Eyeworld

80 | EYEWORLD | SEPTEMBER 2019 I N THE PRACTICE Contact information Rabourn: brabourn@medcgroup.com by William Rabourn Jr. How can a marketing plan start and optimize the conversation with patients? Engagement. Give your patients the opportu- nity to repeatedly encounter and interact with your practice in person and online with well-ex- ecuted medical marketing. Smart, strategic medical marketing fuels a healthy patient-pro- vider conversation by building brand credibility, establishing a positive practice reputation (e.g., testimonials), attracting new patients, and nur- turing loyal, lasting patient relationships. Smart marketing will look different for each brand based on the available products and ser- vices, as well as the strategic and financial goals of the provider. However, no matter what your brand is selling or seeking to achieve, a plan is the key to profitable marketing, and it should be formed as soon as possible. The earlier you know what your goals are and which marketing mediums you will use to achieve them, the more time you have to execute and adapt to inevita- ble changes or hiccups. Considering that next year is 2020—a year that comes with built-in advertising, promotional, and headline opportu- nities referencing 20/20 vision—having a plan is more important than ever. Where should you start with your medical marketing plan? It starts with team building. How many people do you need to accomplish your marketing goals? It varies, but do not make the mistake of offloading this responsibility to one individ- ual within your ophthalmic business. While an ophthalmic business may designate at least one person within the practice to lead and coordi- nate its marketing, that person should be work- ing with multiple members of an internal or third-party team. In many cases, that individual already has responsibilities within the practice and cannot focus fully on everything that needs to be done to successfully plan and execute a comprehensive marketing strategy. A new value-based care model is putting more power than ever before into patients' hands. Wheth- er your ophthalmic business has already adopted this model of care, is considering it, or is keeping an eye on industry trends, note that value-based care is reshaping the conversation among patients and providers and may set the ophthalmic business on the most profitable track when those businesses make smart choic- es concerning their medical marketing. This includes planning a marketing strategy promptly and comprehensively. What is value-based care? Until recently, volume-based care ruled the in- dustry, prioritizing the volume of services ren- dered. Today, some medical businesses follow a value-based model that is more concerned with the actual effectiveness of medical services than how many are provided. This model emerged not just because of changing regulations but because patients voiced their preference for a truly "valuable" healthcare experience. Their collective opinion on how their care is delivered influenced a shift. This suggests that if oph- thalmic businesses have not already, they should acknowledge the power of the patient voice and how important it is to actively communicate with them. If your ophthalmic business or brand has not yet set up channels for conversation with current and potential patients, now may be the time. If your brand already includes patients in its conversations, make sure the topics reflect this new focus on value. Patients want to hear how eyecare providers are delivering the best value through their "patient experience." In other words, what makes your products and services better than your competitors'? Patient outcomes? Advanced technology? Multiple convenient locations? Doctor experience? Pa- tient-friendly facility amenities? Highlight your strengths. Brand with a plan Smart marketing for the value-based care era About the author William Rabourn Founder and managing principal Medical Consulting Group Springfield, Missouri

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