Direct Primary Care

Membership Medicine

Practicing as an in-network provider can be the path of least resistance in terms of new patient acquisition. But if you want your dream practice, a membership medicine practice is worth the effort.

In-Network

It’s understandable that some practitioners choose to be in-network with insurance companies when they first open their practices. A new doctor hasn’t yet established a patient base, and when you’re in-network, you don’t have to work as hard to bring new patients indoor doors. The insurance company sends people to you by listing you as an in-network provider. open-966315_1280

The Mystery of the Disappearing Healthcare Patient

by Dr. Kelley Mulhern 1 Comment

Think back to that disappearing healthcare patient who’s been tickling the back of your brain. You know the one – we all have them. The patient who you thought was doing well…getting better…seemed happy…and then one day, just disappeared from your private healthcare practice. Perhaps they were a relatively new patient, or maybe they’d been part of your practice for years. Why did they leave? Did they move away? Were you so successful in your treatment they didn’t need you anymore? Maybe they got laid off and now can’t afford your services.

Continuing Care

by Dr. Kelley Mulhern Leave a Comment

One of the best areas to focus your marketing and patient education on is continuing care, especially if you are running or hoping to transition to a concierge practice.

Marketing Strategies for Massage Therapists Part 1

Cheaper to Keep ‘Em

Just as it’s less expensive to keep good employees than to continually hire new ones, it’s also cheaper to keep existing patients coming back than to always be marketing to find new ones. Happy patients also do a lot of the marketing work for you. They refer their family and friends to you. That kind of marketing costs you nothing and is the best endorsement you can receive.

The Cost of Good Employees

by Dr. Kelley Mulhern Leave a Comment

Employees can make or break a practice. Even the best doctor can’t overcome a bad staff. If you want to keep your practice successful, you need to understand the cost of good employees. cost

The Front Line

We all know the cliché that your staff is the front line of your practice. They’re the first impression potential patients and patients get of your practice when they call or come into your office. And many of us emphasize this ad naseum to our employees.

Metrics to Measure By

by Dr. Kelley Mulhern Leave a Comment

In order to gauge the success of your practice, you need to track certain data. In a sea of numbers, you need to know what metrics to measure by. ruler

Revenue Per Visit

It’s never easy to raise your fees but sometimes it’s necessary. You don’t want to do it arbitrarily, on January 1 for example, because it will seem to your patients, well, arbitrary!

Financial Challenges Facing Physicians

by Dr. Kelley Mulhern Leave a Comment

There are unique financial challenges facing physicians. We earn more than the average person but we have some problems that our contemporaries do not.

Student Loan Debt

The average student loan debt for recent medical school graduates is nearly a staggering $200,000. The average salary for a primary care physician is $195,000 per year, the average for a specialist is $284,000, the average for an “alternative care provider” can be anywhere from $30,000 to $150,000. Add on another $8,000 in non-education related debt (most likely due to credit cards) and perhaps a mortgage. Being a resident or new in practice may not pay well, and there isn’t time for a second job, so a lot of life’s expenses get charged.

Up for Review

by Dr. Kelley Mulhern Leave a Comment

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Even if you haven’t intentionally created an on-line presence, you may still have an on-line presence. Whether you’re aware of it or not, you and your practice are up for review.

Buyer Beware

If you’re thinking of trying a new restaurant or hair salon, do you hop onto a site like Yelp to find out what others had to say about them? Many of us do, and increasingly, patients are doing the same before choosing a practitioner. A lot of patients are doing this, and as much of 85% of patients let these reviews influence their decision.

Choosing Membership Services

by Dr. Kelley Mulhern Leave a Comment

Once you decide to become a membership practice, the next step is choosing membership services for your patients. We know the benefits for providers: A smaller patient load, reduced overhead, and less record-keeping. But what services will you offer your patients?

Ask Your Patients What Membership Services They Want

When some people think of a membership practice, they think of fluffy robes and private waiting rooms. Those things are nice extras, but they don’t do much to make a patient’s experience better. Ask your patients what would improve their experience. The most common things patients are looking for all relate to time: Faster access to appointments, longer appointments, and a practitioner who listens (which takes time!).

Healthcare Marketing and Zonkies [Dare to be Different!]

by Dr. Kelley Mulhern Leave a Comment

Healthcare marketing and Zonkies? Seriously, what’s the connection? Healthcare providers often do the same, old, tired events and activities for their healthcare marketing. Certainly there’s a place for those things…they became “standard marketing” (or “workhorses”) because they were effective or provided useful information. We don’t want to throw them out completely…but consider enhancing them with some new, fresh, and interesting healthcare marketing activities where you dare to be different! (The zonkey!)

That’s right! Think outside of the box. Pretend there is no box! Be clever. Be unique with your marketing. Stand out from the crowd of healthcare providers clamoring for the public’s attention…

External Marketing for Healthcare Practices [Easy Definition]

by Dr. Kelley Mulhern Leave a Comment

We examined the concept of internal marketing for healthcare practices in a previous blog. Let’s turn our attention now to the concept of external marketing for healthcare practices. Simply stated, [external marketing] for healthcare practices is any activity or event done outside the walls of your office to promote your practice. The most effective marketing strategies utilize a combination of internal and external marketing for practice success.