BAC Medical Marketing
  • Home
  • Who we are ▷
    • Mission statement
    • Meet the team
    • We attract new patients
    • More for less
  • What we do ▷
    • Services offered
    • IdentityFind
    • MEDShield
    • Project samples
  • How we work ▷
    • Workflow process
    • BACMM affiliate program
    • Clients
    • Glossary
  • Why we're different ▷
    • Search engine optimization
    • Case studies
    • Letter from the President
    • Spotlighted products
  • When we're needed ▷
    • Consultancy compensation
    • Marketing tips
    • BACMM Blog
    • FAQs
  • Contact ▷
    • News you can use
    • Testimonials
    • Online resources
    • Jobs at BACMM
Call Today: 800.240.9473

The Four A’s To Attracting And Retaining Patients

10/7/2010

1 Comment

 
What are today’s patients looking for? How do they choose a physician? What makes them stay with a healthcare provider?

Once upon a time, healthcare was primarily a physician-driven world. However, the sands have shifted, and now, patients, as consumers, increasingly hold the power. More informed and more inclined to take control of their own healthcare, they have become “pro-sumers” – meaning they are proactive before consuming. These “pro-sumers” read, research, talk, surf and even chat online to gather information before making decisions, including those about their healthcare. They do their “homework” first and want to learn all they can about their health concern, the physicians and treatments available to them, and what others in similar situations have done.

So, practicing medicine today means viewing a patient not just as someone who is ill and needs your help, but as a true consumer making a purchasing decision. That decision just happens to be related to the health and well-being of themselves or a loved one. And as the most successful businesses in other industries already know, the customer should always be your number one priority.

From P’s to A’s

Healthcare today is a business – like it or not.  And any basic business marketing book or course will talk about the “four P’s” – product, price, place and promotion. These elements are still the building blocks of any successful enterprise.

However, what patients believe they want, deserve and expect has really become the driving force in healthcare purchasing decisions. Over the years, service has become an increasingly important part of the “product” physicians provide. Healthcare has become a competitive marketplace. You can have stellar credentials and provide the highest level of care available, but if you can’t keep your patients happy, many will simply leave and find someone who will.

As a result, the true key to any physician’s survival and success in 2010 and beyond is what I call the “four A’s:”
  • Access
  • Availability
  • Accountability
  • Accommodation
Access

Patients want to be able to easily reach the highest level of care available when they need it, where they need it. And they want the freedom to choose and be involved in decisions about their care. Access is the primary reason behind the explosion in “walk-in” clinics that can be found in familiar community locations throughout the country, including inside pharmacies, grocery stores and big-box retailers. These businesses have capitalized on the simple fact that many patients could not get access to their regular physicians in a time they felt was reasonable. And many of these businesses are booming.  While most patients would prefer to see their personal physician, many are willing to give this up in exchange for access to care.

Availability

Closely related to access, patients want availability. They want convenient appointment times, and they don’t want to wait. They also expect their physicians and other healthcare providers to be approachable and readily communicate with them about their condition and treatment options. They want both phone and face-to-face exchanges to be unhurried and compassionate. To address patient demand for availability, many forward-thinking practices now offer non-traditional appointments times, including early in the morning, at lunchtime, evenings and even Saturdays based on the needs of their specific patient population. And others offer express or fast-track walk-in care during certain times of the day.

Accountability

Patients want accountability.  They are looking for someone who will take responsibility and provide accurate answers and explanations. Typically, patients are already anxious and under stress when they turn to you. Often, they are experiencing a health problem. They have questions and concerns, and are looking to you and your staff for answers and solutions. They don’t want to get passed from one person to another. They expect leadership, assistance and guidance in navigating what can be a complex maze.

One example of how many healthcare providers are addressing this need for accountability is the rise in care coordinators or care teams. This approach provides each patient with a single point person in your office who handles all questions related to their care. And it also helps to put patients at ease because they see the same familiar face and hear the same familiar voice each time they interact with your office. By doing this, you are building relationships and loyalty because you are providing a more personal level of care. This can make even large, multi-physician or multi-specialty practices feel “small.”

Accommodation

Finally, today’s patients expect that you will accommodate them.  They want convenience and genuine concern for their well-being – someone who understands their unique, individual challenges and makes it easy to get the care they need. They don’t want cookie-cutter care.  They want customization and personalization. They want to feel engaged and personally recognized during the time they are connected with your practice.

So how can you incorporate the “four A’s” into your practice? Spend some time walking in your patient’s footsteps. Really listen to their needs and learn from their situations. What do they need? What do they want? What do they like and dislike about your practice? Then, examine your current systems, identify potential opportunities and be sure to engage your staff in developing creative solutions to providing exceptional service.
1 Comment
Robert link
8/29/2018 05:41:39 am

Really such a wonderful article I came to study in recent days. Thanks for sharing this nice article. I came to know lots of information from this article.

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Author

    Bruce A. Cadkin, MBA President                          BAC Medical Marketing

    Archives

    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    August 2011
    July 2011
    June 2011
    May 2011
    April 2011
    March 2011
    February 2011
    January 2011
    December 2010
    November 2010
    October 2010
    September 2010
    August 2010
    July 2010
    June 2010
    May 2010
    April 2010
    March 2010
    February 2010
    January 2010
    December 2009
    November 2009
    October 2009
    September 2009
    August 2009
    July 2009
    June 2009
    May 2009

    Categories

    All
    Advertising
    Affiliate Marketing
    Affiliate Program
    Anna Deavere Smith
    Avoiding Malpractice Suits
    Best Practices
    Blogs
    Branding
    Cash Only Medical Practice
    Concierge Medical Practice
    Crisalix Estetix
    Customer Service
    Defensive Medicine
    Dental Practice Marketing
    Developing Physician Leaders
    Electronic Medical Records
    Emwave Products
    Expert Panels
    Facts And Figures
    Gene Smart Wellness
    Going Dutch
    Gum Disease
    Healthcare Reform
    Heartmath
    Holiday Poems
    Ingenio Expert Advice
    Internet Marketing
    In The News
    Let Me Down Easy
    Liveperson Expert Advice
    Managing By The Numbers
    Marketing Momentum
    Marketing Strategies
    Martin Luther King
    Medical Marketing
    Medical Tourism
    Meta Tags
    Mobile Marketing
    Money Driven Medicine
    Most Influential Physicians
    Omega 3 Index
    Online Reviews
    Patient Advocate
    Patrick Soon-Shiong
    Physicians At Funerals
    Practice Advertising
    Prayer Over Treatment
    Pro Football Head Trauma
    Psychographics
    Public Relations
    Referral Marketing
    Search Engine Optimization
    Social Media Marketing
    Solution To Medicare
    Staff Training Programs
    Steve Jobs
    The Art Of Apology
    Top Medical
    Web Site Design
    Web Site Marketing

    Bookmark and Share

    RSS Feed

    Picture

    I'm an expert on Maven!

    Consult with me on Maven



    Zintro Expert
    zintro.com/expert/Marketing-Maven

    Ingenio Expert

    Picture
    Liveperson Expert

    Reuters Insight Expert

    Which of the following changes in your practice most accurately reflect your goal? (Check all that apply) I would like to...
     
    pollcode.com free polls
    YouTube
    Twitter
    Code Of Ethics
    Medical Blog Award
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Dosie Award
    Weblog Award
    AlleyDog Award
    Best Blog Contest Award
    Blogtrepreneur Award
    Top 100 Blog Award
    Blogger's Choice Award
    Blogger's Choice Award
    Blog Advertising - Advertise on blogs with SponsoredReviews.com
Privacy Policy & Cookies Policy -- Terms & Conditions of Use -- Site Map 
                
      BAC Medical Marketing, BACMM and BAC / BACMM logos are trademarks of BAC Medical Marketing.


           © Copyright 2005 - 2019 BAC Medical Marketing. All rights reserved.


Picture

Protected by Copyscape Duplicate Content Detector
Website designed by Black Mamba