When McCauley Celin Eyecare Associates first started looking for a patient communication platform, Lindsay McCauley, OD, wasn’t looking for bells and whistles. She just needed something that worked with her electronic health record (EHR) system across the practice’s three locations in the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, area. That simple need proved to be harder to meet than expected.
After trying a few options that fell short of their promises, she discovered 4PatientCare almost 10 years ago. “At the time, no other patient recall service could both integrate with our EHR and function fully for a multi-location practice,” Dr. McCauley says. Now, all seven ODs—including Dr. McCauley’s father-in-law, Robert McCauley, OD, and sister-in-law, Caitlin McCauley, OD—are benefiting from the time they save thanks to the platform. “4PatientCare has grown to become an important part of our practice,” she says. “I haven’t turned back.”
What Dr. McCauley didn’t anticipate from this new tool was the drastic improvement in their online reputation. The practice has grown from just 51 Google reviews at their main location to more than 1,000 five-star reviews across all locations—an achievement Dr. McCauley directly credits to the platform’s reputation management system.
4PatientCare’s review system seamlessly integrates into the post-appointment surveys, encouraging patients who had a positive experience at the practice to leave a review on common platforms like Google. This helped them gain more control over their online reputation—and helped turn happy patients into vocal advocates.
EASY COMMUNICATION
Today, the platform saves Dr. McCauley’s team countless hours every week. “My staff no longer has to call patients to confirm their appointment, let them know that their lenses are ready or send out postcards for reminder notices, as we did for years in the past,” she says. “It’s been a huge relief for our staff who were once overwhelmed by those repetitive tasks.”
Appointment confirmations, product pickup notices and even birthday messages and newsletters are now fully automated. Patients can confirm, cancel or reschedule directly through 4PatientCare via text, email or phone call. “The communication is consistent and accurate—it reaches patients where they are and when they need it,” Dr. McCauley says. This includes an email blast option to get a message out to a group of patients quickly, and the patient text portal, which can help get answers more quickly than playing phone tag with patients.
GETTING PATIENTS IN THE DOOR
The real-time online scheduler makes a noticeable impact in filling the books, too. “It tells us when patients have made appointments online via the web scheduler,” she says. “Ten years ago, I was constantly wondering how we could make it easier for patients to find and book with us. Now I see a note almost every day that someone has scheduled via the portal.”
Patients can book anytime, anywhere and on any device—and through channels they’re already using, like Google, Facebook or Yelp. “Some people prefer to call while others don’t want to talk on the phone at all. It gives our patients options.”
Even across three locations, scheduling remains seamless. “4PatientCare perfectly schedules the patient where they are supposed to be,” she says. “There haven’t been any issues with patients showing up to the wrong location.”
But if issues did arise, Dr. McCauley says, “the customization options have been outstanding over the years [from 4PatientCare]. It helps me encourage my staff to think outside of the box—if there’s something new or different we need, they’re encouraged to ask for it.”
AUTOMATED AND ACCURATE
4PatientCare doesn’t just remind patients of appointments—it helps keep the schedule full with intelligent recall messages and surveys. “If a patient is a no-show, 4PatientCare sends a message to help them reschedule,” Dr. McCauley says. “The satisfaction surveys are really helpful. If someone’s unhappy, we get an alert so we can reach out directly and make it right.”
That proactive communication helps preserve patient relationships and strengthen retention. “It’s more than just a scheduling tool—it helps us deliver a better patient experience,” she says. That includes streamlining check-ins with 4PatientCare’s electronic registration system, which eliminates paper forms and speeds up front desk workflow.
THE RESULT: A 5-STAR REPUTATION THAT SPEAKS FOR ITSELF
Since implementing 4PatientCare, McCauley Celin Eyecare Associates has seen its online reputation soar —growing far beyond the 51 reviews they once had at their main location.
“We now have more than 1,000 five-star Google reviews across all locations, and a large part of that is thanks to the help we get from 4PatientCare and its reputation management tool,” Dr. McCauley says. “It pays for itself.”
From automated confirmations and pickup notifications to real-time online scheduling and satisfaction surveys, 4PatientCare has helped streamline communication at every touchpoint. That consistent, proactive engagement hasn’t just saved staff time—it’s elevated the entire patient experience. “It’s given us the patient communication platform we were looking for—and so much more.”
