AuntMinnie.com is pleased to present the sixth in an ongoing series of practice management articles contributed by the Radiology Consulting Group in Boston. This twice-monthly series addresses topics and issues of concern to radiology administrators and business managers.
By Lee S. Rea, senior consultantRadiology Consulting Group
Rather than marketing ad hoc, a radiology center should develop a targeted market plan. This requires that the facility identify its existing and potential referring physicians and customers, establish goals for expanding its business, then develop a sound strategy for achieving those goals.
All business is relationship
The most effective tool for raising awareness is establishing relationships with referring physicians and their office staff. At least one experienced marketing executive should be regularly calling on referring offices identified as potential customers. The relationships that develop between a marketer and other facilities are crucial for bringing business to a practice. In addition, an organization will have a much better chance of getting valuable feedback when it is has a relationship with its customers.
The next strategy a practice should employ in a marketing campaign is to personalize its services and accommodate the preferences of referring physicians. A marketer, as part of establishing relationships, will need to identify the preferences of each customer and potential customer. These preferences may include providing patients with hard copies of images, e-mailing or faxing reports on completion, or calling in wet reads.
Once these preferences are determined, this information should be stored in a marketing database. The database will permit the office staff, technologists, and radiologists to access the information during the time of the exam and provide personalized service. In addition, it permits the longevity of the information garnered through relationship to outlast the radiology practice’s personnel changes.
Make scheduling easy
Scheduling a procedure at a radiology facility should be as near-effortless as possible for its clients. Most referring offices are having a difficult time keeping up with the extra work involved with the pre-approval process for testing required by the managed care companies. Anything a firm can do to make the scheduling and pre-approval process easier and less time consuming for its customers will be an attractive selling point.
Many offices find it convenient to fax requests for exams to the imaging facility. This eliminates the need for the referring office to spend time on the phone making appointments. Most free-standing imaging centers will also take on the responsibility of obtaining pre-approvals from payors.
Fax scheduling is also of benefit to a practice as it minimizes lost referrals due to busy phone lines or other scheduling glitches. It also cuts down on the number of no-shows and re-scheduled appointments as the radiology staff schedules the exam directly with the patient.
Online scheduling is an even more preferable service to offer as it gives the referring physician more options. For instance, an office scheduling multiple exams on the same patient would only have one screen form to fill out. It is faster for the scheduler and nearly eliminates the chance of losing a referral.
Package the product
Physician referral packages are an excellent way to give the referring community an overview of an imaging center, the services provided, the medical staff, and the materials necessary to schedule a patient. The referral package should also include a letter from the medical director to the potential physician-client detailing the credentials and expertise of the radiologists. This is valuable information to convey, as the quality of interpretations is a key factor for physicians when deciding on an imaging facility.
In addition to the referral packages, logo items are also valuable. All items should clearly display the name and scheduling number for the facility. Items that can be used in the daily operations of the referring physician’s office are recommended. A practice’s marketer should be encouraged to bring these items on any cold calls as a means of introduction.
Educate and entertain
Once the center is operational for two or three months, it is recommended that a series of educational case-study sessions be held at the imaging center or in a referring physician’s office. A practice may also want to consider publishing a one- or two-page quarterly newsletter to the referring community. This mailing should highlight new technology, interesting pathology, or any other pertinent subject matter that would enhance utilization.
A facility-hosted open house is also a great forum for education. A reception in the late afternoon through the early evening is an outstanding method of showcasing a practice and its capabilities. Many physicians and office staff find it useful to see the equipment, particularly with MR and CT.
The competition for imaging is growing at an ever-increasing rate. Radiology practices that provide quality patient and physician services with accurate and timely interpretations are the norm. However, those that can effectively market these services are the ones that will succeed.
Lee S. ReaAuntMinnie.com contributing writer
June 27, 2001
Related Reading
Radiology and orthopedics join forces to cut throughput time, June 13, 2001
PACS quality control ensures that exams get read, May 30. 2001
Secure patient satisfaction through superior service, May 17, 2001
What's up D.O.C? Non-PACS innovations in radiology, April 30, 2001
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