RE: Re: rural areas and marketting

[Guest guest]

Since your space is set up for 2 doctors,

you could try to get a response on Craiglist for someone to share space. You’ll

need to check with the hospital for it, though. When they do your audit they

could get really picky about stuff like that (have an attorney who is familiar

with all of the laws write up the agreement for you). Our audit is currently

pending….

Pratt

Office Manager

Oak Tree Internal Medicine P.C.

From: [mailto: ] On Behalf Of drsof99

Sent: Thursday, June 26, 2008

12:45 PM

To:

Subject:

Re: rural areas and marketting

Thanks for the advice guys-I actually have done the

talks and

the " pennysaver " and have also called up the papers. one paper is

coming to do an article on me next week.

As far as the " obstacles " -I don't think so? Here is some more

info:

I am on a major road near Motor vehicle. My hours are 8:30-5, MWF, 12-

8 Tues and 11-7 Thurs and I am open one Sat morning a month 8:30-

12:30. My LPN is as nice as can be and I have recieved great word of

mouth complements regarding my practice.

As far as the lease is concerned, I think I am stuck. Perhaps I can

try and renegotiate at the end of the lease in 2yrs, but considering

the " hard " times we are having in NJ and at the hospital-I doubt they

will cut me a break, but I guess I could try. I think I am going to

definately be out of this building into a smaller space when the

lease is up. The space makes sense for 2 docs not one and I already

told them I want someone in here to help with the rent, but so far no

biters. The rent is do-able for now, I am just trying to look toward

the bottome line.

I know lifestyle is a big thing, but when you are dependent on the

insurance companies for $-what is a girl to do!

[Guest guest]

March in the local parades with a catchy phrase and hand out your business cards.Lynette I Iles MD 301 South Iowa Ste 2Washington IA 52353 Flexible Family Care'Modern medicine the old-fashioned way'

This e-mail and attachments may contain information which is confidential and is only for the named addressee. If you have received this email in error, please notify the sender immediately and delete it from your computer.

[Guest guest]

Not sure if these are specifically rural ideas, but here is a list I did from suggestions a couple years ago... Locke, MD

Advertising Marketing Promotion LFM Locke Family Medicine

Here are some ideas...what would you add?

1. Ads in paper, local magazines

2. Commercials on TV, Radio, Websites

3. Knocking on doors in subdivisions -- We have lots of new subdivisions going up. I've often wondered if people would be put off by a doctor knocking on the door of a new house with a new homeowner and giving out a brochure, card, and introducing self.

4. Commercials before the movies at the movie theater

5. Business Cards put out at...Airport, Chamber of Commerce, other businesses (ie local Yoga place), et al

6. Yellow Pages Ad -- 1 liner vs quarter page ad with graphics

7. Scope of Care brochure -- http://www.aafp.org/fpm/981000fm/marketing.html

8. Give business cards away to people you meet

9. Give medical talks -- nursing home, schools, local Elks club, etc

10. Write a column in the Newspaper

11. Have a booth at the local Town Fair

12. Offer services to local fund raiser silent auction (ie offer Physical Exam that people bid upon at the auction)

13. Sign in the front of your business (this is an issue for us. We are in a 2 story large brown medical office building right next to a highway, but without a sign designating what we are...When we meet in public they ask "Where is your office?" "Oh, that building. I didn't know it was a medical office?"

14. Brochure...to give out in the office or at other times. Explains what you do and who you are.

15. Promote self/clinic at PTA meetings, playdates, give cards out at playgrounds to parents

16. Promote self to specialists in the community (ie meet & greet the local cardiologist and offer to take over Family Medicine care for new patients the Cardiologist sees who need a primary care doc)

17. Website for Practice

18. New patient letter...send a letter to patients that are new to your practice. Letter welcomes them and describes your practice, etc

19. Birthday Card...send a B-day card to each of your patients.

20. Condolences Card...send card to family when patient dies or other event happens

21. Welcome Wagon -- have the local welcome wagon give out your card and brochure to each new homeowner

22. Direct mailings -- spam out a letter/card to everyone in a zip code

23. Our local paper has a kind of What's Happening section in the paper that they announce various goings on. Might be an option to announce the opening of a new practice for free.

24. Others?

===================================

The "happy birthday" letter. The incredible value of small acts of kindness toward our patients was driven home to me several years ago when I found out that the most sought-after physician in our practice was one of the residents (Takaji Kittaka, MD). I knew he was a nice guy and a good doctor, but why the line of patients? It turned out that he went the extra mile for his patients. For example, on his own he started sending birthday cards to each of his patients. He also saved the toys from his kid's "Happy Meals"

and gave them to his pediatric patients. We stole the ideas for our own patients immediately.

====================================

A few other ideas:

1) Go to your local Emergency Department and introduce yourself to the doctors there, telling them you are taking new patients. Hit different shifts, and visit periodically. Take your business cards. They see many unaffiliated patients.

2) Make the rounds of pharmacies and introduce yourself to pharmacists. When they encounter patients that are complaining about their current doctors, they may think of you.

3) Be sure your patients know you are taking new patients. Have a sign on the wall in each exam room " we would be honored if you would refer your family and friends here - (and list the range of services you provide, as a reminder).

Joan E. Wurmbrand MD

===================================

No matter how long you have been in practice, assume your patient know nothing of the services you offer. Repeat this, in whatever formatt you choose, over and over. After 15 1/2 years in the same location, I have patients regularly tell me that they did not know we have radiology services, full service lab, or see kids. We use yellow pages (we are in a tourist area), newspaper, and best of all, word of mouth through our staff. I have considered, but not started, a bonus system for employees who refer us new patients.

Phil Yount, MD

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The best bang for the advertising buck I’ve gotten (small town, rural practice) has been "point of purchase" placards I made. The technique: Make or have an artist friend make for you, an 8 ½ x 11" poster advertising your practice. Humor seems to help. Have the posters laminated at Staples, or similar – it should resemble a plastic placemat at this point. Make a template out of stiff cardboard that can be folded into a small box to hold business cards. Make the boxes and stick one to each laminated poster with double-stick tape. Go to local businesses, post office, library, etc and, with permission (hopefully), hang them up. Check periodically to refill the cards.

Total cost for the dozen I made was less than $25, plus the cards. More people have entered my practice due to these posters, than any other method I’ve tried.

Second best was making slides of the poster, which are shown in a slide show before/between the feature(s) at our local theater. Shown several times daily. Cost: $150/3 months.

Newspaper advertising, in my experience, has been a nearly total waste of money.

Arp-Sandel, MD

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1. Public speaking. This doesn't have to be as overwhelming as it sounds. Once you identify where your "ideal patients" hang out, see if you can get yourself invited to give a short helpful presentation on a topic of interest to them. Local organizations that meet regularly such as Rotary Club, Kiwanis, church groups, parenting groups, Chambers of Commerce - all these provide excellent venues for getting known as both an expert and a warm and caring professional.

2. Writing. Local newspapers, magazines, "throw-away" journals are always seeking reliable good content - it makes their publishing lives a lot easier. "Top ten lists", "How to" articles, "Seven Secrets to..." are very popular and may help you get better known.

3. "Warm and caring" effective patient outreach. A personal call from a physician to a patient is often both surprising and endearing to a patient, which in turn builds great loyalty. These personal calls can be check-ins, coaching moments (inspiring the patient to achieve a goal), informational (letting them know of normal results), educational and merely relationship-building. Listen to the interview for Dr. Baum's suggestions.

4. Maintaining a clear helpful web presence. A simple easy-to-navigate and informational website can add a lot to a physician practice's credibility. Here is an example of one of my favorites - Dr. Marty Schulman's website. This website not only informs the reader about the practice philosophy but also gives the distinct sense of his personality (low key, approachable and humorous!)

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From: [mailto: ] On Behalf Of Lynette IlesSent: Friday, June 27, 2008 6:19 PMTo: Subject: Re: Re: rural areas and marketting

March in the local parades with a catchy phrase and hand out your business cards.Lynette I Iles MD 301 South Iowa Ste 2Washington IA 52353 Flexible Family Care'Modern medicine the old-fashioned way' This e-mail and attachments may contain information which is confidential and is only for the named addressee. If you have received this email in error, please notify the sender immediately and delete it from your computer.