Be forewarned, this is an “elephant in the room” post about dealing with difficult patients. It’s a common situation and a sensitive topic. And if you’re uncomfortable confronting the problem, or dealing with challenging, dependent, manipulative, noncompliant, upset and/or time-sucking patients…then read no further.
We've noticed that the most successful doctors and executives that we work with are constantly hungry for new information. By any of various names, continuing education is part of their personal fabric, something to be exercised daily, if not hourly. But what providers and administrators do for themselves, they sometimes overlook providing the value of […]
A prospective doctor’s long and arduous education has often been all about medicine, with precious little training or experience in the business of running a business. No sooner than a newly minted MD hangs out a shingle, but he or she is hit squarely in the face with the reality that “Healing is an art, […]
There’s something a bit institutional or simply conventional about how healthcare usually connects with patients. Hospitals and providers build many of their marketing and communications efforts around engaging slices of their target audience. While there’s nothing wrong with convention, creative and successful medical marketing lessons can be found in unconventional sources. Objectives include communicating a […]
About the time the Affordable Care Act (often labeled Obamacare) was enacted a few years ago, the trend in hospital physician hiring took a distinct upswing. Various data sources that track the whereabouts of doctors generally agree that we’ve passed a tipping point. About 50 to 60 percent of physicians now work for a hospital-owned […]
While making a professional call on a doctor’s office the other day, a colleague of ours watched $5,000 walk out the door. The small-but-painful drama that unfolded in the reception area is worth retelling if our experience can save other medical practices from losing patients and revenue. It was a real-world lesson in physician and […]
[Second of two articles.] Read our previous post on the topic of transparent prices among hospitals, How to be Named the Costliest Hospital in the Nation. When the federal government opened the books to the public on hospital prices, the unprecedented transparency came as a shock to many facilities and industry executives. And this visibility […]
Editor’s note: This article covers secrets about Search Engine Optimization. It is another in our series about how to get found on the Internet. We have a personal question for you. Have you ever "Googled yourself?" More to the point, when patients from your town search online for the services that you provide, does your […]
It’s no surprise to any of us that we remember situations that have exceeded our expectations. It’s that unexpected bit of delight or reward that we experienced at a (now favorite) restaurant, in seeing an entertaining movie, or even while doing a bit of retail shopping.
The most expensive hospital in the nation is in New Jersey, according to The New York Times. “The Bayonne Medical Center charged Medicare the highest amounts for about a quarter of the most common treatments, a Times analysis of 2011 data shows.”
The fashionable (ie snooty) retail clothing industry has more than a few elite and upscale brands. Abercrombie & Fitch (A&F) is one of those labels. But in the media recently, their uber-appeal to “the cool kids” crowd sounded abrasive, and offensive to many. But nearly buried in all the negative press coverage are some valuable […]
More than a few marketing-savvy hospitals have grown from a simplistic and static Web presence to a dynamic, multi-layered Internet encounter with their many audiences and various messages. It’s getting tougher all the time to constantly juggle the competing digital demands, messages and methods. And “constrained resources” can’t be allowed to chisel away at service […]
One of the most powerful concepts we know and teach is the Pareto Principle (aka The 80-20 Rule). In1906, Italian economist and avid gardener Vilfredo Pareto established that 80% of the land in Italy was owned by 20% of the population. While gardening he later observed that 20% of the peapods in his garden yielded […]
Hospital executives say they are increasing their digital marketing budgets to reach and influence doctors. Close to 30 percent (on average, about $13,000) is aimed at physicians, and the balance targets consumers for the typical small hospital budget. This data comes from an informative report available from UBM Medica US. Among the findings, hospitals—like other […]
Have you noticed the recent wave of TV commercials for one-to-one video calling (Apple Facetime), or multiple participation (GoToMeeting) video collaboration, or one-to-many webcasting? In business, it’s all as close, convenient and immediate as your smart phone, tablet or laptop. For personal and small business uses the service is free or low cost and it's […]
At times, the wildly popular attention to Internet marketing (according to, well…the Internet) seems to ignore “traditional” media. It’s as if television advertising is a laughable relic that only your grandparents recall. What’s more, there’s no place for TV in a healthcare marketing plan. Opps...wrong! Log off the "digital darling" fixation for the next two […]
Five quick search engine optimization techniques to recognize if your healthcare website needs help with search ranking—to attract more visitors and win new patients. Here's a quick assessment tool for your healthcare website. Internet Search Engines, like Google, decide how high your site will be listed on a mountain of search results. Sophisticated computer programs-spiders, […]
On an ordinary day many small- to mid-size community hospitals struggle to compete, remain independent…or even keep their doors open at all. But as provisions and affects of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) continue to rollout, the challenges are increasingly severe.
Physicians have been quick to embrace online technology personally, but on the practice and profession side, they have approached social media, blogs, email (and sometimes Internet marketing) slowly and with an understandable measure of caution.
For hospitals, health systems and practitioners, “patient experience” has gone from trendy buzzwords to strategic imperative. In fact, the totality of patient experience and satisfaction is a top-tier issue for individual providers, hospitals, group medical practices and executive decision-makers. With these folks in mind--just about everyone--the following are 10 Top Patient Experience articles, including best […]
Human emotions are probably the strongest reason for someone to LIKE, SHARE or COMMENT on Facebook (or almost any social media for that matter.) Sure, there are many posts that inform or educate, others that reward, a few that tempt or tease the page visitor. But the lesson for healthcare and hospital marketing folks is […]
Healthcare in general—and medical practice marketing in particular—has as an over-abundance of challenges these days. How do you move forward in spite of the competitive headwinds? How do you maximize your advertising Return-on-Investment? How do you shift from “get along” to “get ahead?” Where’s the path to increasing personal and professional satisfaction? How can we […]
The second in a two-part series about intelligent individuals that allow their personality or attitudes to block their potential for success. Read part one: Staff Secretly Takes Assertiveness Training. We continue with the second of our true tales from the field about doctors who step on their own marketing toes.
[Podcast] For a large healthcare system or any hospital for that matter, success with “patient experience” is far deeper than “making the patient happy.” Take it from Cleveland Clinic, the first healthcare organization in the United States to appoint a Chief Experience Officer. “It’s not just about satisfaction. This is about how we deliver quality […]
Have you ever felt uncomfortable--a little jittery, perhaps--because you forgot your Smartphone? Is your Smartphone within reach right now?
We’re not going to mention any names, but you’ll probably recognize the personality types. And please excuse our candor…consider it constructive criticism.
It may not be as difficult as you suspect to recruit doctors to your blog. Here’s a doctor’s perspective on how to sell the idea to busy doctors.
The ongoing migration by doctors from private practice (self-employment) to working for a hospital or health system appears to have passed a tipping point, and many physicians are unhappy and considering a change. Fueled by financial pressures, regulatory changes, and the uncertainty of continuing change the trend is increasing. The recruitment of doctors into solo […]
The mixed-up-world of healthcare delivery in the US has been scrambled again…this time by the corporate/retail sector. Walgreens continues to redefine the mid-level provider landscape by announcing that it will become “the first-ever chain retailer to become a direct provider of primary care services.” Just when you thought you had a fix on the competition, […]
On any given day—everyday, actually—you and I and everyone in the country are the primary landing zone for over 5,000 advertising and marketing messages. (There are many days when it seems like the number should be much higher.) But that’s the average—so says the Content Marketing Institute—and in our estimation, the online, social media and […]
It’s outrageous to think that someone would purchase a new luxury automobile—a Mercedes or BMW, let’s say—that has no engine. All leather interior, headlamp washers, satellite stereo radio, LCD multimedia package…but without an engine, it doesn’t go anywhere. Yet we often hear from physicians who have—metaphorically speaking—done exactly that. A new doctor’s office with no […]
Isn’t hindsight great? You’re beginning a quarterly assessment of your Marketing Plan, and some marketing and advertising elements played out close to plan. But then there are troublesome parts of the plan where you’re faced with a painful dissection of incorrect assumptions, increased competition, erratic consumer needs and wants, and the relentless rollout of the […]
A baker's dozen of helpful tips in evaluating and using healthcare radio advertising Radio is a powerful media option for healthcare marketing. With rates negotiable to "half-off" or better, radio is worth a close look, even if you've avoided radio advertising in the past as too sophisticated or expensive for your hospital, organization or private […]
In an informal survey of healthcare and hospital Internet advertising recently, we were alarmed by what we DIDN'T find. A surprising percentage of online ads and search topics that caught our attention didn’t connect us to a subject-specific “landing page.” The result: reader interest is lost and with it, new business opportunity is down the […]
If you track things by the numbers, the upstart medical information site, HealthTap, shouldn’t be doing nearly as well as it is. Just two years old this week, HealthTap says it’s the first “Interactive Expert Health Companion,” and it has thousands of doctors answering health and medical questions online, for free. There’s no question about […]
[Podcast] Our continuing series of healthcare and hospital marketing interviews today spotlights CHOC Children’s Hospital in Orange County, CA. Jan Lansing, Vice President of Marketing and Communications talks with Healthcare Success Co-Founder and Hospital Division Director Lonnie Hirsch. CHOC, Children’s Hospital is located in Orange County (CA), the fifth most populous county in the US. […]
by Lori Waltz The role of a Physician Liaison has emerged as a vital marketing position for many specialty practices. Although providers and practice decision-makers understand the concept and value of working with a representative, they don’t always know which skill sets are most important to success when hiring. I work with clients throughout the […]
In our continuing series of healthcare marketing podcasts, Dr. Marc Salzberg, President of the Board of Directors of the Urgent Care Association of America, discusses increasing public demand and other critical issues facing the urgent care industry in advance of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Interviewed by Healthcare Success Co-Founder and Hospital Division Director Lonnie […]
In the kindest of terms, the US Census bureau website was, for many marketing planners, a bitter and frustrating joke. I’m relieved to report that American FactFinder now has a new look, new tools and (grand sigh) easier access. Ask any experienced healthcare marketing professional. Extracting useful statistics from the US Census Bureau has been […]
[The second of two articles. Our previous post identified The 4 Biggest Reasons to Rethink Everything About Healthcare Marketing.] “What would you attempt to do if you knew you could not fail?” In just 13 words, motivational speaker, pastor and author Robert Schuller presents a clean-slate approach to goals, priorities and actions.
Doctors tend to be risk-aware or risk-sensitive individuals. It’s part of the sobering responsibility they assume with the care and treatment of their patients. Years of education, professional training and clinical experience develop a mindset of assessing and managing risk vs. reward. Patients and colleagues expect no less in practicing medicine. Of course executing a […]
Not long ago the folks at Krames StayWell checked-in with us about how healthcare Customer Relationship Management—hospital CRM in particular—is recalibrating its mission for greater engagement and improved outcomes in an Accountable Care Organization (ACO) world. Many of the “old rules” are changing. They’re out now with an insightful report about CRM in an ACO […]
“SoLoMo.” Say it slowly a couple of times. It’s one of those recently minted, goofy-sounding marketing terms that someone invented. But SoLoMo belongs in your hospital marketing vocabulary. It’s a convenient contrivance to remind marketing planners to leverage the significant SOCIAL, LOCAL and MOBILE trends. Dissecting SoLoMo: What it means and why it’s important…
Sometime this year, mobile phones will overtake PCs as the most common Web access device worldwide, according to a Gartner forecast. And with the mobile tipping point on the near horizon (or maybe here), it’s only smart marketing for hospitals and provider practices to have a mobile plan in place right now. Websites that are […]
Surprising insights gleaned from our discussions with many of the nation's leading medical group administrators - and what you should do next as a result We gained a number of surprising insights from talking with hundreds of medical group practice administrators and CEOs at the MGMA* annual conference in Las Vegas this year. Based upon […]
[The first of two articles.] Where were you and what were you doing five years ago? Four years ago? As recently as 36 months ago, many doctors and hospitals were working from a “traditional” marketing playbook. And for the time, by intent or oversight, it seemed that it was “good enough” for marketing, advertising and […]
[One of a series of posts about managing your online professional reputation, for doctor and hospital marketing success.] Most physicians regard their professional reputation as their most prized—and most highly protected—possession. As healthcare providers, there may also be a practice name, a group name, a hospital or medical facility name. Although the business entities also […]
Intellectually, a myth is understood to be a fable or false notion. But emotionally, a myth has great appeal. It is something that people collectively want to believe. Human nature tends to dismiss reality in favor of an alluring idea. What’s more, a myth gains traction and believability when it is often told or heard […]
“Call Now,” “Click Here,” “Act Now,” or “Find Out More.” In virtually all forms of advertising, if you don’t tell people what you want them to do, they won’t do it. It’s an elementary healthcare advertising rule, without a call-to-action, a message is at least incomplete. More likely, the advertising effort is probably an ineffective waste […]
[Study] The number of “Likes” on a hospital’s Facebook page can be used as a proxy for patient satisfaction and an indicator of hospital quality, according to findings published by the American Journal of Medical Quality. This study—titled Do Patients “Like” Good Care? Measuring Quality via Facebook—is an eye-opener for hospital administrators and marketing executives […]
