Patients have a lot of power with their healthcare decisions today, and this is one of the main foundations of why ambulatory surgery centers should consider direct marketing in their service areas.
At the 19th Annual Ambulatory Surgery Centers Conference in Chicago on Oct. 25, Amber McGraw Walsh, JD, and Anna Timmermann, JD, both partners with McGuireWoods moderated a session on direct marketing strategies in ASCs. The panel included Ann Sells Miller, partner and COO of Advanced Healthcare Partners, and Peter Cunningham, founder and CEO of CCO Healthcare Partners.
Here are some of the primary reasons why ASCs should consider direct marketing.
1. ASCs must differentiate among competitors. Patients have a lot of data on their hands and are no longer making their healthcare decisions on the referrals of primary care physicians alone. Ms. Miller said as patients conduct their own research, ASCs must differentiate themselves from other facilities through direct marketing on websites and other electronic means, which are the primary sources patients are using these days.
Mr. Cunningham agreed, saying the consolidating hospital market makes it almost necessary for ASCs to find new ways to stand out. "As hospitals are aggregating, ASCs can be a specialist in that one thing," Mr. Cunningham said. "Position your facility as the experts on orthopedics or whatever [the specialty] happens to be. Develop content around that that dwarfs the competition."
2. Direct marketing can bolster reputations. Ms. Miller said ASCs' online presence has become more important in the past several years as patients can view quality data through HealthGrades, CMS and other sources. ASCs need to scour the online world for patients who have had both good and bad experiences at their facilities with the ultimate goal being to soften or enhance reputation. "Scan for negative reviews and then get patients who are satisfied to help garner your reputation," she said.
3. Direct marketing creates branding. Target, Pepsi and other big companies are so successful because they are able to create a loyal base through direct marketing, which creates the brand. ASCs shouldn't necessarily look to radio, television or print ads, which are expensive, but they should look to market in order to create a strong brand.
"Surgeons come and go," Ms. Miller said. "Bring the brand to the ASC so no matter who your patient ends up with, they know this physician works at this ASC with an associated credibility."
At the 19th Annual Ambulatory Surgery Centers Conference in Chicago on Oct. 25, Amber McGraw Walsh, JD, and Anna Timmermann, JD, both partners with McGuireWoods moderated a session on direct marketing strategies in ASCs. The panel included Ann Sells Miller, partner and COO of Advanced Healthcare Partners, and Peter Cunningham, founder and CEO of CCO Healthcare Partners.
Here are some of the primary reasons why ASCs should consider direct marketing.
1. ASCs must differentiate among competitors. Patients have a lot of data on their hands and are no longer making their healthcare decisions on the referrals of primary care physicians alone. Ms. Miller said as patients conduct their own research, ASCs must differentiate themselves from other facilities through direct marketing on websites and other electronic means, which are the primary sources patients are using these days.
Mr. Cunningham agreed, saying the consolidating hospital market makes it almost necessary for ASCs to find new ways to stand out. "As hospitals are aggregating, ASCs can be a specialist in that one thing," Mr. Cunningham said. "Position your facility as the experts on orthopedics or whatever [the specialty] happens to be. Develop content around that that dwarfs the competition."
2. Direct marketing can bolster reputations. Ms. Miller said ASCs' online presence has become more important in the past several years as patients can view quality data through HealthGrades, CMS and other sources. ASCs need to scour the online world for patients who have had both good and bad experiences at their facilities with the ultimate goal being to soften or enhance reputation. "Scan for negative reviews and then get patients who are satisfied to help garner your reputation," she said.
3. Direct marketing creates branding. Target, Pepsi and other big companies are so successful because they are able to create a loyal base through direct marketing, which creates the brand. ASCs shouldn't necessarily look to radio, television or print ads, which are expensive, but they should look to market in order to create a strong brand.
"Surgeons come and go," Ms. Miller said. "Bring the brand to the ASC so no matter who your patient ends up with, they know this physician works at this ASC with an associated credibility."
More Articles on the 19th Annual Ambulatory Surgery Centers Conference:
Why Social Media Can Take Your ASC to the Next Level
5 Tips for Small-Scale Materials Management Success at ASCs
7 Steps to Add a Podiatry Residency Program to an ASC