Driving Growth and Patient Engagement with Iris+ Automation
For six years, Stanwood Hearing has been serving their community with a commitment to quality care and forward-thinking business practices. Led by Tonia MacPhail, A.A.S., HIS, the team has embraced tools that streamline operations and enhance the patient experience. One standout solution? Iris+ Automation—a platform to automate essential marketing activities including appointment reminders, follow-up and review requests.
By simplifying outreach and saving valuable time, Iris+ Automation has helped Stanwood Hearing stay focused on what matters most: their patients. Read on to see how automation has made a meaningful impact on their growth and efficiency.
Q&A with Tonia MacPhail, A.A.S, HIS, Owner of Stanwood Hearing:
1What is your philosophy on adopting new programs and strategies for your business?
We like to stay ahead of what the industry is doing or at least stay along with the latest business practices. I also like to do anything that makes my life easier. Often, I get halfway into something and then a patient comes up and that has to take priority over whatever I was working on. Then, I get emails saying I need to finish something immediately. So, we’re open to innovative solutions to enhance our operations and customer experience.
2Why did you feel like Iris+ Automation would be beneficial to your practice?
I needed something where I wouldn’t have to do anything, and Iris+ Automation really does that. I set it and forget it.
3How has your experience been implementing Iris+ Automation and working with CQ to make it happen?
We spent some time setting up and working through little tweaks to make it right for our practice. I think we have it on a good roll right now and it’s bringing in patients, which is what we look for.
4How has Iris+ Automation helped your team overall?
We don’t have to think about it. I approve something one day and it’s done. It only takes about 5 minutes.
5How has it helped your patients?
They’re showing up for their appointments. We’re also getting a lot more Google reviews because they get that automated request. For some patients, they get extra messages because they haven’t confirmed, and they need that extra push.
6Roughly how much time has it saved each week or month? What has that extra time allowed you to focus on or improve?
Back in the day when we used to send out cards for annual appointments, cleaning checks and things like that, that could take a couple hours. If you’re doing that constantly plus birthday cards and that kind of stuff, it’s removing half of a workload from somebody and giving them something that would be more productive.
The flow on how everything goes through the office has made us more available for taking phone calls, answering questions, and troubleshooting. We have a lot less tested-not-sold (TNS) patients, too.
The flow on how everything goes through the office has made us more available for taking phone calls, answering questions, and troubleshooting. We have a lot less tested-not-sold (TNS) patients, too.
7Have you seen an increase in reviews? If so, how has this tool contributed to that?
When we started Iris+ Automation, we had 60 to 80 Google reviews. Now we’re up (the last time I looked) to close to 200. Instead of asking patients to do a Google review for us, they get a reminder. They can just go in and do it, and I don’t have to constantly hound for reviews.
8What would you say to other practices considering using Iris+ Automation in their practice?
It works really well for us. We’ve had to do a couple of tweaks throughout the process work like we want it to, and the result is that it has streamlined things and those communications much easier.
