As we kick off 2025, elective medical practices are hopeful for a strong year. In 2024, many experienced a shift in both volume and patient demand. Economic changes, including inflation and reduced stimulus spending, had consumers more cautious about discretionary spending.
With shifts in budgets, practices are noticing impacts on lead generation and surgical volume. As a result, many practices are focusing on ways to stay consistent, drive growth, and continue delivering excellent patient care. In this article, we explore key strategies to help elective medical practices thrive in the current environment.
General Trends in Elective Medicine
A 2024 study of 25 elective surgery practices found that lead volume decreased by an average of 19% over the past year. This decline in volume is no secret and it aligns with ZEISS’s most recent RSC LVC Report. Despite the drop in lead volume, the conversion rate of leads to actual surgeries increased by 5-10%, suggesting that high-quality leads (those more likely to proceed with procedures) are becoming more valuable during periods of financial caution (Source: Journal of Medical Practice Management).
An OptiCall survey of client practices supports these findings. Our survey of practices also found a decline in surgical volume in 2024 for practices, but an increase in quality of leads. OptiCall clients experienced an 83% conversion rate from call lead to booked consultation. This means that while macro trends may be adding pressure to your inbound lead volume, key factors have proven to drive quality results, even during times of economic or financial instability.
Why Are All Leads Down?
In recent months, many elective medical practices have seen a decline in lead volume. There are several factors contributing to this trend:
- Economic Pressures: Inflation and the removal of government stimulus funds have left consumers more financially conservative. Patients are scrutinizing their spending habits and delaying or forgoing elective procedures in favor of essentials. As of 2024, U.S. inflation is running at an annual rate of 4.0%, with some sectors like healthcare seeing even higher rates due to supply chain disruptions and rising labor costs (Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics). A 2023 survey by the American Medical Association (AMA) found that 45% of elective procedure patients reported postponing or canceling procedures due to concerns over inflation and the cost of living.
- Election Year Uncertainty: During an election year, healthcare policies and political tensions can create a sense of unpredictability, which may influence consumer decisions to postpone elective surgeries.
- Conservative Discretionary Income: With tighter budgets, patients are rethinking where to spend their discretionary income, especially for non-essential medical procedures. A 2023 Gallup Poll found that 55% of U.S. consumers planned to reduce spending on non-essential items in response to economic uncertainty, which includes elective medical procedures.
In this year’s Elective Medical Outlook, we took a fresh approach. Along with analyzing data from managing nearly 26,000 inbound calls and web leads and scheduling 21,500 consultations in 2024, we also asked for advice, recommendations, and insights from our top practices and industry professionals. The result is a comprehensive guide designed to help you navigate 2025 with confidence.
Let’s dive in.
1. Marketing Investments Are Table Stakes
In today’s competitive market, investing in marketing isn’t optional—it’s a necessity. One practice shared one of their 2024 mistakes was:
“Failing to invest in marketing, which can hinder growth.”
By now, practices should see marketing as an investment in not only growth but sustainability. Paid advertising, particularly through Google Ads, has become crucial in reaching potential patients. With more people turning to online searches for medical procedures, practices that fail to invest in this channel risk falling behind.
Map the Patient Journey & Develop a Multi-Touch Approach
Understanding the patient’s journey is key to developing an effective marketing strategy. As Carol-Anne Poursaied, Senior Practice Development Manager put it:
“Make sure there are multiple touch points with your marketing leads and monitor this process.“
Patients don’t typically decide on a procedure after just one interaction. Implementing a multi-touch marketing approach that starts with general awareness initiatives like digital ads to acquire leads, then email campaigns, content marketing, and follow-up calls to help nurture those leads will provide patients full support through their decision-making process.
“Investing time in patient journey mapping with the internal team has yielded exceptional results. When staff members collaborate to analyze and enhance each step of the patient experience – from initial contact through post-procedure follow-up – it creates distinctive service excellence that sets practices apart from competitors. This comprehensive approach helps identify unique opportunities to exceed patient expectations.” — Loryn Lyle, Founder of Silver Agency
Pay Attention to AI’s Impact on Google Search
AI is changing the way people search for information. By 2025, Google’s search algorithm is expected to incorporate even more AI-driven features, such as improved voice search and hyper-relevant, personalized results. Elective medical practices should align their SEO strategies to take advantage of these trends. This includes optimizing for AI-driven search behaviors and structuring content in ways that AI algorithms are likely to prioritize.
2. Patient Experience Is Everything
The patient experience is now a cornerstone of successful elective medical practices. With competition on the rise, ensuring patients feel valued at every step of their journey is non-negotiable.
“Team collaboration and building a well-trained, cohesive team has been essential to delivering exceptional care and ensuring consistency in service delivery.”
— CA Practice
Speak Their Language
Patients often feel overwhelmed by medical jargon. It is critical to speak in terms they understand. Whether in consultations, marketing materials, or online content, use clear, empathetic language that resonates with the patient’s concerns.
Focus on What Matters
For elective procedures, the true value often lies in the significant improvements they bring to a patient’s quality of life. While cost is always a consideration, it is more important to emphasize safety, expertise, and the transformative outcomes of your procedures. Patients want to feel confident they are making the right choice for their health, not just their wallets.
See Your Practice from the Patient’s Perspective
Take a moment to experience your practice through the eyes of your patients. From initial inquiries to post-surgery follow-ups, what does the experience feel like? Is it seamless, welcoming, and efficient? Regularly “shopping” your own practice experience, whether through mystery calls or patient feedback surveys—will help you identify areas for improvement.
Another California practice noted:
“Using insights from secret shops, feedback, and analytics, we’ve consistently fine-tuned operations to meet market demands.”
If you have not taken advantage of OptiCall’s complimentary Practice Assessment to get an objective evaluation of your practice experience, take the ACE challenge! Share a few of your real patient calls with us, and we will provide complimentary feedback on how your practice is performing.
Contact OptiCall to Learn More
3. Talent is Your Secret Sauce
Your team’s ability to deliver an exceptional patient experience can be your competitive advantage. When it comes to staffing, it is more than just hiring; it’s about building a culture of excellence.
Train and Provide Continuous Feedback
Staff are the face of your practice, and their interactions with patients directly affect the patient experience. Invest in hiring the right people, provide comprehensive training, and offer continuous feedback to help staff grow. When asked what factors contributed to success in 2024, one of our practices in California noted two key factors:
“First, a strong patient-centric focus: By prioritizing the patient experience and tailoring services to exceed expectations, to foster long-term loyalty and positive referrals.”
Additionally:
“Team Collaboration and Training: Building a well-trained, cohesive team has been essential to delivering exceptional care.”
Jillyn Johnson, AI Solutions Architect Specializing in Ophthalmology, also recommends you encourage your staff to learn AI.
“Provide a limited list of authorized classes – so everyone learns the same way.”
Jillian references this Moderna case study as an example of how practices can empower their employees to use AI to stay lean but perform better than ever.
Marti Fall of Virginia Eye recommends:
“Investing heavily in staff training and development. We hold comprehensive training sessions quarterly with the goal of having all our staff achieve certifications within their respective role.”
Reward Staff with Incentives
Incentives are powerful motivators. Reward staff when the practice meets goals, whether that’s through monetary bonuses, extra paid time off, or additional recognition. These rewards can foster a sense of teamwork and dedication, which ultimately benefits patients.
Develop Career Paths for Staff
Invest in staff retention by offering clear career progression opportunities. When employees see a future for themselves in your practice, they’ll be more likely to stay, perform well, and contribute to the overall success of the business.
4. Drive Efficiencies to Save Time
While patients still value a human-first experience, practices can use AI and technology to drive efficiencies and free up more time for patient care.
Tech & Digital Tools
Leveraging CRM systems, online booking platforms, and automated reminders can save time for both patients and staff. These tools streamline administrative tasks, allowing staff to focus on what matters most—providing excellent patient care.
“Prioritizing speed to lead and utilizing a CRM system to nurture leads has been essential to a practice’s success. Whether you have a dedicated team member managing this, or you outsource this, it’s crucial for practices to respond quickly to the leads they’ve invested significant resources to generate.” — Carol-Anne Poursaid, PDM
Instances Where AI Can Be Valuable
AI can also automate various processes, such as managing patient inquiries, scheduling follow-ups, or providing post-procedure care instructions. Using AI in these ways allows your team to concentrate on higher-value tasks that require human interaction.
Outsource Functions to Drive Efficiencies
Outsourcing certain functions—such as billing, marketing, or IT support—can help you save time and resources. Partnering with vendors who specialize in these areas allows you to focus on your core strengths and patient care.
5. Develop a Growth Mindset
Patients’ needs evolve, and so should your practice. If current solutions aren’t meeting the needs of certain patients, explore new offerings. For example, if there is an increasing demand for non-surgical aesthetic procedures, consider adding these to your portfolio.
As Loryn Lyle, Founder of Silver Agency put it:
“A commitment to embracing technological advancement and practice evolution is essential. The most successful practices consistently demonstrate a willingness to adopt new technologies and adapt their services to meet evolving patient expectations and needs.”
Innovative Solutions for Expanding Your Practice
Look beyond traditional methods and explore innovative ways to scale your practice. Whether it’s through new services, expanding into new markets, or adopting the latest technologies, a growth mindset will allow you to capitalize on emerging opportunities and future-proof your practice.
Arizona-based administrator with ORACLE EYE Physicians & Surgeons commented:
“We started selling surgical eye drops internally and have resumed participation in surgical FDA studies which allows us to offer innovative new solutions to our patients.”
The Future of the Industry?
Looking ahead, the future of ophthalmology, particularly in elective procedures, holds exciting opportunities and evolving trends that are reshaping the industry. Michael Dobkowski of Glacial Multimedia believes that:
“Improvements in vision correction make the future exciting. Inflationary issues continue to plague the younger generations and will be prohibitive for a few years but when this is corrected there will be a resurgence in procedure volume.”
Loryn Lyle is genuinely optimistic about where we are headed, for several reasons:
“We’re entering an exciting demographic sweet spot where a generation that prioritizes quality vision care is now reaching presbyopia age. These patients not only understand the value of excellent vision but also have the financial means to invest in advanced solutions like RLE Surgery.
The technological advancements we are witnessing are truly remarkable. However, I believe our industry’s future success lies in how we communicate these benefits to patients – focusing not just on the technology itself, but on the life-changing outcomes of achieving excellent vision.
What makes me particularly optimistic is the convergence of clinical excellence with modern patient engagement tools. From sophisticated websites and CRM systems to advanced analytics, we now have unprecedented abilities to understand and serve our patients better. These tools, combined with our commitment to creating exceptional patient experiences, position us for significant growth.
Looking ahead to 2025, I believe we’re on the cusp of a transformative period in vision care that will benefit both practices and patients alike.”
Conclusion
The outlook for elective medical practices in 2025 may be uncertain, but by focusing on the fundamentals for future success—smart marketing, exceptional patient experiences, staff development, efficiency, and a growth mindset—practices can stay resilient, adapt to market changes, and continue to thrive. Consistency is key, and by focusing on these areas, elective medical practices can weather the storm and emerge stronger in the competitive landscape ahead.
Ready to thrive in 2025? OptiCall can help.