Five Ways to Promote Your Medical Practice Today
This year, healthcare marketing hits middle age as we mark the 40th anniversary of a regulatory decision that dramatically transformed the medical profession. On July 28, 1977, the New York State Board of Regents decided to permit advertising by all licensed professionals except lawyers and clergymen [1]. This followed on the heels of a US Supreme Court Decision overturning an Arizona ban on advertising by attorneys, and opened the door to a new era of healthcare marketing.
To be sure, change didn’t happen overnight. Professional societies including the American Medical Association and the American Dental Association continued to ban advertising by their members as part of their codes of ethics. But the Federal Trade Commission began to argue that these bans violated First Amendment rights and prevented consumers from having access to information that could help them make informed decisions.
Over the next four decades, healthcare marketing evolved into a highly specialized discipline, most notably and expertly used by pharmaceutical companies, insurers, hospitals and large health networks, and increasingly by private practices of all sizes and specialties.
Still, many physicians and small medical groups question the value of marketing their practices, or view marketing as an expense rather than an investment. Or they may be confused about where and how to begin.
There are five pillars of healthcare marketing
All practices and healthcare entities– including professional services providers targeting the healthcare marketplace – should implement to help them connect with current and prospective patients/customers, payers and the community. In order of importance, they are: 1. Website; 2. Social Media; 3. Direct Marketing; 4. Traditional Advertising and 5. Media Relations. Mastering these five foundational tools will help organizations and practices build a strong, positive image and keep them top-of-mind when patients or clients have a need for their services.
This list is not exhaustive
There are many other elements that contribute to a creating a positive public image and solid brand recognition. Professionally designed and printed signs, brochures and educational material, written at the appropriate level for the target audience are essential. An attractive and clean office and courteous front desk staff are other critical elements in attracting and retaining business. But especially for smaller companies or practices just dipping their toes into the marketing stream, the five tactics highlighted here can be implemented at a relatively low cost, and yield significant returns. Come back each week for the next five weeks for an in-depth discussion of each of these five healthcare marketing tools.
[1] D. Frederick Stock, “Professional Advertising,” American Journal of Public Health, pp. 1207-1209, December 1978, Vol. 68, No. 12 .
