients of how much you value and care for them as people. And that’s a good feeling.
It’s also what sets you apart from the typical service most people experience in conventional medicine.
Consider How Various Touch Points Make a Difference
For those of us in the caring-for-people business, it’s good to consider the many touch points involved in the patient experience.
Some touch points require a lot of effort. Others require far less, but add up to make a big impact.
One small element we’ve seen make a big impact takes less than 10 minutes and conveys sincerity, generosity, and thoughtfulness to patients.
Handwritten notes show patients you care enough to take time out of your day, sit down, and communicate with them.
No physician in traditional healthcare has time to even think about composing a handwritten note, much less write it, stamp it, and find the patient’s address to mail it. But you have time in your schedule because you’ve chosen the concierge model over seeing dozens of patients a day.
Handwritten notes provide a taste of bespoke, personalized service to prospects before they even join your practice (part of delivering results in advance), and they strengthen your brand promise to existing members.
It’s amazing how something as small as a handwritten note can become a reflection of your values not only to patients and prospects, but also to staff, suppliers, even your landlord. And a short note gives potential new physicians and team members a window into your practice.
When you invest time and attention in small things, people trust you with big things — like their health. It shows them you have time to care for your patients, which sets you apart. It’s hard to overstate the impact that such a small, personal gesture can have on others.
Why the Written Word?
Think about the last time you received a handwritten note. How did it make you feel? Did you throw it away or keep it?
Personally, I keep them. Sometimes I go back and reread old notes just for the endorphin boost. It communicates to me that someone was thinking about me even when I wasn’t in front of them, and they took the time to let me know. That’s a great feeling to give your patients.
Now, I’m not suggesting you replace all types of communication with handwritten notes. You wouldn’t use them for things like appointment reminders, for example. In those cases, email or text messages are likely a better option. They’re convenient and fast — but they’re just so disposable.
For more personal messages, the laborious, seemingly outdated task of putting pen to paper moves communication out of the transactional and into the relational.
It lines up well with the sense many in concierge medicine have of returning medicine to a time before artificial intelligence — a time of house calls, family doctors, and personalized care.
Today, we have the opportunity to harness the best the digital world has to offer in terms of convenience, but we can also use handwritten communication to bring back some of the personalization and care of old-school service.
Who Gets a Note?
You can use handwritten, mindful communication for just about anything. Remember, it’s not so much what you say, it’s how you make people feel.
Staff — Sending handwritten holiday or birthday cards to staff shows how much you appreciate them — and will likely lead to higher retention. Remember that holiday cards get displayed on mantles, so their friends and family will see them and comment about what a great boss they must have. Send them early so they can sit up there all season long.
Existing members — You can send a simple, short note just to say thank you, thinking of you, or congratulations on the new baby. A quick “happy birthday,” or a celebration of someone’s one-, five-, or 10-year anniversary with your practice makes people feel noticed and appreciated. A nice touch is to have anyone they interact with on your staff also sign the note.
Prospective members — Maybe a prospective member just came into the office for the first time. Maybe they’re still trying to decide, or maybe they joined your waitlist. Take the opportunity to thank them for coming in with a follow-up note, and tell them how great it was to meet them. This could be the differentiator between you and another concierge practice.
Other physicians — After meeting another physician at a networking event, send them a handwritten letter. This is a great way to network, and it could even help make you stand out to physicians looking to join a practice.
Tips to Help You Get Started
Though it doesn’t require much, handwriting a note does take some time. Remember to consider that time as what it is — an investment in your patients, your staff, and your practice.
Here are a few quick tips to get started:
Paper — Use stationary or cardstock branded with your logo, including your practice name or your name. The nicer it looks, the more likely people will be to keep it for a long time, repeatedly delivering that feeling of appreciation into the future.
Content — We all know the old joke about physicians’ penmanship. It’s no surprise, really, that doctors’ writing comes out as scribbles when the healthcare model barely gives you time to breathe. But that’s why we left that model. When you’re writing out a note, take the time to write legibly. If you genuinely can’t write legibly, ask someone else in the practice to write out your content for you, and then you sign it. Just be sure to use the same pen.
Envelope — Hand address the envelope rather than running it through a printer or using a printed sticker. The handwritten address will be the first thing the recipient sees, and it will stand out among all the printed mail they receive that day.
Share Your Stories
Handwritten, mindful communication is a dying art — which makes it particularly special when someone takes the time to do it. Get creative with this and find out what works for you, your staff, and your patients.
If you have stories about a note you received that affected your life, or a note that a patient responded to, we’d love to hear them. Have you found one strategy that works better than others, or one that doesn’t? This is what the ROAMD community is all about — learning together, even in the little things.
ROAMD is an international network of membership-based medical practices, coming together to learn, grow, and thrive.
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