Here are four best business practices to successfully market an orthopedic and spine surgery center.
1. Internet marketing to patients. Over the past several months there has been a greater desire by orthopedic surgeons to utilize Internet marketing as an advertisement and communication tool with potential patients. When patients receive referrals for orthopedic specialists, they are now using Internet search engines to find the surgeon before attending the appointment, says Ted Epstein, director of sales with Medical Web Experts. According to a study conducted by Pew Research Center's Internet & American Life Project, 61 percent of adults look for health information online and 60 percent of online users have consulted blog comments, hospital reviews and doctor reviews, listened to podcasts about healthcare and signed up to receive updates about medical issues. More surgeons have begun designing personal websites to supplement their practice or created hospital profiles to provide additional information about the procedures they perform.
An additional 40 percent of patients use social networking websites, according to the Pew research. Surgeons are using social media to connect with their patients, such as creating blogs or Facebook pages with videos and columns potential patients might find helpful. In response to an increasing use of social media among healthcare providers, hospitals and practices are developing guidelines for how their surgeons are able to use that space without running into legal or public relations issues. As children who grew up with the Internet mature, the number of potential patients using online media for healthcare information will continue to increase and it will become more important for surgeons to have a positive presence online, says Mr. Epstein.
From "The Year Ahead: 9 Biggest Issues for Orthopedic Surgeons in 2011."
2. Marketing to a new community. The first step practice administrators should take when considering whether to expand into a new location is to determine if the market can support a new facility. Laser Spine Institute administrators examine different locations and rate them on a score cards based on population, competition, cost to do business and current market performance. When the top cities are selected, the administrators and physicians conduct patient seminars in those cities to assess patient interest and further gauge the potential market. During the seminars, LSI physicians present about minimally invasive spine surgery procedures and offer free MRI readings to the audience. "It's an involved process," says Mr. St. Louis. "Typically, it's an eight-month process but it has worked well." The entire process is eight months from the time LSI opens the consult office to the time the company opens a surgery center. When the seminars go well, LSI will consider opening a small practice to see prospective patients, at which time the company will assess the market for a new surgery center as well.
From "5 Key Strategies for National Expansion of Orthopedic and Spine Practices."
3. Reach out to primary care physicians. Patients who are unfamiliar with orthopedic and sports medicine practices often visit their primary care physician after an injury. However, some primary care physicians are not experienced in reading x-rays from orthopedic injuries or providing treatment, such as casting. Practices should form relationships with primary care physicians by offering to give x-rays a second look and discuss patient diagnosis and treatment plans. If a primary care physician is familiar with your practice physicians, he or she will be more comfortable referring patients to the practice.
From "5 Techniques for Increasing Patient Volume at Your Sports Medicine Practice."
4. Host outreach activities. Once the orthopedic practice is established within a community, Lester Morales, executive director of Laser Spine Institute in Scottsdale, Ariz., suggests scheduling different activities and programs at the practice for education and networking purposes. Specifically, an executive can hold an after-hours open house or invite members of their community into the practice in order to demonstrate the common treatments as well as showcase any unique aspects of the facility. Additionally, Mr. Morales suggests executives host programs for specific orthopedic professionals, which can spread the practice's reputation. For example, the practice could host a gathering or forum for physical therapists discussing the latest technologies and treatments related to physical therapy.
From "3 Tips for Marketing Orthopedic Practices."
1. Internet marketing to patients. Over the past several months there has been a greater desire by orthopedic surgeons to utilize Internet marketing as an advertisement and communication tool with potential patients. When patients receive referrals for orthopedic specialists, they are now using Internet search engines to find the surgeon before attending the appointment, says Ted Epstein, director of sales with Medical Web Experts. According to a study conducted by Pew Research Center's Internet & American Life Project, 61 percent of adults look for health information online and 60 percent of online users have consulted blog comments, hospital reviews and doctor reviews, listened to podcasts about healthcare and signed up to receive updates about medical issues. More surgeons have begun designing personal websites to supplement their practice or created hospital profiles to provide additional information about the procedures they perform.
An additional 40 percent of patients use social networking websites, according to the Pew research. Surgeons are using social media to connect with their patients, such as creating blogs or Facebook pages with videos and columns potential patients might find helpful. In response to an increasing use of social media among healthcare providers, hospitals and practices are developing guidelines for how their surgeons are able to use that space without running into legal or public relations issues. As children who grew up with the Internet mature, the number of potential patients using online media for healthcare information will continue to increase and it will become more important for surgeons to have a positive presence online, says Mr. Epstein.
From "The Year Ahead: 9 Biggest Issues for Orthopedic Surgeons in 2011."
2. Marketing to a new community. The first step practice administrators should take when considering whether to expand into a new location is to determine if the market can support a new facility. Laser Spine Institute administrators examine different locations and rate them on a score cards based on population, competition, cost to do business and current market performance. When the top cities are selected, the administrators and physicians conduct patient seminars in those cities to assess patient interest and further gauge the potential market. During the seminars, LSI physicians present about minimally invasive spine surgery procedures and offer free MRI readings to the audience. "It's an involved process," says Mr. St. Louis. "Typically, it's an eight-month process but it has worked well." The entire process is eight months from the time LSI opens the consult office to the time the company opens a surgery center. When the seminars go well, LSI will consider opening a small practice to see prospective patients, at which time the company will assess the market for a new surgery center as well.
From "5 Key Strategies for National Expansion of Orthopedic and Spine Practices."
3. Reach out to primary care physicians. Patients who are unfamiliar with orthopedic and sports medicine practices often visit their primary care physician after an injury. However, some primary care physicians are not experienced in reading x-rays from orthopedic injuries or providing treatment, such as casting. Practices should form relationships with primary care physicians by offering to give x-rays a second look and discuss patient diagnosis and treatment plans. If a primary care physician is familiar with your practice physicians, he or she will be more comfortable referring patients to the practice.
From "5 Techniques for Increasing Patient Volume at Your Sports Medicine Practice."
4. Host outreach activities. Once the orthopedic practice is established within a community, Lester Morales, executive director of Laser Spine Institute in Scottsdale, Ariz., suggests scheduling different activities and programs at the practice for education and networking purposes. Specifically, an executive can hold an after-hours open house or invite members of their community into the practice in order to demonstrate the common treatments as well as showcase any unique aspects of the facility. Additionally, Mr. Morales suggests executives host programs for specific orthopedic professionals, which can spread the practice's reputation. For example, the practice could host a gathering or forum for physical therapists discussing the latest technologies and treatments related to physical therapy.
From "3 Tips for Marketing Orthopedic Practices."