You Just Don't Understand

A friend of mine is working for a clinic where patient referrals are down. Since the business operates almost entirely off the approach the market presented – i.e., get physicians to refer to the clinic; when referrals are down, there are few options. According to my friend, I just do not understand the core of the problem. It is strange given that with 25 years of marketing experience, 10 in healthcare, including clinic management of the same clinic she is working in, you would think the possibility of understanding would be high. That got me to thinking, maybe she does not understand the core of her problem.

The right way vs. the market way

Let’s start with the first part. The market drives the way you do business. In her case, the market says that referrals come from physicians. Even though healthcare is built off the idea of the end-user being the ultimate decision maker. Therefore, I proposed to her, go to the end-user who has the right to make a decision on who provides specialized care. Continue to work with the physicians but build the network through communicating that the patient has the ultimate power to decide where he/she goes for care. The patient is the final decision maker, focus effort on him/her. Go atypical to the marketplace when the “rules” of the marketplace dictate an approach that leaves your organization in a weak position.

The market dictates certain aspects of a business. But those that are disruptive to the flow of business in healthcare can ensure better care through competition. Instead of following the flow of patient care that other providers in the marketplace provide look for differentiation. Purposefully disrupt the flow that empowers competitors to have an advantage over you. That means communicating, which is something many providers are challenged by.

Stop making excuses

And before you say something about your insurance dictating, let me remind you that insurance dictates are made by payment – you are allowed outside of your network of providers if you wish to pay the difference. While most people do not want to pay the difference, that is not the issue with her clinic because they are an in-network clinic. Make your services so good, so personal and so exceptionally higher than anyone else that you are worth the extra it costs.

The other excuse is that there are no resources available to grow referrals. Between the issue of time and money, creativity gets lost. This is particularly true in healthcare, where creativity is mostly avoided. After all, would you want a surgeon getting creative with you during a visit? Most likely not, but the outward approach; i.e., how you obtain patients has a range of creativity available that does not require money, but it may require some time. Being creative means connecting to people. Particularly in healthcare that is non-specialty (not Cardio or Neuro), most people want a provider that he/she likes. Being likable means being personable. That does not mean abused by patients (i.e., calling at home, talking to them at church, etc.). What it means is showing expertise, showing warmth, and showing care. You can do this through social media, through community engagement or through personal talks one-on-one. Yes, it takes time, but the benefits are a tighter connection to your patients.

Promote the differentiation

If you come to the office with the idea that you do business just like your competitors, then the clock is already ticking on how much longer you have to stay in business. When healthcare is commoditized, i.e., everything is the same, just the people are different, then outcomes are affected. Worse outcomes lead to sicker patients who come back more often, find another provider, or die. Two of the three are bad for your office. Write down what the competitors are doing, how well they are doing it, and how they are communicating that value to patients. Once you know their approach, determine the weakness to exploit. For example, if their clinic overbooks patients, then they are cattle-farming, not giving patients the proper care, he/she needs. Should criticizing competition be against your approach, collect the same information with the idea of promoting what you see as your advantage. One-on-one, personalized care sounds good, but you want to promote outcomes, personal engagement, and likeability. People that like his/her healthcare provider tell people – just as he/she tells people when the provider is not liked. Take a look at social media for critiques of healthcare providers. Being the differentiator makes you the leader. Be a leader in healthcare.

Do something

This brings me back to the problem with my friend. She does not see where to begin. Every solution just will not work. To hear her tell it, the answer is pre-determined. That brings me to the worst place to be, defeated. And there are a lot of people who are defeated, especially in healthcare. Think about it. You see only sick people, once your patient gets well, you rarely get to see them. The patient is usually not at his/her best when he/she comes to you. This gets exacerbated by a system that pushes on all sides with regulatory requirements, workloads that are crushing and paperwork. It is an overwhelming job. But being defeated is one thing that you have to choose NOT to be. And therein lies the most critical part, not being defeated. It is a choice. Unfortunately, it is one that many a healthcare provider does not feel he/she has, but he/she does. My friend does if she wants more referrals, she has to decide not to be defeated. Whether that happens for her or you, is pretty much entirely a matter of choice.

Perhaps it is that when you tell someone, they do not understand what, maybe it could be you that does not understand. Do not close off that possibility, because the best learning is done in individual situations. Life is full of choices, make the ones that improve your outcomes. Even if you fail, you failed doing the best work possible. That counts for everything.