[This post was originally published on 12th December 2022. It has been updated on 22nd August 2025.]

Every time a patient walks out of your clinic, there’s a chance it could be their last visit. A survey found that 73% of practices report patient no-show rates have stayed the same (60%) or decreased (13%) in 2025 relative to last year, while 27% say no-shows have increased.

In chiropractic care, patient engagement is not just a “nice-to-have”, it’s the backbone of better health outcomes, higher satisfaction, and stronger retention. The question is: how do you keep patients engaged, happy, and coming back between visits?

Let’s explore five powerful strategies for chiropractors to reduce patient drop-offs, increase return visits, and build lasting patient relationships..

1. Book Recurring Appointments + Send Smart Reminders

One of the easiest ways to boost patient retention is to make the next appointment a no-brainer. Patients who walk out without a clear follow-up plan are far more likely to slip through the cracks, life gets busy, schedules fill up, and suddenly weeks (or months) go by without a return visit.

At the very first visit, set the stage by mapping out the patient’s care plan and scheduling multiple sessions in advance. This not only reinforces the importance of sticking to treatment, but also gives patients priority slots that work best for their schedule.

But we all know pre-booking alone isn’t enough, reminders are what keep patients accountable. Automated appointment reminders via email or text is one of the best patient engagement ideas because they reduce no-shows dramatically and reduce admin work for your front desk staff. Instead of chasing patients manually, your system does the heavy lifting, sending friendly nudges like:

“Hi [First Name], just a reminder about your appointment with Dr. Smith tomorrow at 10 AM. See you soon!”

With zHealth’s scheduling software, you can:

• Set up daily, weekly, or monthly recurring appointments in seconds.
• Automate reminders across email and SMS.
• Reduce missed visits with unlimited reminders.

The result? Patients stay on track with their care plan, your schedule runs smoothly, and your team has more time to focus on delivering a great experience instead of chasing confirmations.

2. Share Educational Materials After Each Visit

Engaged patients are informed patients. 67% of patients adhere to treatment plans when provided with easy-to-understand educational resources.

Share videos, home exercise plans, wellness tips, or nutrition guides after each appointment. This not only reinforces your care but also positions you as a long-term partner in their health journey.

Although more than 84% of healthcare consumers say it’s important for healthcare organizations to partner with, and engage with them, in making health decisions, a majority of patients lack engagement

If you’re wondering how to keep patients engaged, one of the most authentic approaches is sharing educational resources that guide them beyond the visit. You can send them a short video, a home exercise guide, or a wellness tip. This could be the difference between a one-time visit and a long-term patient relationship. For example:

• A patient with chronic back pain might appreciate a quick stretching video.
• A wellness-focused patient might love weekly posture or nutrition tips.
• Post-treatment patients may need at-home exercise instructions to speed recovery.

These resources do more than educate, they build trust. When patients feel like you’re supporting them beyond the appointment room, you shift from being “the chiropractor they visit occasionally” to a long-term health partner they rely on.

With zHealth, sharing educational materials takes seconds. You can instantly email videos, exercise programs, or wellness guides right from the platform, keeping your patients motivated, informed, and engaged between visits.

By consistently reinforcing your care with helpful content, you’re not just treating patients; you’re empowering them to actively participate in their own health journey. And that’s what turns satisfied patients into loyal ones.

3. Connect with Patients Through 2-Way Texting

Texting has become the #1 preferred communication method for patients. It’s instant, it’s convenient, and it feels personal, much more so than an email buried in an inbox or a voicemail that might go unheard.

For chiropractors, 2-way texting opens up a powerful way to stay connected with patients in real time. Instead of waiting for the next appointment, you can:

• Check in on their progress (“How’s your back feeling after last week’s adjustment?”)
• Send wellness tips (“Here’s a quick stretch for better posture while working from home.”)
• Encourage healthy habits (“Don’t forget to hydrate today, your spine will thank you!”)

And patients love it. When it comes to appointment reminders, 67.3% of patients prefer to receive them via text message. It keeps your practice top of mind and strengthens the patient-provider relationship outside of the treatment room.

With zHealth Conversations, texting isn’t just fast, it’s also smart and organized when it comes to managing patient visits. Messages are HIPAA-compliant and linked directly to the patient’s chart, so you can see the entire communication history in one place. You can schedule or reschedule appointments, answer their queries, and send personalized messages for birthdays, special offers, etc.

Imagine this: Instead of your front desk making a dozen phone calls to confirm appointments, patients get a quick text reminder and can reply “Yes” in seconds. Or instead of a patient wondering whether their soreness is normal, they can text your office and get reassurance right away. That small touch of accessibility makes a huge difference in how supported patients feel.

With the right tools, texting isn’t just communication, it’s engagement, loyalty, and trust-building at scale.

4. Send Personalized Birthday & Wellness Messages

Sometimes it’s the little things that make the biggest difference. Think about how special it feels when someone remembers your birthday or checks in on you “just because.” Patients are no different, they want to feel more than just a name on your schedule. A simple birthday greeting or wellness message can transform a transactional appointment into a lasting relationship.

And it’s not just a nice gesture, it’s smart practice management. According to a recent report, 71% of patients say personalized communication strongly influences their loyalty to a provider. That means one thoughtful birthday message could be the nudge that reminds a patient, “I really should schedule that adjustment.”

These small touchpoints show patients you care about them as people, not just patients. 

A birthday text says, “We’re thinking of you.” 

A wellness message might say, “Hope you’re feeling great, here’s a quick posture tip to keep your spine healthy.” 

These thoughtful check-ins make patients feel valued, which in turn makes them more likely to stay loyal to your clinic.

With zHealth Patient Recall Software, these personal touches don’t have to add extra work for your staff. You can:

• Automate birthday greetings for every patient.
• Send wellness check-ins that strengthen trust.
• Re-engage patients who haven’t visited in 3, 6, or 12 months, bringing them back before they drift away.

Imagine this: A patient who hasn’t been in for months gets a warm “Happy Birthday” text from your clinic. That small message could be the reason they schedule their next appointment, and potentially recommit to their care plan.

5. Seek Feedback to Improve the Experience

In healthcare, experience matters just as much as outcomes. Patients might come in for pain relief, but what keeps them loyal is how you make them feel during the process. Long wait times, rushed communication, or billing confusion can push patients to look elsewhere. 

If you’re looking for strategies on how to keep your patients happy, start with clear communication and feedback requests. According to Forrester Research (2023), patients who are asked for feedback are 2.5x more likely to stay loyal. Why? Because when you ask for their opinion, you’re saying, “Your voice matters. We care about your experience.”

Here’s how you can turn feedback into a growth tool:

• Follow up after every visit with a quick satisfaction survey. It shows patients you’re invested in their journey beyond the appointment.
• Celebrate positive reviews. They don’t just boost your reputation, they’re digital word-of-mouth that attracts new patients.
• Learn from negative feedback. Instead of losing a patient silently, you get a chance to fix the problem quickly and win them back.

With zHealth Review Automation Software, this entire process becomes effortless:

• Automatically send review requests after appointments.
• Encourage happy patients to share their experience on Google, Yelp, or Facebook, where it really counts.
• Get real-time alerts when a patient leaves negative feedback, so you can respond before it escalates.

Think about it: A patient has a small frustration, maybe their appointment reminder didn’t come through. Without a feedback system, they might quietly leave your practice. But with an automated feedback request, they share their concern, you respond right away, and instead of losing them, you earn their trust for the long haul.

In today’s competitive landscape, listening is everything. When patients feel heard, they don’t just come back, they tell others about the care they received. And that’s how you turn feedback into your biggest growth engine.

Conclusion

Patient engagement isn’t just about keeping patients busy between visits, it’s about creating meaningful touchpoints that strengthen trust, improve health outcomes, and grow your practice.

By booking recurring appointments, sharing educational content, staying connected via 2-way texting, sending personalized messages, and actively seeking feedback, you’ll build a patient community that feels valued and supported.

Ready to improve patient engagement and retention?

zHealth chiropractic software gives you everything you need, automated scheduling, reminders, education, texting, and feedback tools, all in one platform.

Related Articles:

How Home Exercise App Can Change The Game For Chiropractic Retention

Solving The Patient Retention Problem In A Chiropractic Clinic: 15 Strategies

Complete Guide to Enhancing Patient Experience in 2025

3 Crucial Patient Communication That Most Chiropractic Practices Miss

Group Practices: Your Blueprint For Improving Patient Experience And Retention