In this article we would like to touch on physicians and the need to market their medical practice.

More and more physicians find themselves working harder then ever and seeing  a decline in their patient base. Many depend too much on their existing referral base, but in today’s economy some of the physicians have relocated, some retired, some joined a group practice. In these tough times some of the patients lost their jobs, some had to relocate to find a job, in some cases they don’t have the same coverage, or none at all.

Part of practice management is to understand the problems your practice is facing and be proactive, not reactive. It is especially important to have a plan on how to build your patient base especially for new practice start ups.

For some existing medical practices the key might be to bring in a young physician with a lot of energy and hunger to break into the medical community. A good idea would be to develop a relationship in a community and volunteer some of your services. Create an identity for your practice and spread the word. Word of mouth in a community goes a long way.

Meeting personally with physicians to build a relationship, inviting a physician for a business lunch, is also a good idea. With a little time you will see an increase in your referral base.

Medical industry has changed over the past several years. Patients have become more and more computer savvy. A good website goes a long way in promoting your practice, but it must be professional.

Location is one of the most important decisions that a practice owner has to make. Adding an additional location in today’s market is also a great idea. Don’t put all your eggs in one basket. Given today’s real estate market and low interest rates, this is a perfect time to start a new, or an additional practice. Yes, expending works, and it does bring new business that will increase your bottom line.

Look at your competition, know what type of marketing direction they are taking. See what you can do better. To do that, you must understand your strengths and weaknesses and be your own critic. You have to find that market niche.

Every practice has an opportunity to improve patient care, operations, billing, efficiency and the bottom line. It starts with the practice owner, practice manager and in most cases with a little help from a professional consultant. The outside view always helps. A little extra effort is all it takes to make a difference.

 

 

by David Zilber
Sr. Practice Management Consultant
Real Practice Solutions, LLC.
http://www.realpracticesolutions.com

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/strategic-planning-articles/doctors-and-solutions-in-marketing-their-medical-practice-1347293.html

Thank you for reading this post. You can now Leave A Comment (0) or Leave A Trackback.