Understanding the Referral Relationship in Medicine

Posted on April 17, 2011 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

Cultivating a Steady Stream of Patients

By Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA

[Publisher-in-Chief]

Developing and cultivating a steady stream of referrals involves good planning, an investment of time and energy in the referral relationship, and a keen understanding of referring physicians’ needs and priorities.

According to consultant Carolyn Merriman, enhancing the referral relationship is a step-by-step process, not unlike the clinical process, that begins by identifying target physicians and their needs, prioritizing the list of referral contacts and then determining the best way to reach them.

Link: www.BusinessofMedicalPractice.com

Make it a Win-Win Relationship

For example, a physician may routinely refer patients to a particular specialist because he or she has an out­standing reputation for medical expertise and competence, is more accessible than comparable practitioners or has a convenient location for the referring physician’s patients. The physician may have a relationship with the specialist because of marketing by a local hospital or the specialist’s own practice. And, in some cases the two physicians have a social relationship.

There are many ways to create and maintain these relationships. Physicians should choose the approach that works best for them, put together a plan and stay consistent. Look for ways to make the relationship a win-win for both practices or for the referring hospital or outpatient facility.

Link: Front Matter BoMP – 3

The SHSMD

If you are not comfortable with developing referral relationships for your practice, seek out partners, office staff or hospital partners who can appropriately assist, train or support you in this effort. Many hospitals have staff focused on physician sales and service.

The Society for Healthcare Strategy and Market Development (SHSMD) recently reported that 41% of hospitals had dedicated sales staff support, with more than half of those using their sales staff to support cardiology and radiology.

Assessment

Often, hospitals are seeking physician speakers for community seminars, wellness programs and other outreach efforts. Ask about participating in these venues. Offer to write articles for newsletters, the Web site or local media outlets. All of these expose the physician and the practice to referral sources as well as the public.

Conclusion

Your thoughts and comments on this ME-P are appreciated. Feel free to review our top-left column, and top-right sidebar materials, links, URLs and related websites, too. Then, subscribe to the ME-P. It is fast, free and secure.

Speaker: If you need a moderator or speaker for an upcoming event, Dr. David E. Marcinko; MBA – Publisher-in-Chief of the Medical Executive-Post – is available for seminar or speaking engagements. Contact: MarcinkoAdvisors@msn.com

OUR OTHER PRINT BOOKS AND RELATED INFORMATION SOURCES:

Ref: “By the Numbers, 2008.”  Society for Healthcare Strategy and Market Development of the American Hospital Association.

Product Details 

Filed under: "Doctors Only", Practice Management | Tagged: , , , , , | Leave a comment »

Strengthening Physician Hospital Relationships

Posted on April 10, 2011 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

A PHO Primer 

By Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA, CMP™

[Publisher-in-Chief]

Contrary to popular belief, physician-hospital relationships are not always driven by formal economics partnerships such as joint ventures, employment or medical director stipends. A concerted physician outreach program demonstrates a hospital’s commitment to working together more effectively.

Example

For example, Bon Secours Hampton Roads Health System in Virginia uses a systematic outreach program in which senior leadership, supplemented by physicians sales staff, meet regularly with physicians to identify critical operational issues that are disrupting their practice. The program is so important to building referral relationships with physicians who have other options for alignment that the system CEO reviews the issues list daily.

Link: www.BusinessofMedicalPractice.com

Key Areas 

Regardless of the partnership model, consultant Carolyn Merriman believes effective physician-hospital relationships call for alignment in four key areas:

  • Leadership – physicians are included in developing the strategic direction of the hospital and its programs and services.
  • Input – physician input is sought from people and areas beyond the traditional medical executive committee, often using younger, informal leaders who are the future leaders of the medical staff.
  • Communication – physicians feel heard and responded to as they identify issues and challenges they encounter as they practice medicine, and they feel that processes are in place for effectively resolving the issues.
  • Relationship Management – executives understand what motivates physicians professionally and personally and use that information to build a solid foundation of trust and mutual respect as they build and foster relationships.

Assessment

In a 2007 survey, the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE) found that physician-hospital relations was the third most pressing issue for hospital CEOs, topped only by financial challenges and care for the uninsured. Within the physician-hospital category, specific concerns included creating win-win collaboration, physician requests for payment for service to the hospital, competition with physician-owned facilities/equipment, medical staff structures/leadership and niche providers. 

Certainly from the physician’s perspective, a better relationship with hospital leaders and hospital staff makes life infinitely easier. We do, after all, share a common denominator—the patient. Like the physician, the hospital is equally interested in providing patients with the very best quality and service possible.

Conclusion

And so, your thoughts and comments on this ME-P are appreciated. Feel free to review our top-left column, and top-right sidebar materials, links, URLs and related websites, too. Then, subscribe to the ME-P. It is fast, free and secure.

Link: http://feeds.feedburner.com/HealthcareFinancialsthePostForcxos

Speaker: If you need a moderator or speaker for an upcoming event, Dr. David E. Marcinko; MBA – Publisher-in-Chief of the Medical Executive-Post – is available for seminar or speaking engagements. Contact: MarcinkoAdvisors@msn.com

Our Other Print Books and Related Information Sources:

Health Dictionary Series: http://www.springerpub.com/Search/marcinko

Practice Management: http://www.springerpub.com/product/9780826105752

Physician Financial Planning: http://www.jbpub.com/catalog/0763745790

Medical Risk Management: http://www.jbpub.com/catalog/9780763733421

Healthcare Organizations: www.HealthcareFinancials.com

Physician Advisors: www.CertifiedMedicalPlanner.com

Subscribe Now: Did you like this Medical Executive-Post, or find it helpful, interesting and informative? Want to get the latest ME-Ps delivered to your email box each morning? Just subscribe using the link below. You can unsubscribe at any time. Security is assured.

Link: http://feeds.feedburner.com/HealthcareFinancialsthePostForcxos

Sponsors Welcomed: And, credible sponsors and like-minded advertisers are always welcomed.

Link: https://healthcarefinancials.wordpress.com/2007/11/11/advertise

Product Details 

Filed under: "Doctors Only", Practice Management | Tagged: , , , , , , | 1 Comment »

Benchmarking Study Survey on Physician Sales and Service

Posted on October 1, 2010 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

ME-P Reader Participation Sought for the Corporate Health Group

By Carolyn Merriman

President, Corporate Health Group

401-886-5588 ext. 201

www.corporatehealthgroup.com

Dear David and ME-P Subscribers, Readers and Visitors

I hope this finds you well and busy. I am sure you are pleased with the publication of the updated text book. Thank you again for allowing me to participate by authoring Chapter 33: Professional Relations.

www.BusinessofMedicalPractice.com

ME-P Reader Participation Requested 

I am sending this along to my fellow consultants asking them to seek their client’s participation. I thought you might be able to post or push out to your ME-P readers.

The CHG 

Corporate Health Group (CHG) is conducting our third benchmarking study on Physician Sales and Service. The success of this study depends on the survey being distributed to the appropriate people to be completed. Because I know that you have many contacts in physician sales and service, I am hopeful that you would forward the survey to those contacts and encourage them to participate. To show CHG’s appreciation you will receive a complimentary copy of the results including the trended data from the 2005 and 2008 studies.

Viral Contacts Sought

If you, or your subscribers and partners, should also happen to have a contact that is a large system or association we have the ability to set up a unique organization code that those completing the survey would enter in the “organization” section. CHG would in return give them a report that shows the overall trended data (2005, 2008, 2010) – compared to their organization’s data. If you want a code, please contact jstratton@corporatehealthgroup.com or 309-647-5456 for this set-up.

Contact Instructions 

Instructions on sending the survey to your contacts:

1. Below you will find a brief description of the survey along with a html message that could be used in your communication to your contacts. In order to use the html embedded in this email you must “forward” the message. It is set-up so that you could “forward” the message and simply delete the top portion of this message.

2. If you are unable to forward this html message, I have created a link to the survey.

The Physician Sales and Service Survey  

Physicians still direct the vast majority of inpatient healthcare in the marketplace – as many as 80% of patients enter the doors of hospitals and facilities at the direction of physicians. Notwithstanding he movement toward a consumer-driven market – many hospitals, health systems and large specialty practices have turned to physician sales or referral development programs to grow their business. Unfortunately, motivating physicians to change referral patterns is a daunting task under the best of circumstances and the lack of industry “best practices” complicates the situation even further.

View image001.png in slide show

Third Benchmarking Study

September 2010 Corporate Health Group (CHG) launched their third benchmarking study of Physician Sales and Service. The National survey will obtain new trends and craft comparisons and a gap analysis of data captured 2005, 2008 and now 2010. The survey (a mix of open and closed ended questions) is available online and respondents will get a free Executive Summary. The results will provide detailed management and benchmarking data for physician sales managers and healthcare executives to benefit their programs for future success!

Get our Widget: Get this widget!

Our Other Print Books and Related Information Sources:

Practice Management: http://www.springerpub.com/prod.aspx?prod_id=23759

Physician Financial Planning: http://www.jbpub.com/catalog/0763745790

Medical Risk Management: http://www.jbpub.com/catalog/9780763733421

Healthcare Organizations: www.HealthcareFinancials.com

Physician Advisors: www.CertifiedMedicalPlanner.com

Subscribe Now: Did you like this Medical Executive-Post, or find it helpful, interesting and informative? Want to get the latest ME-Ps delivered to your email box each morning? Just subscribe using the link below. You can unsubscribe at any time. Security is assured.

Link: http://feeds.feedburner.com/HealthcareFinancialsthePostForcxos

Sponsors Welcomed: And, credible sponsors and like-minded advertisers are always welcomed.

Link: https://healthcarefinancials.wordpress.com/2007/11/11/advertise

Filed under: Marketing & Advertising, Practice Management, Surveys and Voting | Tagged: , , , , | Leave a comment »