marketing calendar - Dr. Kelley

Transitioning To A Concierge Practice

To transition or not to transition, that is the question. What are the factors involved in transitioning to a concierge practice?

Education

The biggest fear most doctors have when they consider transitioning to a concierge practice is the loss of patients. When many patients hear the words “concierge practice” they think they can’t afford it.

This is where education comes in. Educating your patients on what this transition means is the single biggest factor that will determine whether your transition succeeds or fails. That means you will have to go above and beyond to help your patients understand that yes, they can still see you and no, they won’t go broke doing so.

Sending out a letter detailing the changes is a good way to start the education process. Next, you many consider scheduling one on one meetings with each patient or with those you think would be interested in the idea or conversely, those you think will be most resistant, to explain what the transition will entail.

If you have too many patients for one on one meetings, you can hold an informal “Ask the doctor” night where patients or potential patients, are free to ask any questions about the new practice model.

Preparing Staff

Your staff is more important than ever when you are transitioning to a concierge practice. The first thing most prospective patients will ask is if you accept insurance. If all they get in reply is a curt, “No,” most will hang up, and you will lose a patient.

There are many ways to structure a concierge practice. It doesn’t automatically mean that patients can’t use their insurance. Will your office file on their behalf and assign the benefits to them? That means that they are paying out of pocket up front, but you want the first half of this sentence to be the first thing your staff tells a potential patient, not the second half.

If you are going to eliminate insurance from your practice entirely, people will feel much more comfortable if they know the pricing up front. Think about it, would you order from a restaurant that had no prices on the menu? Establish a price list for your services and make it widely available; on your site, in your office, and included with any advertising you do.

Realistic Expectations

While you may eventually make more money with a concierge practice, it may not happen right away. And not all of the money will come from your patients. A lot of what makes concierge medicine appealing is the ability to get rid of lots of overhead which will save you money over time.

You need a big runway to launch this; some experts recommend having as much as $100,000-250,000 set aside to sustain your practice during the transition.

The ability to see fewer patients, spend more time with each one and make more money is also appealing, but when people are paying out of pocket, some will demand greater access to the doctor. Know that you may be dealing with patients after office hours than you are currently. Your days may not be as rushed and hectic as they were when you had a traditional practice, but they may be more intense.

Market, Market, Market

While some existing patients may not be interested in being with a concierge practice, there are plenty of people out there who would love to find one and so far haven’t found one in the area. There are also people who have not yet heard of the concept but will be really interested in this kind of care.

When you decide you’re transitioning to a concierge, you need to be prepared to mount a full-on marketing blitz. If you have been frugal with your marketing budget, you may need to spend some real money while you’re transitioning to a concierge practice. You need to do some market research to make sure the money you are spending is reaching a receptive audience.

Find Support

Concierge medicine is in its infancy but it’s been around for about two decades now so plenty have come before you. Some have failed, and some have succeeded, and both have advice to share. Seek out other practitioners and ask if they would be willing to talk to you about what worked and what did not work for them.

A Worthwhile Transition

If you are considering transitioning to a concierge practice because you think it will make you wildly rich, you’re doing it for the wrong reason and it likely won’t. But if you’re doing it because you want to provide your patients with a higher level of care, the transition will be worthwhile.

For more information on building community connections, I encourage you to read my new book Community Connections! Relationship Marketing for Healthcare Professionals. If you want more valuable information about how to Connect with YOUR Community, you can find FREE healthcare practice marketing content, PowerPoint Presentation Jumpstart Kits, workbooks, blog articles, and my FREE “Practice Marketing Planner” Now!

Healthcare Practice Marketing Indecision

by Dr. Kelley Mulhern Leave a Comment

Healthcare practice marketing indecision can cripple your practice growth and stability. Wow, that’s a pretty bold statement…but it’s true. Indecision can result from a lack of focus, certainty, information, or confidence. Since most healthcare professionals receive little education in how to successfully conduct healthcare practice marketing, it’s no wonder they struggle to make strategic marketing decisions.

For example, do you have a written description of your ideal patient? If not, this lack of focus can cause you to dilute your practice marketing efforts. Do you track your healthcare practice marketing activities and calculate specific metrics? If not, this lack of information can cause you to continue to conduct low-performing practice marketing events. Do you suffer from decreased confidence in your skills, abilities, or knowledge? If so, this changes the way in which you communicate with patients and prospective patients about your ability to help them.

Sometimes the roots of indecision run deep, and it takes a little soul-searching to dig them out. Here’s a simple exercise that may help you combat indecision or uncertainty:

Step 1: Think about your car. (Wait…what does your car have to do with healthcare practice marketing? Read on and I promise it’ll make sense!) What happens to your car when you step on the pedal to the right? Well, since it’s the gas pedal it’s designed to make your car “go.” What happens to your car when you step on the pedal to the left? As the brake, it’s intended to make your car “stop.” What happens to your car when you step on both pedals at the same time? In that scenario, you’re sending mixed signals as to what you want your car to do. If you drive a standard, you just lurch about until the car stalls. Automatics are a little more forgiving and will respond to the pedal you have more pressure on.

Step 2: Think about your healthcare practice marketing efforts (and your life in general). Where do you need to step on the proverbial gas? On the proverbial brake? Where might your lack of focus, certainty, or information be causing you to step on the gas and the brake? Let’s look at these a little closer…

Healthcare Practice Marketing Indecision

What are some ways in which you might simultaneously accelerate and decelerate your healthcare practice marketing? Consider the language you use to promote your practice. Is it specific and consistent, or do you describe your practice different ways in different settings? While some minor variance is normal, some practices try to please everyone. They might describe themselves as a wellness practice, a personal injury practice, a sports rehab center, and a weight-loss clinic. Tip: Determine who your ideal patients are and how you can best serve them. Let your healthcare practice marketing verbiage flow from those decisions.

Here are a few more ways in which you could be stepping on the gas and the brake at the same time in regards to your healthcare practice marketing:

Accelerating Behaviors	Decelerating Behaviors
Setting written and specific goals	Never reviewing or modifying those goals
Creating a written marketing calendar	Ignoring the marketing calendar – adding and removing events or activities based on how you feel at the moment
Focusing on what you want in your practice – for example, wanting 15 new patients this month	Having conflicting thoughts or energies – for example, wanting new patients, but dreading the paperwork or time involved
Establishing solid marketing processes and procedures	Not following your established marketing processes and procedures

Step on the Brake!

Next, where are some areas you may need to step on the brakes in order to improve your healthcare practice marketing? (These topics are easy to come up with, but maybe a little harder to address.) For example, slow down or stop negative self-talk, procrastination, fear, sloppiness, and disorganization.

Rev Your Engines!

Finally, where are some areas you may need to put your gas “pedal to the metal” in order to ramp up your healthcare practice marketing and take it to the next level? For example, accelerate your accountability and decisiveness, turn your weaknesses into strengths, train your staff, and practice positivity.

Taking the time to figure out what you need to do more (or less) of in terms of your healthcare practice marketing strategy can lead to clarity and certainty. This can produce tremendous results for your practice

What works for you? Do you have a clarity tip to recommend? Please share your comment, quote, or story in the comments section!

For more information on building community connections, I encourage you to read my new book Community Connections! Relationship Marketing for Healthcare Professionals. If you want more valuable information about how to Connect with YOUR Community, you can find FREE healthcare practice marketing content, PowerPoint Presentation Jumpstart Kits, workbooks, blog articles, and my FREE “Practice Marketing Planner” Now!

6 Signs Your Healthcare Practice Marketing is Failing

by Dr. Kelley Mulhern Leave a Comment

Sometimes the harder we work, the less effective we are, and the same can be true for practice marketing. This blog will explore 6 signs your healthcare practice marketing is failing and what to do about them.

Sign #1: You find yourself working harder, yet producing fewer results. For example, you’re doing more marketing events, but have the same number of new patients each month. Like a hamster on its’ wheel, you can’t seem to make any marketing progress. Tip: Do less marketing with more focus, planning, and intention. Create a written Connections Calendar™. If you need help with this, my Ramp Up For Success Package! is perfect for you. Click here for details.

Sign #2: Your patients or staff can’t explain what you do. Part of marketing is explaining to people what you do and how it can help them. Your patients and staff may see results, but if they can’t explain the results (in general terms) then your marketing has failed in its educational component. Tip: Provide constant education to your patients and staff. Make sure your staff is completely comfortable explaining what you do in multiple ways.

Sign #3: Low conversion. You’re able to attract people to your healthcare talks, marketing events, and practice, but few of them make the transition to becoming a patient. This can be closely tied to sign #1. Tip: Carefully examine your “close.” How can you change it to make it more effective?

Sign #4: Few referrals. Related to sign #2, internal marketing is a never-ending process of communication and education to current patients and staff. Tip: Provide multiple opportunities for patients to learn more about the variety of people and conditions you can help through testimonials, articles, health talks, podcasts, etc. And don’t forget to ask for their referrals!

Sign #5: Burnout. We could have a chicken-and-egg conversation here, but I think we’d all agree when you’re marketing-marketing-marketing it can lead to exhaustion and burnout. (And when you’re burned out, your marketing becomes less effective…hence the chicken-and-egg…) Tip: Build relaxation time into your schedule. Systematize and streamline your marketing so it requires less effort.

Sign #6: Stagnation. It’s been said the only constant in life is change. If your healthcare practice marketing strategy isn’t growing and changing, it’s stagnating. And that’s unhealthy. Tip: Review your written Connections Calendar™. Are the activities and events the same ones you’ve been doing for years, or do you try to add new items each year? How can you freshen it up?

Have you seen your own practice in any of these 6 signs? What did you do about it? Please share your thoughts in the comments section – I look forward to seeing you there!