Reducing costs while improving efficiency

Outsourcing has become the new trend in today’s ever-competitive health care field. Since many things such as medical billing and coding are already outsourced, why not marketing, too?

Outsourcing can be used as an avenue to cut costs and reduce spending. Hiring a company that specializes in marketing your specific type of field can be a good start. Whether you’re looking to supplement your current marketing program or hire an outside company to take the worry out of it for you, the benefits of outsourcing can be great.

When asked, many physicians’ initial reaction is, “Can’t I hire a full-time in-house marketing person for about the same cost?” Many things are left out when evaluating costs. 

What about health benefits, taxes, work comp and unemployment expenses, not to mention turnover and the tools employees need to do their jobs such as cell phones, laptops and mileage reimbursement? All of these add up to the complete package and overall cost.

If you are a larger practice, using an outside company may help supplement your current program. If you are a small- to medium-sized practice, outsourcing your entire program may be a good solution.

With outsourcing, you have a team of professional marketing people working for you, and you can say goodbye to downtime from turnover, sick days and vacation because there is always someone there to manage the day-to-day activity of your program.

The business of medicine

From increased regulations and declining reimbursements to more sophisticated technology and better-educated patients, the world of health care continues to transform. 

As a physician, you take the time to educate your patients on their health. In medical school, however, they don’t take the time to educate practitioners on the marketing skills needed to establish and maintain a successful practice.

It all comes down to how you want to be perceived by your patients, your peers and the overall medical community. What do you do every day in your work that makes you unique and sets you apart from your competition?

Using a specialty marketing company to build your personal brand and deliver your individual marketing message to the medical community can make a huge difference.

Analyzing your current marketing strategy 

Are you spending enough time on building your patient base? Are you seeing growth in the number of referrals you receive each month? Do you have a designated marketing person, or is the responsibility just one of the many tasks your office manager or other office personnel is responsible for, and how much time is allotted for this each week? 

If you answered no to any of these questions, it may be time to re-examine your current marketing program. If you don’t have a physical presence in your referring doctor’s offices, chances are your competition does, and it’s only a matter of time before that relationship shifts – and not in your favor.

Changes in the health care field are going to force you to re-evaluate the way you operate your practice. Whether you operate a solo primary care practice, a surgery center, a small group clinic or a private hospital, effective marketing strategies are essential to conquering the impending challenges facing the business of medicine. 

With reimbursement at an all-time low and continuing to decline, building a solid referral base is more important than ever. Marketing your practice in today’s competitive market requires persistence, consistent contact with each referring account and a winning marketing strategy.

Carlos Kugler, M.D., and Kim Claire Jefferis work in partnership with the Doctors Connection team to offer a customized strategy with an emphasis on “relationship building marketing,” specializing in the health care field.

For more information, contact Jefferis at info@drsconnection.com, or visit www.drsconnection.com.