Most health care providers who have a clinical practice, or any type of business where they rely on clients, will need to market in order to sustain and grow that practice and business.  While knowing how to market is essential, it’s also just as valuable to know what you should not be doing when you are marketing. It goes without saying that that most common problem is just not marketing, but today let’s focus on the 5 of the most common marketing blunders I see health care providers make.

  1. Religion and Politics: It’s often been said that religion and politics don’t mix with anything. I tend to agree.  While we can all acknowledge that a persons faith does play a part in health, in most cases you are better off leaving these topics out of our marketing.  When is it appropriate? If your business is specific to a certain group based on religion/faith, and these are the specific folks you are offering your services to, then feel free. Just be aware, that you’ll potentially lose patients that have other feelings.

 2. Omitting Contact Information: Believe it or not, health care providers have created brochures – beautiful brochures –  for their practice and omitted contact information. Always check and double check all of your marketing materials to ensure you have the proper contact information clearly displayed.

3. About you!  Health care consumers want to know about you, their health care provider. Anymore they don’t want to come into your office without knowing something about you first. Make sure you have a page on your website that tells something about you the health care provider as well as something about the practice itself (ie, health beliefs, mission, value statement, etc).

4. Drowning in brochures. When you call on another office or business to leave some of your marketing materials, be mindful of how much you are leaving behind. The office may not need/want that many and may be too shy to ask. Their patient population may not be ideal patients for your own practice. There can be any number of reasons. Be sensitive to their needs as well as your own.

5. Automation. Many practices utilize an auto attendant to answer their phone. While I understand the benefits of this for the practice (I love automation), it is also a very cold way to greet your patients at best, and at worse, can be seen as uncaring and downright hostile. The same goes with patients being place on terminal hold as if their time is not important. So while automation is important and often necessary for some practices, take care to minimize its use.

The one thing that is not listed here, but permeates this short list is poor customer service. For any practice, this is one of the most important concepts to keep in mind. Poor customer service will defiantly get people talking about your practice, but not in a good light. So if you do nothing else for the year, remember that excellent customer service, along with excellent clinical care will get people talking about you, raving about you and your practice. And when it comes down to it, that’s the most powerful marketing of all.

Do you have marketing blunders to share? Feel free to share with us.

© 2012 Barbara C. Phillips, NP

Nurse Practitioners and other  Clinicians can no longer continue business as usual.

Our patients (clients, customers) deserve and expect much more. Gone are the days when a white coat gives one cart blanche to treat patients and staff indifferently behind the ruse of being busy. There is no doubt that you are busy. But just as you want respect from your patients, they are now expecting it from you as well.  Addressing one of the most common concerns patients make about provider offices will go a long way.

You are no doubt familiar with this complaint: “Every time I go to that office, I have to wait for hours!” I trust patients waiting in your office, wait for a much shorter time. There is much we can do to reduce wait times, but waiting is a reality for both patients and providers. It’s a fact of life that emergencies and other situations can and do happen.

So what can we do to minimize the impact of waiting? Well, it turns out there is much that can be done.

1. First – stop calling it a “Waiting Room” and rename it a reception area or something similar. Waiting Room implies that I will be waiting, no matter what. Changing the name can help reduce that perception and soften the idea that there will be a short delay before seeing the provider.
2. Make your patients comfortable. Patients have been invited into your office to see you. Think of this as your work “living room”. Make sure the reception area is comfortable for your guest. Take a seat…are the chairs comfortable? What about the room temperature? Too warm? Too cool?
3. When we are waiting (and idle) time can seem to drag on and on. However, when we are distracted or better yet engaged, time flies. Do you have a variety of reading material that is up to date? And while you are at it, is the lighting appropriate for reading? I’m not a fan of TV’s in reception areas, but perhaps you may want to consider a TV or video screen that is playing something engaging and appropriate (maybe even educational)?
4. Comfort Station. If possible, it’s nice to have a restroom available to those who are waiting as well as water or other appropriate beverages depending on your office situation.
5. Children. It can be quite irritating to a non-parent (or parent!) to listen to a child who is bored and tired. If you see children, or the family members of young children, consider having appropriate items that may keep their hands and minds engaged.

Most important, if you have patients waiting to see you, make sure they are keep up to date on any delays. Consider offering them the option to reschedule. Respect your patients and their time. It will go a long way in making them happy, satisfied patients.

What changes can you make in your reception area today?

This is literally the most common question I receive from Advanced Practice Nurses (NPs, CNMs, CNS, CRNA’s) and Physician Assistants/Associates (PAs). So this week, I thought I would create a video to answer just that question. It’s short, about 10 minutes explaining the framework I teach in practice and business startup.

Please share your own tips with your colleagues below.

You are invited to join us on a FREE webinar on Sunday 10/30/2011. Keep reading to learn more!

As a Nurse Practitioner and a Physician Assistant, you work exceedingly hard every day to make sure your patients get the best you can offer. You have been well educated as a clinician and are quite accomplished in your area of expertise.

However, one thing that NPs and PAs don’t always understand (heck, it’s not often understood by those who educate us) is that we are a “business” unto ourselves. In fact, every “revenue generating” clinician  is a “business”.

Yet business education is lacking in our schools. Makes sense – they are busy making sure we are excellent clinicians!

It’s time we, truly begin to grasp the concepts of business in healthcare. I don’t mean just the kind of healthcare business that counts it’s beans at the end of the day, but a business in which the modus operandi  is creating a culture where healthcare a  “win-win-win” for all involed.

In order to get there…we need to be more aware of business concepts, how practices work, and how we can effectively make a difference in our own practices, or the practices of others.

And this is exactly what I want to talk about this Sunday, October 30th at 5PM Pacific on a free webinar. Space is limited, so please, go here now, listen to the video and sign up for the webinar.

See you on Sunday!

As a professional, you are very aware of the need to protect your personal and professional information. But how much thought have you given to your digital identity? Are you even aware of the far reaching consequences that miss or stolen digital identity can have?

The following is a true story that was recently shared with me. Imagine that an old friend looks to see if you are on Twitter. They find you, and they see your picture. However, they are perplexed because your tweets are very much out of character, and indeed quite inappropriate for a professional. In truth, it’s not your account. It’s your name and your picture, but it’s not you. Now imagine if you will, that the person searching for you is a potential employer, business partner, post grad school acceptance committee or a disgruntled patients lawyer.  Ahh…big problem!

It’s not always a matter of deliberate stolen identification, but mis-identification is far more common. Do you know, for example, how many Barbara Phillips’ are out there? I share my name with other NPs, physicians, real estate agents and more. Chances are it’s not much different for you. This is why it’s so important for you to claim and then protect your digital identity.

Here are five steps you can take now:

1.  Search. Log on to Google (your favorite browser) and search for yourself.  What do find? How many people have your name? Do they have accounts of Google, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn?
2. Create a Google profile. Include a professional picture and some professional information. There is no need to share personal information.
3. Purchase you name as a domain name. For example I have www.barbaracphillips.com. If you can put up a website or blog, or even just a one page with a snapshot of you as a professional. If that seems too difficult at this point, get the name anyway and just hold on to it. Domain names @ www.1and1.com or www.godaddy.com run less than $10.00 per yr.
4. Claim your name and create profiles on LinkedIn, Twitter, Google Plus and Facebook. There are literally dozens of other SM sites, and you may want to create a presence there as well, but at least do the big 4.
5. Create a Google Alert for your name.  You will be notified every time goggle finds your name mentioned on the internet. You can set it up to be notified daily, weekly or monthly.

While this can seem to be a lot of work, and may even be overwhelming, it’s really important that you take the time and begin to work on this step by step. Doing so will help protect you digital identify and your digital reputation.

(c) Barbara C Phillips, NP, 2011

I am frequently asked “what kind of business can I have”? While there are several forms of business, most NPs and PAs choose a clinical practice. And while most chose primary care, more are choosing a niche or specialty practice. One such niche is urinary incontinence (UI) care.

A continence practice is a fantastic opportunity for the advanced practice clinician. There are three very important factors for this type of business. First, there is a huge need; second there are few clinicians involved and finally, the evaluation, management and procedures are reimbursable.

A flexible, scalable model

What is nice about this type of practice is that it can be set up to work within office (yours or someone’s), a long term care facility and even within the home using a house call model. It can be full time or part time. And for those that already have a primary care practice, this is a great add-on service that can help build your practice revenues.

For those that like to work with a patient for a specified length of time, have them get better, and only see them back for “tune-ups”, an incontinence practice is ideal.

This business model is also scalable. You can start of doing it all yourself and as the business grows (if that is your plan), you can add additional providers and staff in order to accommodate your growing business.

Reimbursement

Medicare and most insurance companies will reimburse for assessments and procedures that are done in an incontinence practice. This will include your initial assessment, urodynamic testing (simple or advanced), microscopy, ultrasound, laboratory testing (both send-out and point of care), patient counseling, pelvic floor rehabilitation and more depending on how you set up your practice.

Often, tools that patients might use are hard to find and this can be an additional source of revenue. You can offer hard to find items to your patients in your office or through your website.

A Day in the Practice

As with any practice, your day will vary depending on location (office vs long term care facility for example) and other factors, however the basics are the same. Your job will include (but is not limited to):

• Evaluation of incontinence for pelvic floor dysfunction, overactive bladder or other issues that may be causing or contributing to UI. You will likely perform simple cystometrography as part of your workup.
• Counseling patients regarding behavioral modification, prevention and treatment of constipation, diet modification, fluid management as well as exercise they can perform.
• Treatment of the cause with medications and pelvic floor rehabilitation and electrical stimulation as indicated.

Getting Started

Like any business, you have perform the necessary analysis and evaluation to determine if this is the correct business for you. You’ll need to learn how to get reimbursed and how to maximize those reimbursements as well as know what it takes to operate a business. And of course getting started and finding your patients and referral sources (ie, the marketing) is key.*

Continence is a state that all people strive for. When it’s not present, it affects an individual physically, emotionally, financially and socially. This is an area that clinicians can make a huge difference in the lives of their patients. The need is great, the need is now.

For more information on building a business and building a continence practice, Helen Carcio, NP @ The Health & Continence Institute (HCI) offers an opportunity for the entrepreneurially minded NP to establish a lucrative continence care program of excellence.  She offers course intensive courses a few times per year and it’s a training well worth going to.

© 2011 Barbara C Phillips, NP

Ready to learn how to start your nurse practitioner owned business and practice? The NPBO™ Practice Startup System Program begins it’s summer session on July 12, 2011. Lots of folks have had questions…here are the answers.

Visit http://www.NPBOStarterKit.com

I’m thrilled to tell you that we’ve opened up the Nurse Practitioner Business Owner™ Practice Startup System Program for the summer session and it beings July 12th! Currently the early bird special ($100.00 off!) expires July 1 @ midnight Pacific. New added content will go further in depth into business plans and regulatory programs.

Visit http://www.NPBOStarterKit.com, watch the video and if its right for you, sign up and plan on opening your own business and practice this fall!

More nurse practitioners are starting their own practices and businesses, and finally you are ready to start yours. But there is a slight hurdle to get over: you don’t have enough cash to get started.

And someone else wants to expand the services he/she offers in their practice. And yes, you guessed it: there is a slight hurdle to get over. The equipment required for this new service takes a great deal of cash, which just doesn’t exist right now.

But wait, before you give up on your dream and walk away, let’s look at what you can do to get past this annoying little obstacle.

If you are just starting out and need cash to finance your startup you have a number of different options: taking out a business loan, utilizing equity you may have in your home, using personal credit cards or asking family for a loan.

1. While asking family to help you with financing your startup is easy, it may not always be the best. If you decide to go that route make sure that everything is spelled out on paper, otherwise you may find your family relationships on rocky ground.
2. Using personal credit cards is straight forward. A word of caution though. If you decide to accept a promotional offer (“No Interest, No Fees …”) make sure you read the fine print and make absolutely certain that all payments are made on time. Penalties and increase in interest rate as a result of late payment can sour that “sweet deal” in a heartbeat.
3. Tapping (repeatedly) into home equity was a common practice just a few years ago. If you still have adequate equity in your home, congratulations! Again, read the fine print and make sure that all payments are made in a timely manner. Yes, a late fee may not be the end of the world, but ultimately your home could be on the line.
4. Lastly, you could be applying for a business loans, typically through a bank or financial institution.  Often you are required to submit a business plan with your loan application. But before you rush out and go that route, be mindful of your overall financial picture. Your prospective lender’s most pressing question will be: can he/she repay the loan within the terms of the contract? And, in case of default what other assets are available to meet the loan obligation? So be prepared to address those questions!

Now, if you have been in practice for a while you have additional tools at your disposal. The most common ones are: a business credit card, trade terms with suppliers and a line of business credit. Let me outline how these extra tools can work for you.

1. Opening and maintaining a business credit card is a must for every business! At minimum it will do two things for you. It allows you to keep business and personal expenses separate (priceless at tax time!) and it builds credit for your business.
2. Establishing trade terms with your suppliers can help your cash flow and at times get you through a pinch. Once you have done business with a supplier for a little while, you can ask them to establish trade terms. This means, on approval they will allow you to purchase goods or services on credit for a specified time (typically 30 or more days).
3. Lastly, we have the business line of credit. I believe this is a must for most businesses, because as we all know, it is very hard to get money when you really need it. So, let me suggest that you open a line of credit with your bank when you don’t need it and simply have it available … just in case. Sure, it will cost you a bit of money, but I think it is well worth it.

©2011 Johanna Hofmann, MBA, MAc, LAc. All Rights Reserved.
Written exclusively for Nurse Practitioner Business Owner™

Health care practices are not generally known for their customer service. In fact, more often than not, they are known for its lack thereof. We all know that patients talk about our practices. If that talk is good…it’s great for marketing. However, if it’s not good…it can do a great deal of damage to your practice. There are lots of ways to encourage good reviews and favorable referrals to your practice. One of the best ways to get patients talking positively about your Nurse Practitioner business is with excellent customer service.

Picture this: You go into your provider’s office. You don’t feel well and you hope that you can just get in and get out before you have to pick up your kids from school. You are a bit grumpy by the time you walk in the door…parking was horrible and now you see the waiting room is full and there are crying kids. The receptionist does not seem to know you are supposed to be there even though you spoke with her two hours ago. When she tells you (without even looking at you) the NP is running behind, you turn around to see the only available chair is next to a screaming 2 yr old, who obviously feels as bad as you do. So begins your wait.

Without going further into this scenario, I’m sure you can already see several issues that should be corrected immediately. As time drags on, this is one patient who will be less happy with her visit to you today, and aside from telling her friends about her horrible experience, she just may find a new provider.

So what can you do to help insure that your patients receive excellent customer/patient care?

• Make your patients feel welcome. If you have anything other than a walk in clinic, your patients should be expected. Make them feel so with a warm welcome.
• Drop the “waiting room” and refer to it as your reception area or another appropriate term.
• Keep your patients updated on any wait times. Offer them the opportunity to reschedule if necessary.
• Consider making your reception area more comfortable. What’s the temperature like? Is it clean? Is there water available? What about tea and coffee? In keeping up with the times, consider making Wi-Fi available. Avoid loud TV’s that are tuned into game shows. If you must have the TV going, tune it to appropriate viewing.
• Encourage an office culture that treats each patient as if this was the most important person they will see that day. Listen to them.
Of course there is so much more you can do both in the front and back office of your practice, but this is a good start to making changes in your office. Your patient’s want to be comfortable in your office. They want to like you and your staff.

Consider this question: “How can I delight you today?” I was asked that question once by a customer service rep. It stopped me in my tracks and made me a loyal customer. I’d love to see you do that in your practice.

Remember: Excellent customer service + Happy Patients = Excellent Marketing ROI.

(c) 2011 Barbara C Phillips, NP