DEPTT. OF NEUROSURGERY - MARKETING STRATEGIES
Marketing and Neurosurgery
Neurosurgeons can no longer wait for patients to beat a path to their doors.
Many neurosurgeons refrain from marketing, considering that strategy incompatible with the practice of medicine. Yet marketing is not the same as advertising. A true marketing initiative involves education. And the tools for marketing are not shrill TV spots or highway billboards but patient satisfaction surveys, outreach to the media and community groups, program materials, Web sites and, perhaps most importantly, improving customer satisfaction and building relationships with referring physicians.
dr Praveen k nath M.Ch., a private practice neurosurgeon in ivy hospital MOHALI, greets an office full of patients day after day. OUR patient volume should be steady.
ME & my staff should assiduously court primary care doctors.
do local medical staff presentations from time to time.
communicate by letter to every referring physician about each patient contact
"Whenever we find extra office time, we should call referral sources, usually about patient contacts."
It,s not compulsory to buy ads in the Yellow Pages, advertise in newspapers or air a local radio spot. But one should indeed market his practice.
"The most effective marketing strategy is direct conversation with primary care physicians who may make a referral and prompt written communications and responses to their referrals,"
Marketing can work for all neurosurgeons. In a time of shrinking reimbursement, the need to market one's practice has become more acute. Neurosurgeons who wait for patients to beat a path to their door may eventually find the wolf at their door.

The New Consumer
Negative connotations blemish marketing. The "M" word conjures up images of a plaid-coated, hand-waving carnival barker hawking discounted cars or televisions. The assumption is that it's perfectly OK to pitch cars and washing machines but inappropriate to promote a health service.
Well, it is indecorous to aggressively advertise a health practice. But that's not what marketing is. Marketing is a more sophisticated and more subtle strategy than blatant advertising. Even the most conservative neurosurgeon, one emotionally tied to the healthcare climate of prior generations, would feel comfortable with a genuine marketing plan.
"You should think of marketing as educating the public and referring physicians," says Dr Praveen k nath, a senior consultant neurosurgeon at ivy hospital mohali "People get advertising and marketing mixed up. Most advertising would be very inappropriate for a neurosurgeon."
Healthcare specialists are rapidly turning to marketing to maintain or increase patient volume. Orthopedic surgeons, radiologists, obstetricians, gynecologists and ophthalmologists in particular are embracing marketing.
Marketing is particularly important in the era of managed care. One of the primary goals of marketing is to increase patient satisfaction, and making patients happy, is critical under managed care. If only five percent of a physician's patients express their dissatisfaction to a managed care entity, the physician could lose 100 percent of the patients .
Power of the Internet
Besides shrinking reimbursement and managed care, what's driving the new emphasis on marketing?
In a word, the Internet.
The information highway has changed consumers. This is the age of consumerism. The healthcare field is being transformed. Healthcare definitely is still not mall-like, a bastion of unfettered choice. But it definitely is more of an open marketplace.
"We have moved from physician-managed care to third-party managed care and are on our way to patient-managed care. Consumer empowerment via the Internet will forever change the way we deliver healthcare in this country."
"physician, clinic, hospital or third-party agency that does not understand this revolutionary transformation is doomed."
Consumers want physicians who are electronically accessible. More than one third of consumers are more likely to select a physician who offers electronic communication options such as appointment scheduling and test results than one who doesn't A growing number of Internet sites grade doctors on such factors as education, accreditation and experience. Forty-eight percent of consumers would like the ability to send e-mails to their doctor, according to a survey in 2000 by Cyber Dialogue.
The power of the Internet can be deceiving, however. The point is not that consumers are wedded to technology but are enamored of choice. And that's why marketing is vital. The Internet has helped understand that choice is an option even when it comes to healthcare.
Before this, the doctor was the authority, and the patient was passive. The Internet has changed all that."
No Shortcuts Allowed
A 36-year-old ophthalmologist in Silicon Valley does as many as a dozen vision-correction surgeries an hour. He provides patients limo pickup and dropoff. He buys 30-second TV spots, a 30-minute infomercial, radio and Internet ads. He even rented a billboard on a major highway.
Fortunately, there are a multitude of quieter, more dignified ways to reach out to consumers.
But the first step is to form a plan. Come up with an objective and methods to reach that goal.
Avoid flippantly saying, "I'd like to double my number of patients." That may not be realistic. Or it may be underestimating the potential patient base.
A neurosurgeon needs to analyze his or her patient base. Where are the patients coming from? Has there been a shift? Have some referring physicians stopped sending patients?
Marketing is not quick and easy. It takes planning and then careful execution.
"Marketing without a marketing plan would be like going on a trip without a map,"
"I'm a real stickler for market research. You don't just walk into a doctor's office and say you need surgery. And you don't embark on marketing without research."
Another preliminary step is getting staff informed and involved. Their relationships with patients and referring physicians can make or break the marketing plan. "Make networking important to them. That's basic common sense and courtesy, which is what marketing is all about,"
Finally, before moving ahead with marketing, a neurosurgeon needs to make sure he or she can handle with aplomb any increase in patient traffic. Is another phone line needed? Another staff person? Providing poor service to a larger number of patients will eventually backfire.
Cautions Dr. Nath, "You should always have space available on the appointment list within a seven- to 10-day period after a referral is made. Nothing is more self-defeating than rapport building with physicians countered by no available office time. The good referrals will be sent elsewhere and the lousy ones, which have the leisure to wait, will fill the office six weeks later."
Marketing Strategies
Stan Pelofsky, MD, one of the owners of the Oklahoma City Spine Hospital, doesn't spend a dollar on marketing. Yet his operation is imbued with marketing savvy.
"Every person who works in our hospital has been handpicked," he says. "They understand the patients are facing a difficult situation and need support.
"We have a hospital environment that is positive, upbeat and nurturing. That's the best marketing tool of all, far better than a newspaper ad."
The ivy hospital also nurtures its relationship with referring physicians. Neurosurgeon sends a letter or talk on phone within 24 hours of seeing a patient to the referring physician explaining the course of treatment. The bond of trust between the neurosurgeon and referring physician is solidified.
"Marketing is all about relationships with patients and referral sources,"
"The golden source for a specialist are previously satisfied patients and referral sources."
Appreciate the No. 1 principle of marketing. Specialists already possess the network they need to increase their patient volume. What they need to do is nurture that network.
Internal marketing strategies should focus on building patient and referring physician satisfaction. Are patients greeted promptly and courteously? Are they cared for with kindness and gentleness rather than cold professionalism? Are the telephone calls of referring physicians returned quickly?
"You have to make your referral sources happy as a clam,"
"You may be the only game in town but maybe they don't like you. It could take a simple action like a phone call to set things right."
Neurosurgeons may want to consider surveying their patients to find ways to improve service They also may want to distribute a practice brochure. It creates a positive image of the practice, provides information about services and office policies and saves time by addressing repetitive questions such as how to bill insurance or where hospital privileges are held. A practice brochure is a sort of super-delux calling card, a surefire method to instill respect for the practice.
A typical brochure is 4 by 9 inches, or small enough to fit comfortably inside a standard No. 10 business envelope, with six to eight panels. The cover should include a motto such as "our goal is your health," an encapsulation of the reason the practice exists. Neurosurgeon should use a reassuring photo of themselves talking to a happy, healthy patient. Especially for a first-time patient, a photo helps immensely with familiarity, easing the discomfort of meeting with a new doctor.
Design the brochure with your audience in mind. The writing style should be warm and relaxed. A neurosurgeon needs a more sophisticated approach.
External Strategies
Neurosurgeons need to market themselves through traditional means such as making speeches before civic groups and getting their name and expertise in the local newspaper. But they also need to hop on the information highway and take full advantage of an increasingly wired society
An estimated 72 million people have used the Web seeking healthcare information. And that number will be hopelessly outdated next month. Some neurosurgeons, as well as competitors, are already using the Internet to reach patients and referring physicians. Keeping up with advancement is essential. If nothing else, a Web site sends the message that a practice is innovative and progressive.
Get free customized practice Web sites and secure e-mail service with patients The site should give an overview of a neurosurgeon's practice and a list of the physicians, nurses and other professional staff. It should highlight the surgeon's credentials, state the practice philosophy and offer patient education. A section for referring physicians can offer suggestions on when to refer a patient,, post scientific papers and list hospitals where privileges are held.
The site is a way to make it easier for patients to schedule appointments. It should provide directions to the office and include information on billing policies and insurance matters. An interactive site can offer on-line appointment scheduling and the completion of registration forms in advance of an office visit.
Best of all, market your marketing tool. Announce the site in press releases to newspapers and flyers to patients and referring physicians. The Web is hip. Having a site in itself is a positive attribute.
One more external audience needs to be considered. Forming relationships with competitors can be productive. Orthopedic surgeons, chiropractors and radiologists frequently refer patients to neurosurgeons.
The Cost of Marketing
Some marketing strategies cost absolutely nothing, such as improving relationship with patients by being more friendly and accessible.
More involved strategies such as surveys can cost tens of thousands of rupees. Hiring a consultant and initiating a multiyear, full-blown marketing blitz can be quite expensive..
Another option is to appoint someone from the office staff with a marketing background to coordinate on a part-time basis the marketing initiative. Though the time investment for a neurosurgeon would still be substantial on the front end, this would free up time down the road.
Questions about the cost of marketing are really secondary to the cost of not marketing. Patients demand more today. Neurosurgeons ignore reaching out to them at their peril.
"People are becoming more sophisticated, more skeptical,". "They need to be reassured. Marketing is an educational process and a reassuring process."
Need Marketing Assistance? Not sure you have the time or expertise to market your practice? Don't worry. comprehensive array of programs and services to launch a successful marketing initiative are
The flagship program is Getting SMART About Neurosurgery, a collection of materials that promote your practice to referral sources, patients, the media and civic groups. includes patient information brochures, physician referral booklets, ready-to-use slide presentations (for both patients and medical professionals), promotional letters and press releases.
Neurosurgeons can choose from two topics: lumbar spinal stenosis and stroke.
The materials serve two purposes. They increase awareness of the scope and quality of neurosurgery and promote a neurosurgeon's practice. The patient brochures, should have a space for a label or stamp to insert your own name or practice logo.
Getting SMART makes marketing easy. Sample letters help you target senior citizen groups, hospital chiefs of staff and heads of primary practice resident programs with offers to be a speaker.
A second popular marketing tool is insert about neurosurgery that ran in newspapers.
A Patient's Guide to Neurosurgery patient education brochure. summarizing in lay language the many conditions treated by neurosurgeons. It can be mailed to referring physicians or handed out at health fairs, and lectures.
Customized Web sites and can set up an e-mail service with patients, too. The Internet partners function as referral sources for members. Some visitors to these sites inevitably link up with the home pages of neurosurgeons. And you're in business.
Surveys a Key Tool in Assessing Patient Satisfaction
You are a competent, caring neurosurgeon. Your staff is polite and efficient. Your office is conveniently located near the community hospital. Yet your patient volume continues to drop.
The culprit could be a simple but overlooked problem such as a lack of patient privacy. Patients may not be able to give sensitive personal or medical information at the front desk without other patients overhearing.
A practice survey can help you identify hidden barriers to practice success. It's important to gauge patient satisfaction to ensure patients' needs are being met.
Minor annoyances for patients, already under stress and uncomfortable before they arrive, can keep them from returning and cause them to badmouth your practice to friends and their referring physician. Is the TV too loud? Is the waiting room too hot or cold? Is there ample, convenient parking? Maybe customer service is the problem. Can patients quickly get their questions answered over the telephone? Are staff friendly?
A survey with 20 to 30 questions, one that fits on both sides of a sheet of paper, will provide sufficient feedback. Surveys need to be done at six-month or 12-month intervals to compare results.
Surveys can be handed out to patients while they are in the office. either a mailed survey or a telephone survey.
Handing out surveys at the office is the least expensive option. But it's not scientifically valid because survey respondents self-select. Also, patients worried about confidentiality may not be candid. Still, if you want to spend little money and time on a survey, this may be the way to go.
A mail survey gives patients more time to reflect on their experiences. A telephone survey is expensive. And some patients may resent being called at home (though a call being made on the behalf of a personal physician is hardly received with the same distaste as calls from telemarketers). But telephone surveys provide quick feedback and elicit a relatively high response rate.
Media, Public Outreach Bring In Patients Neurosurgeons who are willing to work with the media and reach out to community groups will boost their patient volume.
Consider Stan Pelofsky, MD, for instance. He not only makes his rounds bedside but also in the community as a whole. The Oklahoma City neurosurgeon gives talks to Chambers of Commerce and meets with medical students at medical schools. To further increase his visibility, he distributes the newspaper inserts about neurosurgery.
Making yourself accessible to the media and community groups will steer patients to your door.
"You have to position yourself as the expert in your community," "Send out what we call 'technical-based alerts.' These can be case studies, updates on new technology, drug treatments."
Neurosurgeons need to show initiative. Build a relationship with the local media and reporters will come to you when a neurosurgery-related story breaks. Concentrate on the local newspapers and radio and TV stations, most of which carry a "health beat" feature. Find out who the reporter is who covers health and position yourself as an information resource.
"Once you establish a positive relationship with the media, they will return to you when they need a spokesperson for a story,"
Consider a Proactive Approach
• Write a column, or letter to the editor for your local newspaper.
• Suggest health segments for local radio and TV shows.
• Send a copy of the Neurosurgery insert from newspaper and offer yourself as a resource on stroke, back pain or other neurological condition.
In dealing with the media, communicate key points.
Punctuate your points with phrases such as "the bottom line is …" or "the most important thing to remember is …" to ensure your message is getting across.
Precisely because the public associates neurosurgeons only with brain surgery, neurosurgeons need to be visible in the community, not just once or twice but often.
"Don't expect an immediate response,"
"Marketing is a continuous process."