We’re always trying to think of innovative and creative ways to market our radiology practices to patients and the referring community, but sometimes it is best to take a step back. Go back to the basics. Marketing is about finding the things that make your practice memorable and showcasing those attributes.
Sometimes we get ourselves in marketing ruts though, by focusing on the wrong things about our practice. By thinking that the only benefits of our practices are related to accreditations or technology, we are forgetting about the components that truly make us unique.
Think about what it is like for a patient coming to your office. What are some of the things your staff does to make that patient feel comfortable and valued? How do you make sure that they have a positive experience? Starting today, think about some of the little things you can be doing to rebrand your patient experience.
Here are some ideas to get you started:
Opening Doors
Marigay McKee, President of Saks Fifth Avenue, with her doormen.
Saks Fifth Avenue is in the process of rebranding their Manhattan store by focusing on their shoppers’ experience. This started with the reintroduction of doormen, which brought the department store’s sense of luxury back. Now we don’t expect you to be hiring doormen for your imaging center, but if you can go a little out of your way to open the door for a patient you see coming in from the parking lot, do it.
Introductions
When a patient is called back from the waiting room, you’re meeting that patient for the first time. Introduce yourself to them. This is something you do when you meet people in scenarios outside of your imaging center, so why wouldn’t you do the same thing inside your imaging center?
Radiologist Availability
If your radiologists can be available by phone to consult with referring offices that can make all the difference in the world. This is one of the services that not all imaging centers can provide, but goes a long way.
Online Scheduling
Sometimes patients can’t get on the phone to schedule an appointment in the middle of the day, whether they are at work or just too busy during normal hours. If you can build in an online appointment request page to your website, that can be so useful to patients and referring physicians.
Clear Pricing
As a patient shopping for affordable radiology procedures, it can be very challenging to find what you are looking for because practices don’t want to disclose their costs. If no one else in your area is participating in price transparency, be the first one to join the party. Patients will appreciate your effort.
If your practice is already doing things like these, then don’t be afraid to let patients and referring offices know. If you aren’t focusing on the little things, then you have plenty of room to improve and let the community know that you’re changing your ways!