Unless you’re a diabolically charming physician, have a world class well publicized surgical or medical device or skill, or are on the right side of the demand- supply equation, when it comes to patient demand, you’ll have to be content with mediocre growth of your medical practice and you’ll forever be at the whim of flaky market dynamics and health demographics that affect patient attendance at your practice.

This may be uncomfortable for some to accept, particularly if you’re a specialist. Let’s face it, you may believe you’re gifted with charm and charisma as well as the best surgical/medical techniques in your field.

Regrettably this may only be partially true and by the time you work out which part you will have missed valuable opportunities to grow your medical business faster and more successfully than you might have ever expected.

In this post I’ll share just a few techniques that will transform the way you conduct your medical business. These techniques, if adhered to, should generate sustained medical practice growth beyond what would normally be possible through conventional methods.

You don’t have to be content with just what comes through the door. There was a time when a specialist or medical practitioner would hang their shingle out and patients would flock.

Specialist practice in Australia is far more competitive today. With 60% of current medical trainees expressing an intention to specialize, competition in most medical and surgical specialities is intensifying . Is your medical service or practice ready for this onslaught of well trained, social networking-savvy graduates ?

There exists today in some surgical and medical specialties intense competition to attract patients. Not just anyone, but the right types of patients. The field of Cardiology for instance, is one such field that is subject to the intense competitive market conditions I’m alluding to.

It goes without saying that we all want what’s best for the patient, and you believe you are in medical practice because what you have to offer patients is the best medical care they can access.

So how do you convey that message in a way that patients, primary care referrers and General Practitioners will respect and respond to ? Here are a few steps you can take to maximize your potential offering:

1. Why Grow

The first thing is to understand why you want to grow your practice. Are you offering an extension of your existing specialty. Perhaps you are adding a complimentary specialist that will facilitate cross referral and better in-house treatment options. Whatever the reason, if patient care is central to your practice growth strategy then you’re on the right path. If patient care formed part of your intention to expand then you will have looked at the correct dashboard indicators for this to succeed.

2. Sell yourself

Be persuasive about what you are good at. I’m not sure why, but in general, medical specialists are uncomfortable with the mere idea of selling themselves. Perhaps it’s the intense medical training, the need for clinical evidence, science, or the conservatism that exists in medical training culture.

Let me make one thing clear, selling yourself is essential! Don’t feel that if you have to sell yourself that you have somehow failed to be clinically good enough. This is rarely the case. So, that said, get comfortable with this concept. If you still can’t get your head around it think of it this way. You have a professional responsibility to any patient that needs your expertise. You chose your specialist niche so that you can make a difference in the lives of others, right ? Honest, responsible marketing, the type I’m advocating here and the only type you want to engage in, is reassuring patients of their trust in you as a physician.

3. Medical Liaison

Getting personal with those potential primary care physicians that will ultimately play a role in your success is essential. Medical liaison is one of the most valuable tools you can use to build knowledge in the market of who you are and how you will help the referrer’s patients. The message here is simple, be bold, honest and unashamedly self-promoting.

Medical liaison involves going to your referrer, be it General Practitioners, nurses, hospital management, accident and emergency physicians, allied health workers, to tell them who you are, what you’re good at and how this will benefit them and their patients.

You may wish to engage the services of a freelance professional to undertake this task on your behalf. If you decide to do this I encourage you as the physician to be involved if you want to get the maximum benefit.

Liaison is far more effective when the physician is involved in clinic visits and educational presentations than a freelance liaison alone. After all, the relationship is with you, the skilled physician. The referrer will feel reassured by this interaction.

If your liaison skills are mediocre at best then it will be the job of the freelance representative to help polish your presentation and assist you to create a relaxed exchange and interaction. A quality liaison specialist will have well developed communications skills and should remain a few steps ahead of the specialist – referrer interaction. They will be sensitive to opportunities in the interaction/discussion that will help build stronger professional links aimed at better serving the patient and referrer.

4. Medical marketing

The internet has changed the way patients explore treatment options and so will impact on your business. Conventional marketing methods are often less effective.

Physicians and their practice teams have to be more willing to explore the marketing opportunities the internet offers. This should include use of social networking, blog media, and website functionality all aimed at patient needs as well as potential referrers.

Take the time to invest in a professional website design that will address the clinical issues in your practice. It will also help to challenge some of the misinformation acquired by patients trawling the internet for knowledge or treatment of their condition or health concern.

For more information on how to fast-track practice growth contact Medical Minds.

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