Need Convincing? Why Market Your Practice in the First Place

We’ve run into more than a few physicians who don’t see the value of marketing their practice, who think it’s going to make them see less credible in the eyes of their colleagues, etc. To that we say: think about marketing simply as a way to educate the community [...] Continue Reading…

Make Promotional Items Work for You

Here’s a follow-up to something I mentioned in an article a few weeks ago. I pointed out that “branded” promotional items can help you endear your practice to your referral sources. Sure, these items are things that drug companies used to deliver to your office by the case load, [...] Continue Reading…

Quick Tip: Get Objective Feedback on Your Practice

Practice administrators — consider a bi-yearly “mystery shopper” for your practice. It’s the same concept that’s used in the retail world. A mystery shopper provides you with an objective, anonymous assessment of your staff from the patient’s perspective. Research shows that 87% of patients leave a practice due to [...] Continue Reading…

Try Targeted Mailers

Are you looking to spice up your direct mail campaigns? Try symptom-specific mailings. We know from experience that these are highly effective when marketing to the general public. Work with your marketing team to develop mailers that are specific to the symptoms of the ailments you treat. Make them [...] Continue Reading…

Solicit Feedback from Referrers, Patients, and Employees

If you aren’t surveying your referrers, patients (past and current), and employees, you’re missing out on information critical to the success of your practice.

When you take the time to listen to these important groups, you’ll not only gain valuable insights about your practice – you’ll also enhance these relationships. [...] Continue Reading…

Consider a Speaking Opportunity

Here’s a tip to help your practice reach new patients. Consider having the physicians in your office speak at local community centers. Speaking engagements are a powerful, effective way to reach and educate new patients in a personal setting. Contact local retirement communities to make yourself available for lectures [...] Continue Reading…

Staying in Touch = More Referrals

A practice can spend thousands of dollars to attract the right referrals.  Then they treat them with the latest technologies and quality care only to allow them to leave the practice without any follow up communication.  Newsletters, surveys, and articles of interest to your patients keep your practice “top [...] Continue Reading…

Declining Patient Numbers & Your Bottom Line

David Gans, MSHA, Vice President of Innovation & Research at the Medical Group Management Association (MGMA)  published an interesting article (“When patient volume decreases, bad things happen – quickly”) in the July issue of MGMA Connexion where he calculates the bottom line effect to a medical practice owner’s profit [...] Continue Reading…

Endear Yourself to Your Referral Sources

If you’re a specialty medical practice, your referral sources cannot be underestimated. The same rules that apply to other businesses apply to your practice: it costs as much as 5x more to gain new business than to keep existing business. Keeping your practice “top of mind” with your referral [...] Continue Reading…

Promote Your Ancillary Services

According to the  Medical Group Management Association’s (MGMA) 2008 annual Cost Survey Report (and what we’ve seen at our clients), many physicians are battling declining reimbursements by bringing ancillary services into their practices. Promoting your practice and its services to your referral sources and your patients is a good [...] Continue Reading…