Unit 9 - Marketing In this week’s (last) seminar we will discuss the external and internal marketing procedures. Let’s take a look at the internal marketing procedures.

Unit 9 - Marketing What is Marketing? It can be defined as the process of developing and selling ideas, goods and services that satisfy customers using the principles of –pricing –promotion –distribution

Unit 9 - Marketing Internal Marketing - –Ensuring patient satisfaction –Conducting patient satisfaction surveys –Conducting referring physician surveys –Providing patient education programs and materials –Distributing patient information handbooks

Unit 9 - Marketing Companies like Disney, Wal-Mart, Federal Express and Marriott have built successful businesses by understanding the importance of customer perception. Health care organizations realize the importance of patient perception and focus on measuring quality.

Unit 9 - Marketing Medical office must deal with three important concepts: –Patient Expectation –Patient Experience –Patient Perception

Unit 9 - Marketing Patient Expectation - refers to patients expectations regarding what will take place during an office visit. Patient Experience - Is the circle of events that actually takes place during an office visit. Patient Perception - Is how a patient rates an office visit.

Unit 9 - Marketing Expectation + Experience = Perception

Unit 9 - Marketing Quality Services - Means a degree of excellence. There are four elements to the delivery of quality service (page 424) –The Customer/Patient –Staff commitment –Patient Expectations –Continuity of Service

Unit 9 - Marketing These four elements equal –patient satisfaction –staff motivation –professional fulfillment –practice’s success

Unit 9 - Marketing Commitment to quality service must start at the top - Office Manager –solid vision or goal –conviction in what the office is doing –visible and available –learn and grow –reward staff –review office progress

Unit 9 - Marketing Patient Satisfaction is the foundation and cornerstone of any office. It can be defined as Quality medical care + Quality Service = Patient Satisfaction

Unit 9 - Marketing Patient Satisfaction rewards the practice with the following (page 426) –increased productivity –higher profitability –more patient referrals –improved employee morale –increased collection rate –decreased employee turnover –lower risk of malpractice

Unit 9 - Marketing From the expert’s notebook It has been said that if you lose one patient, you actually lose eleven, because one patient will influence ten more!

Unit 9 - Marketing Patients can become dissatisfied with the office: –telephone system- too many test –get an appointment- staff is unfriendly –waiting too long –office too cold –no parking

Unit 9 - Marketing Patient Satisfaction - Office manager should obtain feedback from patient Word of Mouth - Each patient knows 3 or 4 more people. Patients want physicians and his/ her medical office to demonstrate certain characteristics (page 427)

Unit 9 - Marketing Patients want to feel “warm and fuzzy” Patient expects communication to be clear - employees must be in tune with patient’s expectation. Patient education programs - Patients should be well informed - Use brochures and pamphlets in the medical office

Unit 9 - Marketing Patient Information Handbook - –contain a wealth of information –hours –how appointments are made –address of office –directions

Unit 9 - Marketing Staff Satisfaction –Happy staff = Happy Office = Happy Patients –Appreciation of staffs’ work –Job Security –Good working conditions –Competitive salaries

Unit 9 - Marketing Six factors influence job satisfaction. –Achievement –Recognition –The work itself –Responsibility –Advancement –Growth

Unit 9 - Marketing Mission Statement - Each practice should have its own ideas about what should be in a mission statement. –Quality of care –Quality of Service –Coordinate care –Responsiveness to needs –Enhanced quality of life

Unit 9 - Marketing –Recognition of patient, insurance company, hospital, staff member and physician roles in care –Need for a competent and trained staff –Importance of wellness care –Mission statement should be displayed in the office. It is a great internal marketing tool (box 15-5, page 433)

Unit 9 - Marketing External Marketing Practice Newsletters - –generates income by attracting new patients –provide professional information to patients –following tips can help keep your newsletter personal Write exclusively for your practice Office manager should control content Write stories about the physician and the office.

Unit 9 - Marketing External Marketing –Use patient bill statement - bottom of each statement print a message that will bring in patients, reminder about child back to school physical, flu shots. –Hold monthly luncheons for referring physicians.

Cooperative Marketing - Many physicians are looking into this concept as it cost less than a first class marketing advertising campaign. It allows physicians to engage in marketing activities with other physicians and still keep their independence. Participating in community health fairs, opening a free standing ambulatory care center.

Unit 9 - Marketing Example of joint marketing ventures –mailing brochures to current and prospective patients. –Share a community newsletter and share the cost. –One stop shopping for physician services, all your physicians are located in one office.

Unit 9 - Marketing Marketing a New Physician –send out an announcement –mention special skills and education –send to members of the hospital staff, departments in the hospital, pharmacists, densities, local community organizations.

Unit 9 - Marketing Geoecometric Marketing - Physicians can reach their ideal patients using whatever selection process they choose. Developed by Sansum Medical Center in Santa Barbara, California Ideal patients for a specific practice are targeted, good outcomes and patient satisfaction are a sure bet.

Unit 9 - Marketing Certain characteristics identify the most desirable prospective patients, age, sex, income and education. For example, purchase a mailing list from a magazine on fine dining and sent mailings regarding nutrition and diet and the services that the office provided.

Unit 9 - Marketing Advertising - Depending on the type of practice, advertising can be a great help or a total disaster. –Specialty groups, most patients are referred by other physicians, they do not need to advertise. –Family practice or internal medicine, patients look in phone books, local newspapers ads or on the Internet, or advertise on the radio

Unit 9 - Marketing Community Involvement - Get physicians involved with social and civic groups. –Family physician agreed to become the physician for a football team. –Little League games –Organize a local chapter of a health organization. Diabetes Association

Unit 9 - Marketing Advertising Plan –Developed and maintained –Specific objectives of what the physician(s) want to accomplish.

Unit 9 - Marketing The Medium –Decide the medium in which to advertise, one factor is cost. (page 438) Internet Local newspaper City Magazine Radio Direct Mail Television

Unit 9 - Marketing From the experts notebook –Even in this high tech world, the Yellow Pages are still the initial source when seeking services and are the most widely used form of advertising.

Unit 9 - Marketing Ad Agencies - Make sure it is experienced with health care advertising, check fees, make sure everything is written down. Managed Care - Employers’ decision to change insurance companies are snatching patients from the practice and placing them under the care of a participating physician of the employer’s insurance plan.

Unit 9 - Marketing Two issues have resulted from the managed care growth. –Understand that patient satisfaction is critical –Understand the importance of a healthy relationship between the patient and the physician.

Unit 9 - Marketing We must plan for the future, because people who stay in the present will remain in the past. Abraham Lincoln.