Once a referral is received, the next step is to encourage the person to engage with your service. Folks are not all at the same stage of readiness to change, even though they have agreed to the referral. Idealy, if they are keen to participate, a quick contact to book them in might be all that is needed. However, some people may lack motivation, confidence or both and may not take up the offer at all. There are a variety of strategies that can offer help in this situation, so continue reading to discover helpful strategies to increase uptake in your health and wellbeing services.
Timing is Key
When someone consents to your service, there's a good chance they will participate. Timing is crucial, and we shouldn't assume they will show up without encouragement. Here are factors that can increase the likelihood of uptake:
- Short waits for an initial meeting
- Good and regular contact from the service
- A simple triage method to determine if the person is suitable for the programme and if the programme is suitable for the person
- Service-focused questionnaires rather than research-focused ones
Take this next situation; you have tried out the strategies mentioned above and are monitoring how they are going, but the programme uptake rate is still not increasing as quickly as you'd hoped. Take a moment to consider the following scenarios and explore what could potentially encourage participation, keeping in mind that a one-size-fits-all approach may not be suitable in every case.
Aware but Not Motivated
The person knows they have been referred but isn't motivated. They might think the service won't help them or may have heard negative experiences from friends or colleagues. This person is at risk of not participating.
Clear, simple information about your service can help them decide if it’s right for them. Offering a no-obligation chat can ease concerns and highlight the positive impact your programme can have.
Not Aware but Easily Motivated
In this case, the person is not aware they have been referred, but they are open to the idea upon initial contact. More time is needed to explain the service, outcomes, costs, locations, etc. This time investment is worthwhile as it helps increase motivation and engagement.
Having initial contact creates a commitment between the participant and the service. Knowing someone is expecting them at the first meeting, or that missing the appointment may cost another person the opportunity, helps increase uptake rates.
A simple text message reminder or motivational message can make a big difference. Evidence shows that uptake rates are significantly higher when motivational text messages are used as part of the communication.
Not Aware and Not Motivated
Although referred, the person is unaware of the referral and has no intention of taking up the service. These inappropriate referrals can consume valuable time.
In this situation, it is crucial to identify the root cause. Is it due to the initial referrer making an inappropriate referral? Did the person agree to be referred just to keep the referrer happy?
If your programme suffers from inappropriate referrals, now is the time to take action.
Summary
The journey towards participation starts much earlier than convincing someone to join. Good relationships with referring partners and understanding people's needs are the best places to start.
The key is to increase the number of people who come to your service already aware and motivated. From this point, removing as many barriers to participation as possible will help increase your uptake rate.
At ReferAll, we encourage our customers to focus on uptake rather than referral rate. Understanding this simple metric will pay dividends.
Check out my most recent Leading Change video where I delve into discussions about uptake and completion rates in health and wellbeing services ▶️
Until next time,
Stu
Stuart Stokes | Founder and Managing Director
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