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“The Top Ten Reasons to Market Your Medical Practice Online”

By Allison Guimard, CEO
Alijor.com

Physicians who still view Internet marketing as a luxury or a burden are missing out on a tremendous opportunity to gain market share. Many new search sites allow them to advertise their practices for free to a pool of patients who are actively looking for a new physician.

Physicians and other healthcare practitioners today are facing a converging array of market conditions that are challenging and changing the way they do business. Skyrocketing medical liability premiums, proposed Medicare reimbursement cuts, and dwindling availability of employer-sponsored health coverage are just a few of the challenges that threaten to shake up many already-fragile bottom lines. Today it’s more important than ever to reach out to new patients in ways that are compelling, yet don’t cost an arm and a leg, or take up too much valuable time.

Online patient prospecting is a marketing tool that many medical professionals have largely ignored because of perceptions that personal practice web sites are too complex, too costly and too time-consuming to set up and maintain. The good news is that physicians can market their practices online today through medical associations, through insurance plans that promote affiliated providers, or through consumer-focused physician-finder web sites that cater to the public’s growing demands for a faster, easier way to find a local physician.

There are any number of reputable online physician search engines. Medical practitioners in all specialties can sign up with them to obtain a variety of free listings across the web universe.

Below are the top ten reasons physicians should strongly consider marketing their practices through an online physician-finder search engine.   

1. It’s free!
   Unlike traditional advertising tools such as the newspaper, phone book or direct mail, many online physician- finder sites let you advertise your practice at no cost to you. And there’s no charge to prospective patients either.


2. It’s targeted.
   Online web sites market your services to “warm” patient prospects already seeking a new provider. Some sites let the patients post their medical problems so appropriate physicians can respond to explore concerns about cost, quality, experience, hours or practice philosophy up front. This enhances the patients’ chances of finding the right provider before taking up time at the doctor’s office, and increases the provider’s opportunities for finding a “patient for life.”


3. It’s appealing to private pay. 
   Many patients who are looking beyond their HMO or PPO provider directories are reconciled to the fact that their insurance plan doesn’t cover the services they need. Because they are planning to pay out-of-pocket, they’re shopping for a provider who voluntarily posts office fees or will provide an estimate for basic services. Some physician-finder sites let you post basic office charges or communicate about pricing via email. This need for price transparency is growing so rapidly that the American College of Physicians and a number of other physician organizations now recommend that members voluntarily provide retail prices to self-paying patients for the 10 most commonly provided services and procedures.


4. It’s differentiating.
   Many patients are seeking doctors who are in sync with the times and can communicate online, yet most physicians cannot.  In a 2007 survey of over 4,000 Americans, 62 percent of respondents said their doctor didn't offer even the most basic Internet tools. Frustrated patients couldn’t email them, schedule an appointment online, or check a website for information on the practice or the doctor’s credentials. By utilizing technology to advertise your practice, you’re projecting an image of a contemporary practitioner who is in sync with technology  and, thus, likely to also be in sync with the latest medical news and practices.


5. It’s responsive to market demands.
   The rapid growth of consumer-directed healthcare and the decline of employer-sponsored health insurance are driving the public to make more informed and cost-conscious healthcare choices. Online physician listings enable consumers to rapidly find local physicians and identify those whose services and prices are in line with their needs.


6. It’s easy. 
   Got ten minutes? Then register online at a physician-finder web site. Simply sign in and fill out as much or as little information as you want, then post your practice and let patients find you. Remember, though, that the more information you provide about your hours, specialty, years in practice, office visit fees, etc., the greater the chance that the best patients will seek you out.


7. It’s flexible.
   Unlike an ad in a phone book or newspaper, which has very limited space, online web portals give you the opportunity to provide as much information about your practice as you want, including what’s important to prospective patients like how long you’ve been practicing, whether you’re accepting new patients, and even what your basic office fees are.


8. It’s efficient.
   Traditional advertising requires contracts, contract renewals, tracking, billing, filing, and money. With online posting, there is no paperwork, no contract, no invoice, and no money required.


9. It offers a risk-free payoff.
   Physicians who become early adopters of online technology and who utilize free online listing sites can reap the rewards of expanded marketing reach and a growing patient base – with virtually no investment risk.


10. It’s the future.
    The internet is here to stay. Millions of consumers are already finding their homes, spouses, pets, cars and clothes online -- and now they want to find you. Already roughly a half million consumers per month are finding physicians online, according to Medem.

Online patient prospecting is a marketing tool whose time has come for those in the healthcare field. So what are you waiting for? New patients are out surfing the web right now, and they may be seeking a doctor just like you.

Allison Guimard is a consumer advocate and CEO of Alijor.com, one of the nation’s premier physician search engines enabling consumers seeking medical services to shop for and connect with local physicians and other healthcare providers seeking to expand their practices. Alijor.com allows the consumer and provider to exchange information, make appointments, and agree on pricing, thus encouraging consumer engagement, education and price transparency in an expanding consumer-directed healthcare marketplace. For more information visit Alijor.com or call 408-733-6400.

Sidebar

"Three Keys to Getting Good Response for your Online Listing"

1. Enroll with a Variety of Active, Growing Online Sites 
How do you find these sites? First of all, check with any national associations with which  you are affiliated. Some may offer listings as part of your membership fee. In addition, huge consumer health web sites offer free opportunities to list your practice online. There are many other new and growing sites that also will provide free listings for you. Simply go onto the internet and type in “Find Local Doctors,” or Find Physicians” to get an overview of sites that connect patients to physicians.  Explore a few sites, then enroll in several. Remember, consumers are online continuously looking for free healthcare information and for provider referrals. The more free sites that carry your listing, the greater your chances for local referrals.

2. Advertise Consumer-Friendly Features
Consumers are preoccupied with three key issues when choosing a health care provider: Cost, convenience and expertise.

• Cost is a key issue as consumers get squeezed out of employer paid health plans and as the cost of care goes up. Providers who can give consumers a general price for an office visit or can quote price parameters for basic treatments will have an advantage over those who don’t offer this feature. Cost parameters can give patients peace of mind that they won’t be shocked when it’s time to pay the bill.


• Convenience means different things to different people. Most important are  your office location, hours, flexibility in scheduling, and parking or closeness to a nearby bus line. If you have extended hours be sure to advertise them. Likewise, if you accept emergency or last minute patient appointments, also tout this convenience.  If your office offers free parking, let patients know. If you are near a bus or train line this will also be attractive to patients. Other special features like free bottled water or a “play center” for kids will also set your practice apart from others.


• Expertise and experience outweigh other factors for many consumers. Let prospective patients know the number of years you’ve been practicing, any awards you’ve won or special recognition you’ve earned locally or from your national associations, or whether or not you are certified in the latest practices within your specialty.

3. Actively Monitor Responses
The more rapidly and consistently you respond to patient inquiries, the greater your chances to attain new patients. Some sites will send you email alerts when there has been an online inquiry about your practice. If you are not in the habit of checking your email a few times each day, you should consider assigning a staff member to check it for you at least twice a day and to respond to inquiries or alert you to queries that need your response.