So…there I was chatting with a physician-client who had budgeted a five-figure allowance for a piece of new equipment. He was rather excited about the sophisticated medical gear, much like some people look forward to the next-gen iPad or next year’s flashy sports car. He was equally excited about the new Marketing Plan that I […]
by Steve Smith, Healthcare Success Senior Consultant Recently, I told you about the negative impact of five cents worth of coffee. That story was really about how a missed opportunity can be costly. Today, I am pleased to tell you about the opposite, about how a few cents worth of product and labor can make […]
A physician called us last week for advice. It was urgent. His concern was about a slump in new patient appointments. After talking things through, it turns out that this large group practice was answering tough competition in the marketplace with a solid marketing plan. (A good thing.) In fact, the phone was ringing. (Also […]
These two little questions, which seem perilously close to being disrespectful, can save you from wasting precious healthcare advertising dollars. In fact, they can help lead you to a higher Return-on-Investment (ROI). Let’s say you or your staff is planning a new advertisement. Use these questions as the first challenge to the prospective advertising message. […]
Just recently we were reading an online article, authored by a doctor, titled: “You Should See My Doctor”: Cost-Effective Marketing Ideas for Your Practice. There were several remarkable things about the content. First, this was advice about healthcare marketing from a doctor to other doctors. Medical schools provide scant training in business, marketing or advertising, […]
We see in the news that Dr. Gregory Smith is making “house calls” via Skype. What’s more, he has between 350-500 appointments each year. A lone report may not signal an explosive trend, but the lesson for healthcare and doctor/physician marketing is that the enabling technology is now mainstream, and medical provider innovators and early […]
Professional referrals—typically from generalist to specialist or to hospital admitting—are the financial lifeblood of many specialty practices, hospitals and other medical and dental providers. However, once rock-solid referral sources have eroded or evaporated with the dynamics that are reshaping healthcare delivery systems. It’s an increasingly urgent problem for hospital and healthcare marketing in general, and […]
Does this sound familiar? A prominent doctor with tons of experience picks up a magazine and sees an ad for a competitive practice. The other practice has significantly less experience, but they do have a half page, full color ad. And to the public they look like the biggest game in town.
by Kathy Roy Gaughran, Senior Marketing Strategist My travel schedule takes me to the offices of healthcare providers throughout the nation. Each initial visit is a great “first impression” opportunity for me to take the role of a new patient who is seeing the practice with fresh eyes. The “experience” (seeing and feeling what impacts […]
You’re probably familiar with Sermo, the physicians-only online community with about 116,000 doctor members. We see Sermo—and their Pulse Survey—as an attractive physician relations listening post for hospitals, specialty groups or other healthcare organizations that rely on referrals from physicians.
by Steve Smith, Healthcare Success Senior Consultant My 18-year-old son is a freshman in college. For the past four years he has held a part-time job at a local hardware store. Some days he is a cashier, but most days he helps customers on the sales floor. And in the past he has been mystery […]
Marketing to physicians is always a communications challenge. There are gatekeepers, drawbridges, barriers and the never-ending constraints of a busy physician’s packed schedule. Everyone wants a slice of time for physician relations, medical device sales, hospital marketing and PR, and pharmaceutical detailing, to name just a few. There’s no magic answer. But a recent survey […]
Kissing, wearing cosmetics and jewelry, tattoos and piercings, and even your cell phone could bring on serious allergic reactions. And allergists are learning how to look for and treat reactions to “Life’s Pleasures.” Allergists, allergist marketing professionals and the news media attending the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI) Annual Meeting earlier this […]
Each week, according to one recent survey, physicians get about 20 visits from pharmaceutical company representatives, but not everyone gets face time with the doc. Compare that with another study that says that nurses are not only “digitally advanced,” but they are likely to recommend online resources to patients. Although physicians are a primary pharmaceutical […]
A virtual office visit. Consult with the doctor online. Send a brief note. Request or cancel medical appointments, medication refills, or a referral. Physicians and patients in the upstate, Albany NY area are connecting in new ways with the introduction myCareDOT patient portal. Community Care Physicians (CCP) – a multispecialty medical group of 200 providers […]
What does a typical visit to your medical practice have to say about your practice reputation? Here are five ways to exceed expectations and create a memorable service experience - a cornerstone of superior healthcare branding.
The results of a research study reported in the Journal Neurology suggest that adults who walk six to nine miles each week may benefit from improved memory and brain function in late adulthood. We could see physical activity programs emerge in neurology marketing. The study involved about 300 people in Pittsburgh who tracked their weekly […]
It's one of the oldest tools in advertising in America. The various forms of a coupon and coupon offers are well-established and often-used tools in chiropractic marketing and other healthcare products and services. Over time, they’ve moved from print ads and free standing inserts to also include distribution via email and taking a bit of […]
(This material is adapted from an article that we authored for Becker's Hospital Review, a bimonthly publication providing business and legal news and analysis for hospitals and health systems. Becker's Hospital Review reaches more than 15,000 people, primarily acute care hospital CEOs and CFOs. The marketing concepts discussed in this article apply to many professional, medical and […]
Gastroenterologists and colonoscopists may find this clinically interesting. And for gastroenterology marketing, there may be a new message about reducing the unpleasantness of colonoscopy. Please reach for your copy of this month’s GIE: Gastrointestinal Endoscopy. It’s a considerable marketing challenge to put a positive spin on unsedated colonoscopy procedures—or even the recommendations to patients—but a […]
Six digital ways to keep patients connected to the allergy/asthma practice. Many allergist marketing programs publish daily pollen count and mold count numbers. It’s a useful way to keep sensitive patients checking-in with the practice. Now the numbers are getting out there quicker via social media. Some allergist marketing plans publish the data using […]
The effectiveness of online marketing and pay-per-click advertising begin with a plan A page from the real-life-lessons department: How a chance encounter with a marketing-savvy town car driver demonstrates the effectiveness of having a plan and using pay-per-click Internet advertising for success. Turns out the encounter wasn't entirely by chance. I met a town car […]
How to Avoid Looking Like "Plain Vanilla" Let's say a new family moves in a couple of blocks from your office, and the mother holds a gathering for her new neighbors. At the gathering she asks, "I'd like to find a first-rate doctor for my family. Is there anyone special here in town?" How many […]
