If you don’t have at least a 6-12 month follow-up system for patients after discharge, you’re leaving a lot of money on the table.

Most practices either don’t follow up at all, or they send one message a few weeks later that says something like, “Just checking in to see how you’re doing.” The intention is good, but the message is too easy to ignore. It doesn’t remind the patient what they accomplished, it doesn’t ask a specific question that commands a response, and it doesn’t create a clear path back onto the schedule if they need help again.

That’s what this episode is about.

I’m walking through the exact post-discharge follow-up system we use in my own clinic to stay in front of patients for more than a year after they finish care. It’s simple, repeatable, handled by staff, and it helps us reactivate patients almost every week.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• The 13-month follow-up structure we use after discharge
• How to write follow-up texts that actually get responses
• What to say when patients reply that they are still doing great
• What to say when patients have lost progress and need to come back in
• How to avoid follow-up automation mistakes when patients return to the schedule

The Problem With “Just Checking In”

Most follow-up messages fail because they don’t ask a strong enough question.

When you say, “Just checking in to see how you’re doing,” the patient can ignore it without much thought or simply reply that they are “fine” even if some symptoms have returned. There’s no emotional hook, no specific reminder of what they worked so hard to achieve, and no reason they feel compelled to respond.

A better follow-up ties directly back to the goal they cared about most. Instead of asking how they’re doing generally, ask whether they are still doing 100% of the thing they came to you to accomplish. 

That shift changes the whole conversation. You are no longer sending a generic check-in. You are reminding them of the outcome they valued and making it easy for them to tell you whether they’ve maintained it.

The Follow-Up Timeline That Keeps You Top of Mind

First we send a handwritten Thank You note right after discharge, then the follow up system starts 30 days after discharge.

At that point, my admin gets a reminder and reaches out as the provider who treated the patient, assuming the provider is comfortable with that. 

The message is simple, but it is specific. 

It checks whether the patient is still maintaining the goal they achieved, and it asks for a real response.

After that, the patient goes into a quarterly follow-up rhythm. Every 90 days, there is another check-in, with slightly different wording, but the same underlying purpose: stay in front of them, make sure they are still doing well, and give them an easy path back if they are not.

So yes, the full process is a little over a year. But it is not complicated. You can run it through a CRM, Google Sheet reminders, your EMR, calendar or a simple admin task. 

The reminder tool or automation matter far less than the consistency.

What Happens When They Reply

There are really two main paths after the patient responds.

If they say they’re still doing great, that’s a perfect time to ask for a Google review if they haven’t already left one. They are happy, they are reminded of the result, and they are in the right mindset to share that success story with others.

If they say they’ve lost progress, your response should not be vague or passive. You remind them that you fixed it once before, and you can very likely do it again. Then you create urgency by explaining that the faster you address it, the faster you can get them back to 100%.

The key is to offer clear appointment options instead of leaving the conversation open-ended. Don’t say, “Let us know if you want to come back in.” Say something closer to, “I have this spot and this spot available this week. Would either of those work for you?”

That is the difference between a polite check-in and a true reactivation system.

Automation Helps, But Don’t Let It Create a Mess

Automation can make this process easier, but only if you manage it properly.

If your CRM or follow-up system does not communicate with your patient schedule, you need a way to stop any automated texts/emails/sequences when someone returns to care. Otherwise, a patient could come back in for a new injury and still receive a post-discharge message from their previous plan of care.

That feels sloppy, and it creates confusion.

The solution does not have to be fancy. Your admin can simply check whether returning patients are still in the post-discharge automation and manually remove them if needed. Ideally, your systems talk to each other and this happens automatically, but many practices don’t have that level of integration.

Do not let that stop you. A simple manual version that actually gets done is far better than waiting for the perfect automated system.

Your Free Resource: Post-Discharge Follow-Up Steps and Texts That Reactivate Patients Like Crazy

I’ve got a free resource for you: Post-Discharge Follow-Up Steps and Texts That Reactivate Patients Like Crazy. This gives you the follow-up structure and text messaging approach we use to stay in front of discharged patients, compel real responses, generate Google reviews, and reactivate people who have started losing progress. 

Thanks so much for checking out this week’s podcast… hope you enjoy the resource!

The Final Word

Post-discharge follow-up is one of the easiest wins most practices ignore.

These are not cold leads. They already know you, they already trusted you, and they already experienced what it is like to work with your practice. If you stay in front of them with specific, goal-based follow-up, you create more reactivations, more reviews, better long-term outcomes, and more revenue without needing a brand-new marketing campaign.

Don’t overcomplicate it. Set the reminders, send the messages, ask better questions, and make it easy for patients to come back when they need you.

— Jarod

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HERE ARE SOME MORE EPISODES ON ON PATIENT RETENTION, DROP-OFFS & FOLLOW-UP SYSTEMS:

How to Follow Up With Dropped-Off Patients Without Being Pushy
Learn how to re-engage patients who’ve gone quiet—without feeling salesy or annoying.

Fortune in the Follow-Up: The Simple System to Win Back Patients Who Leave for Insurance
Discover how consistent follow-up can turn lost patients into recurring revenue.

How to Simplify Your Systems and Keep Patients From Dropping Off
A breakdown of the operational systems that keep patients engaged through their full plan of care.

MORE RESOURCES TO IMPROVE PATIENT RETENTION & REVENUE:

Cash-Based Practice Freedom e-Course 2.0
This course gives you every step, script, process, and resource I’ve used (and coached 1000+ practice owners through) to build highly profitable, insurance-free practices. It’s all laid out for you in a perfect step-by-step blueprint …Check out the Course here.

Cash-Based Practice Marketing Intensive
Learn how to keep your phone ringing and your inbox flooded with qualified out-of-network leads using my R.O.I. Marketing Method and the power of AI. This training walks you step-by-step through proven marketing systems that bring patients straight from social media to your schedule. Check out the Masterclass here.

Cash-Based Practice Mastermind
If you want to double your profit per patient and build the practice of your dreams—without relying on greedy insurance companies—this Mastermind coaching program gets you there with: weekly live coaching, a supportive community, and a vault of done-for-you resources and masterclasses to accelerate your growth and avoid costly mistakes. Check out the Mastermind here.