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In this episode, Dr. Barbara Hales discusses:

  • The challenges facing private practices due to soaring expenses and decreased reimbursements
  • The importance of strategic promotion for the survival of private practices
  • Innovative solutions like telehealth to enhance patient care and practice management

Key Takeaways:
“Private practice offers personalized care and attention that patients can’t find in large healthcare settings.” – Dr. Barbara Hales.

 

Connect with Barbara Hales:

 

Twitter:   @DrBarbaraHales

Facebook:   facebook.com/theMedicalStrategist

Business website: www.TheMedicalStrategist.com

Show website:   www.MarketingTipsForDoctors.com

Email:   Barbara@TheMedicalStrategist.com

Books:

YouTube: TheMedicalStrategist

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/barbarahales

  

TRANSCRIPTION

Introduction

Dr. Barbara Hales: Welcome to another episode of marketing tips for doctors. I’m your host, Dr. Barbara Hales. Today, I want to discuss private practices with soaring expenses and decreased reimbursements. Doctors in private practice struggle to fill their appointment books, are worried about getting enough money to pay the bills, and are frustrated over not having enough time to spend with loved ones doing what they love.

The Importance of Strategic Promotion

I am deeply passionate about helping physicians in private practice because I believe that without strategic promotion, private practices may not survive in the next ten years. The healthcare landscape is shifting rapidly with increasing competition from large healthcare organizations. Private practitioners must highlight their unique value, connect with their communities, and build a strong online and offline presence to ensure their continued success.

I aim to empower them with the tools and strategies to thrive in this evolving environment. This approach conveys the concern for the future of private practice while emphasizing a commitment to helping physicians succeed.

Empowerment and Advocacy

Now, let’s talk about empowerment and advocacy. The primary goal is to empower physicians in private practice by providing them with the knowledge, tools, and strategies they need to promote their services effectively. The aim is to become a leading advocate for the private practice model, helping doctors navigate the changing healthcare landscape.

Case Study: Dr. Susan

Imagine Dr. Susan, a solo practitioner in a small town. She’s been in private practice for 20 years but recently started losing patients to a large healthcare group that opened nearby. Feeling overwhelmed, she reached out for guidance. By focusing on strategic promotion, enhancing her online presence, and highlighting the personalized care she offers, Dr. Susan reconnected with her community. She began hosting virtual Q&A sessions where patients could ask questions about women’s health in a relaxed setting, reminding them of the care and attention she’s always provided. With a few simple changes, she not only retained her patients but also attracted new ones who valued the one-on-one care she offered. Her practice regained its stability, and she found her confidence as a business owner once again.

Education and Resources

Now, let’s look at education and resources. Focus on educating physicians about marketing and business strategies, including digital marketing, social media presence, and patient engagement. By developing resources like workshops, online courses, or written guides, they can be helped to implement effective promotional strategies.

Case Study: Dr. Mark

Dr. Mark, another physician, had been relying solely on word-of-mouth referrals for years. When his patient numbers dropped, he felt lost. “I just don’t know how to market,” he said. He attended a marketing workshop tailored to physicians in private practice and discovered that digital marketing wasn’t as intimidating as he assumed it was. With a little effort, he learned to create a website, start a blog, and share educational content through social media. He also discovered the power of patient reviews. Dr. Mark’s blog became a hit, especially his post about managing chronic pain, which resonated with many people in the community. Soon his appointment book filled up again, and he felt proud knowing he had the tools to control the success of his practice.

Community Building

Thirdly, we’re going to look at community building. Foster a sense of community among private practitioners, encouraging collaboration and support. Creating forums or networking opportunities enables them to share experiences, strategies, and successes.

Case Study: Dr. Emma

Yes. Dr. Emma, who ran a family practice, felt isolated in her work. The demands of patient care, managing a practice, and staying current in medicine were exhausting. A colleague suggested she join a local physician networking group that met once a month. She initially hesitated, thinking she had no time, but after the first meeting, she felt revitalized. Sharing her struggles and strategies with others in the same boat was both cathartic and energizing. Not only did she make valuable professional connections, but she also collaborated with another doctor on patient referrals and cross-promotions. The community became a source of strength, and she began to feel more in control of her practice and her well-being.

Innovative Solutions

Now we get to innovative solutions. As healthcare continues to evolve, staying ahead of industry trends and offering innovative solutions will be crucial. You might explore new technologies, patient management systems, or telehealth solutions that can enhance their practices.

Case Study: Dr. Rob

Dr. Rob was always a bit of a techie, but he never thought to use technology to improve his practice until he heard about telehealth. He was hesitant at first; he liked seeing his patients in person. But once he tried it, he was amazed. Offering telehealth appointments not only made life easier for his patients but also helped him manage his time better. He could see more patients without compromising quality. Additionally, his patients loved the flexibility. Dr. Rob even began using automated systems for appointment reminders and follow-ups, which reduced no-shows and helped patients stay on top of their care. Innovating didn’t just help his practice survive; it helped it grow.

Sustainability and Longevity

Let’s talk now about sustainability and longevity. Ultimately, the purpose is to ensure that private practices not only survive but thrive in the coming years. By focusing on sustainability and adaptation, you can help practitioners maintain their autonomy and provide quality care to their patients.

Case Study: Dr. Laura

Dr. Laura had always dreamed of having her own practice, but as the years went by, she found it increasingly difficult to keep up with the financial and administrative burdens. With her practice’s future in jeopardy, she decided to seek outside help. She connected with a financial consultant who specialized in healthcare practices and began working on a long-term plan for sustainability. They restructured her pricing model, optimized her appointment scheduling, and introduced more efficient billing practices. Over time, Dr. Laura not only stabilized her business but also created a model that allowed her to spend more time with patients and less time worrying about the bills. She now felt confident that her practice would thrive for many years to come.

The Importance of Personalization

The thing to keep in mind is that private practice as an option for patients is so important because when they go to a private practice location, they are getting one-on-one care, personal attention with their doctor, and a personal relationship that they will not get if they go to a hospital setting, where they’re seeing a different doctor each time or a large clinic or an urgent center. There is no personalization there. Patients are rushed in and rushed out, and many feel that they only get a quality three minutes of face time while watching the doctor input the information into the computer and staring at the top of the doctor’s head instead of looking eye to eye.

Conclusion

So my mission is to keep private practice in existence instead of fading away over the next 10 years. I’m sure you would agree with that. What has been your experience? Write in and let me know how you feel about it. This has been another episode of marketing tips for doctors. Till next time you…

Sponsorship

This podcast episode has been brought to you today by Katherine Knapp. Her journey is to improve patient outcomes as well as prevent diseases before they take hold of all of us and those we love. After years of personal research on the proven link between diet, lifestyle, health, and longevity, Katherine now helps work with doctors to help families avoid the heartache of losing loved ones to preventable diseases.

As she continues her work with practices nationwide, providing science-based healthy diet and lifestyle education and nutrition, she extends her guidance to individuals and families on their journey towards improved health and well-being. Part of how she does this is through something called Nutrimetrics. Nutrimetrics helps people stay healthy with essential nine vitamins and amino acids. The nutrition is built on a strong foundation, and using the essential nine products builds a solid foundation to support your healthy lifestyle.

Products involve essential omega, as well as other supplements for heart health, multivitamins without iron, activated B complex, vitamin D, and probiotics, as well as many others. These supplements can be purchased through Katherine Knapp, but in addition to that, she can arrange for you to be an affiliate so that you can get passive streams of income as well when you recommend it to your patients.

Well, this has been another episode of marketing tips for doctors. Till next time..