Client Success Stories
Following is a sampling of some of our many pain management clients for which we have developed and executed highly successful marketing and sales campaigns.
Large Pain Practice Wanted to Market Headache and other Neurological Services
Background: A large private group of pain physicians wanted to provide a wider range of services in order to stand out from the competition. To do so, they brought in a highly regarded neurologist who had a strong background in headache management.
Challenge: This pain management practice needed to stand out in the marketplace to compete with area hospital-owned pain practices.
Strategy: Our task was to develop a strategy to help this independent physician-owned pain group to compete with area hospital pain groups. With a neurologist and interdisciplinary team in place, this practice wanted to emphasize their expertise in managing headache and migraine along with a range of other neurological conditions. We created a marketing campaign highlighting the expertise of the entire headache team and treatment options via a patient testimonial approach. We implemented an extensive direct mail program and postcard campaign to PCPs, neurologists, OB-GYNs, pediatricians, orthopedists, chiropractors and neurosurgeons. In addition, we implemented our consultative telesales program whereby we called all physician offices in the marketplace on the database that we developed specifically for this practice, to tell them about our client’s services and we sent fulfillment packages to them as well. We also learned from the marketing research survey that we implemented that the hospital-based groups had an average 4-6 week wait for patient appointments, while our client could see patients in 2 weeks. This was clearly a strong selling point.
Results: Pediatric and OBGYN groups were the most responsive as they indicated they had no resources where to send patients with headaches. Referrals from these specialties increased by 25% after 12 months. Referrals from PCP's, orthopedists, neurosurgeons, chiropractors and neurologists increased by an average of 21% during the same period. Anecdotal comments after consultative telesales phone calls to all groups was that many referrers were unaware that referring outside a hospital was even an option.
Hospital-Based Anesthesia Group was Looking to Expand Revenue Stream by Establishing Community-Based Pain Management Practice
Background: With decreased reimbursements and declining in-hospital procedures, this in-house hospital anesthesia group decided it was time to look outside the hospital for revenue enhancements by opening a community pain practice.
Challenge: This anesthesia group entered a competitive pain market to enhance consults, cases and profitability.
Strategy: After being approached by this anesthesia group we implemented a much needed marketing research survey of all physicians in the catchment area to survey them on the pain management landscape in this market. We wanted to see who the competition was and understand the referral patterns for pain in this community. With the results, we branded a name for this new pain practice, created marketing material and implemented a full strategic marketing campaign which included a campaign of direct mail pieces, physician invitation-to-refer, grand opening announcements, open house and personalized fax. We also provided in-person sales visits to physician offices and put a strong consultative telesales program in place.
Results: After the first full year of the campaign, the client was able to see an extremely significant increase in daily appointments and procedures. We continued this campaign for an additional three years, providing a steady increase in ongoing referrals year over year.
Pain Management Practice Needed Major Inflow of Referrals with Enhanced Payor Mix – We Delivered:
Background: Pain management practice comprised of two anesthesiologists engaged Sharon Jarchin Health Care Marketing to help them as they were suffering from a lack of case volume and poor payor mix. Their geographic area is packed with pain management groups so the competition is fierce. The goal of the campaign was to create awareness among referring doctors, increase daily caseload and improve payor mix.
Challenge: Tremendous competition in the marketplace.
Strategy: Developed extensive list of all potential referral physicians in proximity of pain office location. Designed and distributed a marketing research survey to all potential referrers which received a tremendous response, providing us with excellent market intelligence and actual direct leads from physicians who would want to refer to a new pain management practice. Created attractive pain brochure to outline the scope of the practice's services, including how they work closely with referring doctors and provide excellence in clinical care to patients. Created website which was consistent with the brochure content. Implemented direct mail program, customized fax--phone call--email program, along with direct sales visits to potentially referring physicians (with a focus on quality payor mix based on survey intelligence and demographics).
Results: Even with tremendous competition from area pain management practices, we increased our client's patient visits by 40%, interventional cases by 56%, and rightsized payor mix by 35%. The profitability of the practice increased significantly along with awareness in the medical community.
PMR Practice was Looking to Expand by Adding PT, Rehab and Acupuncture to Build Patient Base
Background: A single physiatrist (PMR) had a private pain practice in a suburban community where there were a number of other pain practices. He wanted to grow the practice by bringing in rehab services such as physical therapy, acupuncture and medical massage therapy.
Challenge: By adding the ancillary rehab services he was not only competing with other pain practices but area wellness services as well.
Strategy: We rebranded this pain practice as a pain and wellness center to include their expanded services. The office was redesigned to look more spa-like. We created a range of attractive printed collateral materials that reflected this holistic look and marketed them to an extensive database of physicians that we developed. Strategic marketing included consultative telesales, in-person sales visits to physician offices, dynamic direct mail and a personalized fax campaign.
Results: After one year the referrals to this practice increased 45%, with 20% for pain services and the remainder for PT and other services.