BuzzMed Specialist Marketing
News to Use
TWITTER: Let's Get Our Feet Wet
Carolyn Robertson September 2012
I confess, I was very anti-Twitter. Partially because I did not understand it, and partially because I already feel like I invest enough time “plugged in”. A friend of mine passionately explained some of the ways he'd found it useful, and I decided to give it a shot. I absolutely, positively love it. I consider it a time-saver and a valuable resource. And while I’d love to write a whole essay on the basics of Twitter and why it’s important to physicians, Dr Ryan Madanick did such a good job, I decided to just cut-and-paste his article below instead. (P.S.- I found it via Twitter)
*** Twitter is a website and also an app- so you can put it on your computer, iPad and smartphone ***
Keeping up with the Concierge
Carolyn Robertson July 2012
Five years ago I had no idea what concierge medicine was. Three years ago I had an idea what it was, but it was still on the fringe, and considered rare premium healthcare for those who could afford it. Today, it’s rare that I go through an entire day without visiting at least one “MDVIP” “Private Physician” or other such concierge practice.
When I first started visiting these offices, I presented my information as I would in any other office. I provided promotional information along with the typical referral resources (business cards, insurance lists, etc.), and then I would ask questions about their usual referral habits and patterns with their patients. This is where I realized a difference. Where most offices referred to insurance and location being of utmost importance, in the concierge offices I was frequently told things like: “our patients need a lot of hand holding” and “our patients are used to being seen right away” and “our patients can be pretty high maintenance”. Expecting a higher level of service makes sense, since they are paying a premium for their primary care, but how does this carry over into the specialist arena?
Getting Engaged
Carolyn Robertson July 2012
I am always looking for more ways I can help your practice grow. This month I came across an astonishing case study: In this tough economy, over a 3 month time period, a specialty practice increased their new patient volume by over 30% from the previous year by making a basic, common-sense change. They got their staff engaged.
Why is this so important? Because patients have choices.