For many patients, even the most routine medical appointment can make them nervous. Going to the doctor can be a scary prospect, even for those in apparently perfect health. We believe that video is one of the most important – and effective – tools for ophthalmologists to use in connecting, educating, and engaging with their patients.

Not just any video will do, however. Overly complex videos with medical jargon and stats about success rates and what types of surgeries your practice performs will do nothing to draw in hesitant prospective patients. No, this is a problem of emotion; to solve it one must appeal to a patients’ emotions. There are three main ways the ophthalmologist can use the power of video to engage with their patients:

The Explainer Video: Seek to Educate

Walking through the surgical process in exhaustive detail is a great way for people to begin understanding the process – it’s a great tool to calm fears and explain how routine cataract and refractive surgeries are.

Once the patient knows what each step is, the surgical process is no longer a looming unknown. Instead, it becomes instead something that they can tackle piece by piece. There’s no need to inundate the patient with overwhelming amounts of information, but in general, the more context and information you can provide, the better. Peel back the protective veil of medical jargon and explain (in human terms) what patients should expect from their surgery in order to empower them. Tools like Rendia are excellent ways to help educate your patients about routine ophthalmic procedures and set their minds at ease.

The Behind the Scenes Video: Go Where No Patient Has Gone Before

Perhaps one of the most effective videos an ophthalmic practice can utilize is a “behind the scenes” video. These videos are not quite as rehearsed and scripted as practice promotional videos, but they’re still important tools to help patients understand more about your practice.

Behind the scenes videos often lend themselves to being shared on social media as small “glimpses” into the everyday life of an ophthalmic practice. Use these types of videos to help patients get to know the practice and the people in it – not just the doctors, but the back office staff who are integral parts in helping the practice run efficiently and helping patients have a terrific experience. The more patients are familiar with *all aspects* of your practice, the more comfortable they will feel when coming in for a visit or a procedure.

The Promotional Video: Humanize to Connect

Beyond seeking to educate patients, video has another powerful ability that few other forms of communication do: the ability to humanize. Putting a human face on something that’s not inherently personified (a medical practice, for example) is a powerful way to help prospective patients “connect” with your practice and feel more familiar before they ever walk through the door.

Human faces build connection, authenticity, and trust – and patients will only put their vision into the hands of someone they feel they can trust. Taking such a leap of faith can be hard for new patients who are unfamiliar with the process and the people behind that process, so showcasing the people behind the practice can help distinguish your practice from other providers in your market and set you apart in the minds of patients.

Video for ophthalmic practices can take on a number of different forms, and each is appropriate in different contexts and applications. All of these factors (education, behind the scenes glimpses, and humanization) are important in crafting videos for your ophthalmic practice, and each should be taken into account when using these videos as part of your marketing strategy. It’s pretty clear: effectively using video to is one of the best ways to help patients discover, engage, and connect with your ophthalmic practice.

 

Curious about using video in your practice marketing?

Let one of our video specialists show you how video can be a powerful tool to attract new patients to your ophthalmic practice: