Patient follow-ups are more than just perfunctory check-ins. The interactions can strengthen your relationship with patients, allow for early intervention and improve your patient outcomes. Moreover, research suggests that insufficient follow-ups can contribute to patient non-adherence, adding another layer of importance to the practice. Yet for many time-strapped physicians, maintaining consistent follow-ups can feel unmanageable.
Continue reading to explore why patient follow-up matters and the tools real-world physicians are using to establish thorough but sustainable follow-up protocols in their practices.
Why patient follow-up is crucial in healthcare
Time management for most healthcare professionals is a significant concern, as illustrated by a geriatric medicine doctor: “When I get a call from a patient who just asks, ‘Can you call me?’ I know that this could be a 15 to 20 minute conversation and if I have 5 of these to do at the end of the day I know I will be late leaving for the day.”
Still, physicians generally believe that the benefits of good patient follow-up protocols outweigh the challenges. In a Sermo poll, 87% agreed that follow-up calls improve patient outcomes, (50% strongly agreed while 37% somewhat agreed) and only 4% didn’t see the value.
“Calling patients takes time, but it’s worth it for their adherence to therapy, their trust in the physician, and the strength of the doctor-patient relationship,” shares a resident in pediatrics. Similarly, a dermatologist explains, “Although they are time consuming, they are greatly appreciated by our patients. They simply show you care enough to call them for whatever the reason.”
The implementation of follow-up protocols can foster stronger relationships between healthcare providers and patients in multiple ways:
Enhances continuity of care and early detection of complications
Follow-up calls prove particularly valuable in scenarios requiring close monitoring. This can include scenarios such as when a patient is following new medication prescriptions to assess side effects and tolerability, or after their discharge from prolonged hospitalizations or critical illness, a gastroenterologist on Sermo notes. “However, keeping balance with patients when interacting through the phone is complicated,” they shared.
Through systematic follow-ups, healthcare providers can identify potential complications before they escalate. Regular check-ins also ensure treatment plans remain appropriate as patient conditions evolve, particularly important in chronic disease management or multimorbidity.
Boosts patient satisfaction and trust in the provider
In a survey of Sermo members, physicians voted that doctor-patient trust (22%) is the main benefit of follow-up calls, and higher patient satisfaction was the second most-voted benefit (21%. Note: voters could select more than one option).
It’s only logical that when patients feel like their provider has demonstrated genuine concern for their wellbeing beyond the confines of scheduled appointments, they’re more satisfied with their care. In one study, 87% of patients who received earlier telephone follow-up reported increased satisfaction. This personal attention differentiates physicians and their practices in an increasingly competitive healthcare landscape, contributing to positive online reviews and word-of-mouth referrals. And when patients feel valued, it may boost their willingness to engage in future treatment recommendations.
Patient retention directly correlates with follow-up practices, as patients who feel supported and valued are more likely to continue their care with the same provider. This continuity reduces the administrative burden of constantly acquiring new patients while building a stable practice foundation.
Increases treatment adherence and reduces hospital readmissions
Treatment adherence remains one of healthcare’s persistent challenges, with medication non-compliance contributing to an estimated 125,000 deaths annually in the United States alone. Follow-up protocols directly address this issue by providing opportunities to discuss barriers to adherence and offer solutions. This can prevent minor issues from escalating into major complications requiring hospital readmission.
In the Sermo survey, 14% of respondents identified improved drug adherence as the primary benefit of follow-up calls, while 10% chose decreased readmission rates to hospitals.
To make follow-up protocols more manageable, many physicians are leveraging technology to simplify communication, documentation, and scheduling.
Patient follow-up tools to stay on top of patient treatment
Modern technology offers multiple solutions to streamline patient follow-up protocols while maintaining the personal touch that patients value. Below are several tools to consider using in your own practice:
Sermo Mobile
One example of a tool used by many Sermo members is Sermo Mobile, a secure patient communication tool available exclusively in the Sermo community and specifically designed to give healthcare professionals protected calling capabilities. It enables providers to maintain patient connections anytime and anywhere while safeguarding personal contact information. Healthcare providers can make secure and compliant calls from mobile devices or computers, whether working from the office or managing patient care remotely.
“SERMO Mobile is a safe and effective tool,” sums up one pediatrician.
The privacy protection features of Sermo Mobile addresses a common concern healthcare providers face around patient follow-up. The product allows providers to keep personal phone numbers private while presenting patients with recognizable caller ID information, such as office or clinic numbers. If a patient calls back, they’ll reach the number set as your caller ID and not the device used to make the call on Sermo Mobile, adding further protection to physician contactability.
Survey data reveals what healthcare providers find most appealing about Sermo Mobile: 25% value the flexible calling capabilities from anywhere, 19% appreciate maintaining a professional presence, 19% prioritize enhanced privacy and security features, 20% cite free access with Sermo membership and 12% report higher patient response rates as the primary benefit (Note: members could select more than one answer). An ophthalmologist emphasizes the work-life balance benefits. “Privacy for physicians, especially outside of working hours, is essential,” they note. “By using tools such as the Sermo app, it is possible to balance more personalized patient care with the personal life of healthcare professionals.”
Sermo Mobile provides unlimited international calls, completely free as part of Sermo membership.
EHR-integrated follow-up workflows
Electronic Health Record (EHR) integration can streamline patient follow-up protocols. Platforms like Epic MyChart and Cerner messaging systems provide communication channels that automatically document all patient interactions within the medical record.
These integrated systems offer several advantages over standalone communication tools. Patient messages and provider responses become part of the permanent medical record, ensuring continuity of care when multiple providers are involved in patient management. Automated workflows can trigger follow-up reminders based on specific clinical criteria, such as post-operative timelines or medication monitoring requirements.
EHR integration also enables sophisticated reporting capabilities, allowing practices to track follow-up completion rates, identify gaps in care, and measure the impact of different follow-up strategies on patient outcomes.
Automated patient communication platforms
Third-party platforms like Klara and Well Health specialize in patient communication management, offering features specifically designed to streamline follow-up protocols. These systems can automatically send appointment reminders, medication adherence prompts and post-visit surveys based on customizable timelines.
Automated platforms excel at managing routine communications while flagging responses that require provider attention. The systems often include analytics dashboards that track patient engagement rates, response times, and satisfaction scores to help practices optimize their communication strategies.
Telehealth platforms for virtual check-ins
Virtual follow-up appointments through telehealth platforms provide a middle ground between phone calls and in-person visits. They enable visual assessment of patient condition without the need for the patient to leave home.
Sermo members find telemedicine promising. “I believe that accessing a doctor through technology is a viable option for patient follow-up,” writes a family medicine doctor on Sermo. Similarly, an anesthesiologist believes telemedicine will “greatly increase patient follow-up and compliance.” The global accessibility of telehealth platforms can be particularly valuable for patients in remote locations, an internist on Sermo notes. “I think the use of mobile app would go a long way in helping doctors to be close to their patients and monitor closely their health, in addition to this it will help reduce the waiting time of some patients as this app will enable patients to just communicate with doctors and will not require them coming to the hospital,” they write. “Moreover, it can help those in remote locations to access good consultation and follow-up.”
Effective patient follow-up strategies & best practices
Establishing structured approaches to patient follow-up can achieve better outcomes while managing time constraints. Here are some key strategies for effective follow-ups:
Set clear follow-up protocols by visit type
Different types of patient encounters require tailored follow-up approaches. Post-operative patients need different monitoring than those managing chronic conditions, and diagnostic follow-up requires distinct protocols from routine preventive care visits.
Post-operative follow-up protocols should include specific timelines for checking surgical site healing, pain management effectiveness and medication compliance. These interactions often require visual assessment capabilities, making telehealth platforms or in-person visits more appropriate than simple phone calls.
Chronic care follow-up focuses on medication adherence, symptom management and lifestyle modification support. These patients benefit from regular, predictable contact schedules that provide early identification of disease progression or treatment failures.
Diagnostic follow-up protocols often require more detailed explanations and may benefit from written summaries sent through patient portals in addition to verbal communication.
Schedule follow-up appointments before the patient leaves
Ideally, your patients will schedule follow-up appointments with you before they leave the office. This eliminates the administrative burden of later outreach and can help ensure the patient understands the importance of continued care.
Advance scheduling also allows patients to integrate follow-up appointments into their personal schedules, reducing the likelihood of missed appointments or delayed care. Front desk staff can be trained to recognize which visit types require follow-up scheduling and empowered to book appropriate appointment types without requiring provider approval for each scheduling decision.
Delegate tasks
Effective delegation enables comprehensive follow-up protocols without overwhelming individual providers. “I find it helpful to work with midlevel providers (ie APP/PA) to take care of doing follow up calls with patients,” suggests an oncology and internal medicine specialist on Sermo. “I find they can provide routine updates on test results/scans etc, while I can focus on follow up calls with more complex patients.”
Clear delegation protocols should specify which types of follow-up calls require physician involvement and which can be managed by other team members. Routine medication adherence checks, appointment reminders and post-visit satisfaction surveys can often be handled by support staff, freeing physicians to focus on complex clinical decisions.
Automate where possible while maintaining a personal touch
Automation technologies can handle routine communications efficiently while preserving the personal connections that patients value. Automated appointment reminders, medication refill notifications, and health education materials can be delivered systematically without requiring staff or physician time for each interaction.
However, automated systems aren’t a replacement for the genuine human interaction that maintains therapeutic relationships. Patients can often distinguish between automated messages and personalized communication, so it’s important to recognize what is appropriate and when.
Use reminder systems and check-in templates
With a reminder system, you can consistently implement follow-up protocols regardless of your schedule or competing priorities. EHR systems can generate automated reminders when your patients are due for follow-up contact.
Standardized check-in templates can help ensure that you address all relevant topics during follow-up interactions while providing flexibility to address individual patient needs.
Key takeaways: building sustainable follow-up protocols that work
While time constraints are a barrier to patient follow-up, you can streamline your protocols through automated technologies and clear delegation of responsibilities. Modern tools like EHR-integrated workflows and telehealth platforms can reduce administrative burden.
Sermo Mobile can also enhance your follow-up strategy, allowing you to maintain patient connections in a secure, convenient way. With unlimited patient calling, professional caller ID presentation and seamless integration with your existing workflow, Sermo Mobile enables comprehensive patient follow-up from any location.
Ultimately, technology-enhanced follow-up protocols can improve continuity of care and treatment adherence, reduce hospital readmissions and strengthen your relationships with your patients. It’s a worthwhile investment for any healthcare professional to integrate into daily clinical workflows.
