The Intake

Insights for those starting, managing, and growing independent healthcare practices

Hot take: Personalization is the key to practice growth in 2025

Maintaining independence while growing revenue requires a fresh approach.

Personalization is the key to practice growth in 2025

At a Glance

  • Digital tools must enhance patient relationships rather than replace them.
  • Most practices miss the opportunity to turn patient feedback from online reviews into new appointments.
  • Personal referrals outperform digital marketing — exceptional patient experiences create natural practice advocates.

Independent medical practices face mounting challenges in the 2025 healthcare landscape. With private equity groups continuing to acquire practices and patient expectations evolving rapidly, maintaining independence while growing revenue requires a fresh approach — one built on personalization.

According to Tebra's 5th annual Patient Perspectives report, the path to practice growth isn't just about implementing the latest digital tools. While 92% of patients prefer digital intake forms and 68% expect portal access, the data reveals a deeper truth: 61% of patients remain loyal to practices because of excellent care experiences, while 47% leave due to poor ones. The message is clear: technology only drives growth when it enhances, rather than replaces, genuine provider-patient relationships.

For independent providers looking to advance their practice in 2025, success requires understanding who your patients are and delivering personalized experiences across every touchpoint:

  • Identifying and adapting to your patient demographics' unique needs and preferences
  • Personalizing communications across both digital and traditional channels
  • Building authentic connections through responsive, empathetic engagement
  • Creating content that reflects your practice's distinct personality
  • Developing targeted outreach that resonates with your ideal patient base

In this article, we'll explore how to implement personalization strategies that strengthen patient relationships and improve practice revenue while staying true to your independent practice's values and vision.

Free report

1. Know your patient demographics

Understanding your patient base is the foundation of effective personalization. Tebra's 5th annual Patient Perspectives report reveals that different patient groups have very different expectations and preferences for their healthcare experience. By identifying these patterns, you can tailor your approach to your specific patient community.

The data shows clear variations in patient preferences. For instance, patients are evenly split between phone and portal for scheduling appointments, with 42% preferring each method. Yet when it comes to digital experiences, 92% are willing to complete forms online, and 68% want portal access — and they expect providers to be responsive. For follow-ups and check-ins, 53% prefer virtual appointments when appropriate.

To effectively serve your patient community, start by developing an ideal customer profile (ICP). This framework can help you understand not just who your patients are, but what they need from their healthcare experience. Analyze your current patterns, from demographics to appointment preferences, and identify which services different groups use most often. Then use these insights to understand core patient needs, from scheduling preferences to communication styles.

While understanding patterns is crucial, each patient is unique.

The final step is implementation: adapt your technology mix to match patient comfort levels, train your staff to recognize and respond to different preferences, and create workflows that can meet diverse needs. But remember: while understanding patterns is crucial, each patient is unique. Use these insights as a starting point, but maintain the flexibility to adapt to individual needs and preferences.

2. Personalize every patient communication

Understanding how to communicate with patients isn't just about offering digital tools — it's about knowing when and how to use them effectively. The 5th annual Patient Perspectives report shows that timing and context matter more than the technology itself: while nearly all patients expect quick responses through the patient portal, many still prefer phone calls for sensitive discussions.

Understanding how to communicate with patients isn't just about offering digital tools — it's about knowing when and how to use them.

Your practice should be equally responsive across all communication channels, with clear internal standards that your entire team follows consistently. Watch for patterns in how patients prefer to interact in different situations. For instance, while patients are evenly split between phone and portal for scheduling appointments, they strongly prefer phone calls when canceling, according to Tebra's data.

Track these preferences in your practice management system and use them consistently. When introducing new communication channels, do so gradually and always maintain existing options for patients who prefer them.

The goal isn't to push patients toward digital communication, but to make every interaction as convenient and comfortable as possible, whether through portal, phone, email, SMS message, AI chatbot, or any other medium — or all of the above.

3. Build personal connections through reviews

The 5th annual Patient Perspectives report reveals a critical missed opportunity in healthcare: 44% of patients report never being asked for a review, yet reviews significantly influence patient decisions. When choosing a provider, 45% of patients rely on online reviews, making them a vital channel for practice growth.

But simply collecting reviews isn't enough. The report shows that 66% of patients who leave negative reviews never receive a response from their provider. This is particularly significant because 64% of dissatisfied patients would give a practice another chance if their concerns were acknowledged and addressed. Personal attention to reviews — both positive and negative — demonstrates your practice's commitment to patient satisfaction.

Personal attention to reviews — both positive and negative — demonstrates your practice's commitment to patient satisfaction.

The key is to make review management systematic without losing the personal touch. For instance, Tebra's platform can automatically help draft personalized responses to reviews, while ensuring your practice maintains authentic engagement with patient feedback.

Remember that most patients (76%) say providers live up to their positive reviews. By actively managing your online reputation through thoughtful, personalized responses, you build trust with both current and prospective patients.

With Tebra’s healthcare reputation management, you can effortlessly collect feedback, respond to reviews, and create trust to attract and retain patients. Learn more here.

4. Create a referral program that works

Word-of-mouth recommendations (48%) have nearly twice the influence of practice websites (30%) when patients choose a provider, according to Tebra's data. For independent practices, this means your current patients can be your most powerful marketing channel.

Your current patients can be your most powerful marketing channel.

A thoughtful referral program builds on the foundation of personalized care. When patients have excellent experiences at every step of the patient journey, they naturally want to share those experiences with others. The key is to make it easy for them to do so while maintaining the personal touch that made them loyal in the first place.

Start by identifying your practice's biggest advocates. The report shows that 61% of patients stay with providers due to excellent care experiences. These satisfied patients are most likely to provide authentic, enthusiastic referrals. Consider creating special resources they can easily share with friends and family, such as practice guides or health education materials.

Remember that referral programs shouldn't feel transactional. Focus on making it natural and comfortable for patients to share their positive experiences, whether through online reviews or personal recommendations.

5. Make content that reflects your practice

While 45% of patients rely on online reviews to assess practices, only a small percentage are influenced by generic social media posts or blog content, according to the 5th annual Patient Perspectives report. This suggests that patients are looking for authentic voices and real information, not just digital presence.

Patients are looking for authentic voices and real information, not just digital presence.

Your practice's content should reflect who you really are and the unique value you provide to your community. Instead of trying to compete with corporate healthcare entities with generic AI-generated content, focus on sharing your team's genuine expertise and personality. As stated earlier, the report shows that 48% of patients rely on word-of-mouth recommendations, and content that feels personal and authentic can help amplify these organic referrals.

Start by involving your providers and staff in content creation. Share their expertise through patient education materials, case studies (appropriately anonymized and in compliance), and practical health tips. Document your practice's involvement in the community and highlight real patient success stories (with permission). Your content should help prospective patients feel like they already know your practice before they walk through the door.

Keep your content focused and purposeful. Whether you're writing for your website, patient portal, email, or social media, every piece should provide clear value to your specific patient community.

Implementation: How to make personalization work for your practice

Independent practices have a unique advantage: the ability to provide truly personalized care. But implementing personalization strategies requires a systematic approach.

Start by evaluating your current patient engagement efforts. Where do patients most often disconnect from your practice? The report shows the top 3 reasons patients leave: poor provider experiences (47%), poor staff experiences (31%), and slow or no response to questions (27%). Use these insights to prioritize your personalization initiatives.

Choose technology that enhances rather than replaces personal connections. While 92% of patients want digital intake forms and 68% want portal access, remember that these tools should support, not substitute for, quality care and relationships.

Move into 2025 with confidence

The path to practice growth in 2025 is clear: success comes from understanding your patients and delivering personalized experiences that match their preferences. While digital convenience matters, it's the combination of excellent care and responsive, personalized service that truly builds patient loyalty.

For independent practices, this presents an opportunity. By focusing on personalization, from patient communications to review responses, you can create the kind of practice experience that not only retains current patients but also attracts new ones through authentic word-of-mouth recommendations.

Remember: personalization isn't about implementing every available technology or trying to be everything to everyone. It's about knowing your patients, understanding their preferences, and delivering care in a way that feels personal and meaningful to them.

Get the playbook
Get the free guide
Unlock the secrets to building a profitable and sustainable healthcare practice with our eBook, "How to Optimize Operations and Increase Margins as You Grow."
Optimize Your Practice for Profitable Growth

Editor's note: This article was updated in January 2025 to reflect the latest data.

You Might Also Be Interested In

How patients find and pick their doctors. We surveyed more than 1,200 patients nationwide to understand factors that influence how they choose a doctor and why they keep coming back. Download the free report.

Subscribe to The Intake:
A weekly check-up for your independent practice

Rebecca Slawter, freelance healthcare writer

Rebecca Slawter is a seasoned freelance content and copywriter focusing on healthcare and B2B SaaS. Rebecca has first-hand knowledge of the importance of connections between patients and their providers — connections that are easier to build in independent practices. Her passion for writing about healthcare is rooted in wanting to spotlight healthcare professionals and their tireless efforts, and to do what she can to improve the industry as a whole.

Get expert tips, guides, and valuable insights for your healthcare practice