Health sector

Whether physiotherapy, dental, GP or veterinary practice - with Mateo you have patient communication fully under control

In the healthcare sector, efficient communication between patients and practice staff is of great importance. WhatsApp can play an important role in facilitating and improving this exchange. Many practices mainly communicate with their customers via time-consuming phone calls and are unsure how they can use WhatsApp without violating the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). In this blog article, we show you how using the WhatsApp Business API can simplify communication in the healthcare sector.

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Challenges in patient communication

Communication in a practice is often a challenge. Multiple communication channels need to be managed simultaneously, such as telephone, email and face-to-face patient care on site. A constantly busy telephone can have a negative impact on the patient experience and is also frustrating for staff. Email communication is often lengthy and response times are high. Emails quickly get lost in patients' overcrowded inboxes and it is difficult to keep track of all communication. The proportion of practices' working time spent communicating with patients is often far too high. There are much better ways to utilize practices' limited human resources than in continuous phone calls with patients.

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WhatsApp is widely used - but the standard version is not GDPR-compliant for practices

Most people now prefer to communicate via WhatsApp. In Germany, more than 60 million people use the messenger several times a day. However, the use of WhatsApp in patient communication is subject to certain guidelines and requirements of the GDPR. The use of classic WhatsApp or the WhatsApp Business app is not recommended with regard to the applicable guidelines. Both options access address and metadata of the stored contacts and are therefore not GDPR-compliant. In addition, they cannot be optimally managed by multiple users or devices, which can lead to chaos in communication with patients.

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WhatsApp Business API as an alternative

The only alternative is to use the WhatsApp Business API, which offers extended and GDPR-compliant functions of the messenger. Mateo is a software that bundles relevant communication channels such as WhatsApp, SMS and email in the Universal Inbox, thus enabling efficient and individualized patient care. Message templates ensure highly efficient processing of inquiries. Even fully automated chats on simple topics, such as booking an appointment, can be implemented. This means that the limited human resources of practices in the healthcare sector can be conserved. Internal communication between employees is also integrated into Mateo. With Mateo's WhatsApp API connection, there are no technical limits to the number of users and devices per account. We ensure that each of your employees has access to WhatsApp if you wish. With Mateo, it is also possible to connect multiple phone numbers to the WhatsApp API. Even your existing landline number! This ensures fast and efficient processing of incoming requests. Different locations and mailboxes can also be managed.

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Keep your patients informed with the WhatsApp newsletter

Appointment reminders: Healthcare practices can use WhatsApp newsletters to remind clients of upcoming appointments. A timely reminder allows more customers to keep their appointment. This makes efficient use of doctors' working time and increases the chance of follow-up appointments.

Health tips and recommendations: You can also use WhatsApp to educate customers about health issues related to your specialization.

Sending important information: Your practice would like to enjoy a well-deserved vacation? Is a doctor absent due to illness? Or do renovation measures need to be carried out? Send important information to your patients with just a few clicks. This keeps your patients informed and massively reduces the communication effort.

Collect more online reviews

Positive reviews are of great importance in the medical field to gain and keep the trust of patients. However, many practices do not have efficient processes in place to remind happy patients to leave a review on Google. Dissatisfied patients, on the other hand, often express themselves in negative online reviews. With Mateo, automated messages can be sent to patients to remind them to leave a review and thus improve the practice's online reputation.

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30+ industries already trust Mateo

"We want to offer our customers the best possible service. MATEO's software makes it much easier to clarify issues via WhatsApp and SMS, which is also very well received by customers."

Philipp Schult

Physio Lola