Patients are more likely to call eye health professionals than they were five years ago, according to a report by communications provider Moneypenny.
The company surveyed opticians and eye clinics as well as other healthcare businesses to reveal they now receive 32% more calls.
Of those surveyed, 45% said most callers want the reassurance of talking to a person, closely followed by 40% who said that most patients are calling to seek urgent responses to their enquiries.
Stephanie Vaughan-Jones, healthcare channel manager at Moneypenny, said: ‘The data shows that even in an online world, we still seek the reassurance of human interaction and this is particularly important for optical patients.
‘Thanks to the rise of healthcare portals, apps and social media, it’s easier than ever to search for the right treatment, procedure or professional and to check credentials. Once they’re ready, patients and customers will simply ‘click to call’, regardless of the time of day or night. All of this results in more calls.’
Moneypenny also found that 30% of patients expect see a live chat function on a healthcare provider’s website. It revealed that 18% of healthcare providers are using the technology compared to 29% in the marketing sector, 26% in property and 23% in finance.
‘Live chat can be particularly effective for opticians and eye clinics where patients are reluctant to discuss their queries over the phone, or for those who find it a more convenient way to get in touch. Many healthcare businesses and professionals are still to adopt this channel but we expect to see its uptake grow by around 90% over the next two years,’ Vaughan-Jones added.
