| In order for your medical practice to succeed and | | | | over another physician. There are exceptions to this |
| grow, you must nurture it through medical | | | | rule, however. As long as the waiver is not offered |
| marketing. Although many doctors cringe at the | | | | as part of an advertisement or solicitation, the |
| thought of having to promote their practices as if | | | | physician does not regularly offer waivers, and the |
| they were businesses, they must promote | | | | physician only offers the waiver after determining |
| themselves if they want to continue attracting new | | | | that the patient is in financial need, no laws would be |
| patients, increasing revenue, and perhaps even | | | | violated. |
| opening new office locations. | | | | Wait for patients to find you. You may be a great |
| However, doctors have to be careful not to be too | | | | doctor but most patients won’t hear about your |
| aggressive in their medical marketing approach. | | | | practice unless you put yourself out there. Be |
| Without even realizing it, a doctor could be breaking | | | | proactive and use medical marketing methods to |
| several state and federal laws by marketing and | | | | attract more people to your practice. |
| advertising aggressively. Nevertheless, doctors | | | | Expect to see results overnight. Medical marketing |
| don’t have to abandon direct-to-consumer | | | | takes time and the results will take a while to |
| marketing and advertising completely, as long as they | | | | manifest. If you are patient, you’ll see your |
| are careful not to break any laws. Here is a list of | | | | efforts bear fruit. |
| medical marketing do’s and don’ts that will | | | | Use medical terminology or illustrations that are |
| help you stay on the right track. | | | | difficult for the general public to understand in your |
| DO: | | | | marketing materials. Make sure all of your marketing |
| Develop a thorough marketing plan with specific goals | | | | materials are readily comprehensible. |
| and objectives in mind. Make sure that you also | | | | Use deceptive, high-pressure advertising tactics that |
| have a tracking system in place that will help you | | | | create unrealistic expectations. |
| determine what is enabling you to meet your goals | | | | Make unsolicited phone calls to Medicare and Medicaid |
| and what isn’t. | | | | beneficiaries. In order to call them, they must have |
| Educate your target audience, whether it consists of | | | | been your patient in the last 15 months and you |
| referring doctors, patients, or the community. | | | | must have their permission to call. |
| Educating and helping others is the key to success in | | | | Say in your advertising that patients will not have |
| modern medical marketing. | | | | out-of-pocket expenses and that Medicare or |
| Give away small gifts and services as incentives in | | | | insurance is accepted as payment in full. In addition, |
| your marketing program, but never cash or anything | | | | you should avoid saying that you provide discounts |
| that could be converted into cash. The retail value | | | | to beneficiaries of Medicare. |
| of gifts cannot exceed $10 per recipient. | | | | Provide discounts for services if the patient commits |
| Make sure that all of the marketing materials you use | | | | to purchasing another item or service at a specific |
| are straightforward, accurate, and not deceptive. | | | | price. Offering contingent discounts is a violation of |
| You also have to be certain that your employees and | | | | state and federal laws. |
| marketing consultants understand that the marketing | | | | Compensate your employees and marketing |
| materials used have to be clear and not create | | | | consultants based on the success of their marketing |
| unjustifiable expectations. | | | | efforts. Make sure that the fee you pay them is |
| Promote the delivery of preventive care services. | | | | fixed in advance. |
| As long as the delivery of preventive care services is | | | | Conclusion |
| not tied to Medicaid or Medicare reimbursable | | | | To avoid breaking rules and to achieve optimal results |
| services, you are allowed by law to give incentives | | | | in your medical marketing campaign, consider working |
| to promote the delivery of preventive care services | | | | with a medical marketing firm. A medical marketing |
| such as prenatal services or post-natal well-baby | | | | company can help you with everything from graphic |
| visits. | | | | design to copywriting to analytics, ensuring that your |
| Consult a health care attorney to ensure that your | | | | campaign runs smoothly from beginning to end. |
| medical marketing efforts do not violate any state or | | | | Ultimately, your medical practice is a brand, and you |
| federal laws. | | | | need to make the effort to build a strong brand |
| DON´T: | | | | image and reputation through your medical marketing |
| Waive coinsurance or deductible amounts because | | | | efforts. A professional, experienced medical |
| you can violate several laws by doing so. For | | | | marketing firm can help you develop a powerful |
| example, a physician can face fines of up to $10,000 | | | | presence both online and offline while making sure |
| for offering a waiver to sway the decision of a | | | | that you aren’t breaking any laws. |
| Medicaid or Medicare-eligible person to choose him | | | | |