Kareo - 3 Ways to Cultivate Rapid Growth Through Referrals

PAGE 1 KAREO | @GoKareo; #KareoTip


Your Hosts Today…

Cheryl Bisera Cheryl Bisera Consulting

Lea Chatham Content Marketing Manager, Kareo


Our Schedule for Today…

1 Introduction & Welcome Cheryl

2 3 Ways to Cultivate Rapid Growth through Referrals

3 Discover Kareo’s Role

4 Answer Questions


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Cheryl Bisera

Over 10 years as a consultant, author

and speaker

Written for publications and websites,

including KevinMD, Physician

Magazine, and Journal of Medical

Practice Management

Specializes in practice marketing,

image management, business

promotion, and staff resources.

Cheryl Bisera Consulting

www.cherylbiseraconsulting.com

805.276.2828

http://www.cherylbiseraconsulting.com/






4 Answer Questions


Course Objectives

1. Identify ways to expand physician referrals

2.Learn strategies that strengthen patient referrals

3.Find out how to increase referrals from existing referrers

4.Discover often-overlooked referral sources


Three Ways to Cultivate Referrals

1. Forge Alliances

2. Build Allegiance

3. Express Appreciation

Forge Alliances


Why Forge Alliances?

Strengthens your position in the market

Builds relationships that feed your practice

An opportunity others miss (takes time and effort)

Has exponential growth potential


Forging Alliances

Professional networking

Community opportunities

Your own patients


Professional Networking

Medical Affiliations

– County associations

– Specialty associations

– Hospital events, trainings, leadership opportunities



Potential Referring Physicians

– Lunch-n-learns

Third party expert

Your physician, your specialty

– Introduce the practice

Managers or physicians

Marketing specialist—hire or train

– Refer first—specialists and PCP



Your competition

– Align as a colleague

– Refer for unique services

– Share information, resources

– Explore opportunities of sharing costs, resources, responsibility, and access for patients



New Providers

– New physician or mid-level in an existing referring practice

A welcome goes a long way

Educate on your services

– New physicians in town

Offer assistance, introduce, educate, welcome

Introduce, follow up with an invitation



Clinical and administrative staff

– Hospital

– Diagnostic Centers

– ASC (ambulatory surgery centers)

Getting to know them, treating them with respect and educating them positions you as someone they will likely refer to and consider for future opportunities.


Community Opportunities

Look for alliances in community partnerships

– Health/fitness organizations

– Clubs, groups, centers that attract your target

Position yourself as their go-to

– Your offering, their need or mission

Educational talks, screenings, advisory board, sponsorship

of an event, host a booth at event

Create an event for mutual benefit

You gain exposure, endorsement and credibility


Your Own Patients

You align with patients when they sense you are in a partnership with them, working together for their health goals.

Conversations are two directional and honest

Their input, values, goals and abilities are part of the treatment plan

They feel known and valued by your practice

Build Allegiance


Why Build Allegiance?

Patients and referral sources have choices

You want them to choose you repeatedly

Allegiance fortifies your practice; patients and practices can’t easily be wooed by the latest shiny thing that rolls into town

The strategies keep you in the loop on their needs and changes in the medical community so you can respond appropriately


How Do We Build Allegiance?

We do it with the not-so-secret, but oh-so-powerful and doable strategy of giving them service that is so stellar it doesn’t feel like

service, it feels like a special relationship they have with you that they think no one else has!


Building Allegiance with Patients

Use their names

Personal facts in chart

Eye contact

Stellar customer service

Low wait times, great access

Phone coverage

Value-ads—those ‘something extras’

Exceed their expectations


Building Allegiance with Physicians

“The number one thing for me is their ability to communicate. They could be the best specialist in their field, but if they can’t communicate with first my patient, and then with me, than I’m out.”

Clear communication

– With patients

Diagnosis, treatment plan, next steps

– Physician

Copy of treatment plan and assessment is written clearly

and sent to referring physician

Make yourself available if they call



Respectful and Courteous

–Patients

–Staff

–Physician

“If my patient tells me they were not friendly, I’m unlikely to refer again. I’m aware of personality clashes but if there is a pattern, it’s obvious. The same goes if I or my staff calls them or their office directly. If they act put out or annoyed, I’m out for good. If they treat me professionally and cordially, it’s HUGE for me.”



Access

Your staff

– Helpful, friendly, flexible with referring practice

Office environment

– Clean, up-to-date, comfortable

– Culture, attitude toward patient

“I want to be associated with quality, organized, up-to-date practices”


Building Allegiance Among Staff

Colleagues practice staff

Hospital clinical and admin staff

ASCs, diagnostic centers, etc.

Community allies’ staff

Rarely do physicians think of these staff members as referral sources, but people are going to ask them about you, they

have power in your community and their opinion is powerful!


Express Appreciation


The Power of Thank You

It is a basic desire of every human being to be

recognized, thanked and praised. Saying

“thank you” doesn’t just acknowledge that

person’s effort, intent or action—it

acknowledges the person himself.


Why Express Appreciation?

Their name is on the line

– Highest compliment

– Endorsement

– Extension of their practice

You have the power to meet a basic desire

– “There are two things people want more than sex and money: recognition and praise” – Mary Kay Ash

It will be remembered, appreciated



They don’t have to refer to you

Past referral patterns are no guarantee

The human instinct for reciprocity: “thank you” completes the exchange

The Bottom line:

Expressing appreciation influences referrers to continue to refer to you



“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”

- Maya Angelou


How Do We Express Appreciation Effectively?

To leave a truly positive impression, we must express appreciation that is:

Sincere

Thoughtful

Regular (consistent, on-going)

Surprising


Sincere Appreciation

Recognize the influence of referrals on your bottom line

– Run the numbers

Make sure staff understand the importance

– Show staff the reports, what it means to the practice when you gain or loose a referral source


Sincere Appreciation

Regular, genuine appreciation trumps elaborate formal appreciation programs

– Sincerity is felt even if accompanying a token gift

Warm and personal

– A hand-written note of thanks

– Eye contact

– Using the person’s name

– A phone call

Not manipulative or suggestive, no hidden agenda


Thoughtful Appreciation

Find out their ‘currency’

– What does their office enjoy, need, value?

– Look for clues, then just ask

Be creative

– A donation to a cause that is meaningful to them

– Hosting an event

– Sharing an educational or other valuable experience



What matters to them, matters

– Are they trying to eat healthy in the New Year

– Food restrictions

– Can you help them solve a problem

– Are they time strapped (can you go to them)

– Do they have a favorite non-profit



Bring value

– Lunch-n-Learn

–Workshop, training

–Sharing resources, knowledge, recommendations, networks


Regular Appreciation

Appreciation isn’t something you check off once unless you only want them to refer once

Organized approach

Consistent, on-going, repetitive


Taking an Organized Approach

Will you train someone in house or hire a professional?

– This person represents your practice

– Must have the skillset

Organization, communication, personality, professionalism, basic knowledge of the practice/services you want to promote, passion, time

– Hire vs. train

Time zapper/silent need; will it get done?



Determine who will be responsible to:

– Identify target practices/physicians

– Track and plan interactions, deliveries

– Make contact and be “the face of the practice”

Thanking those who refer

Thanking potential referrers for “considering” or for “keeping us in mind” (deliver practice info, gifts, etc.)

– Track referral patterns over time



Develop a referral program that includes:

– A budget per target practice—per year/outreach

– Setting a schedule for all interactions:

Calls, dropping off practice info/cards, scheduling lunches, notes of thanks, deliveries or events

How will patients that refer be thanked? A chart note, a thank you in the mail, a token gift card?


Consistent, On-going, Repetitive

The marketing rule of 7

A clear message, branding, personalization

Each interaction moves toward developing alliances and allegiance by accomplishing:

–Awareness

–Value

– Trust

–REFERRALS!


The Element of Surprise

How will your expression be remembered?

Takes some creativity but gets attention

Doesn’t have to be expensive

Make an impact!


The Element of Surprise

Expressing appreciation to potential and existing referral sources SURPRISINGLY means:

–Unexpected times of year

–Not the typical gift

–Remembering something important to them

–Meeting a need that no one else does


Your practice can rise as a preferred practice among

referrers by forging alliances, building allegiance through

stellar service, and expressing appreciation with sincerity,

thoughtfulness and the element of surprise!






4 Answer Questions


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Kareo - 3 Ways to Cultivate Rapid Growth Through Referrals