BUSINESS

  merchandising

Plug Your Medical Practice

Here are three ways to promote the medical services you offer

GINA M. WESLEY O.D., M.S., F.A.A.O.

When you think of merchandising in your practice, the phrase “medical services” most likely doesn’t come to top of mind. However, thanks to the leaders in our profession, both past and present, medical services are a vital part of our practices, and educating our patients on the fact that we offer medically based services is important to the viability of our practices. After all, how can we help our patients if they don’t know we CAN help them?

Here are three ways to merchandise your medical practice:

1 Internal marketing

Your existing patients already trust you and are familiar with your office. I’m often met with a happy and relieved, “You do that here, too?!” expression when I tell my patients I can help them with their red eye/dry eye/contact lens/glaucoma/AMD, etc., “issue.”

Build upon your current relationships by simply telling each patient at the end of his or her exam what else you can assist with during the course of the year, beyond the routine exam.

2 Educate your staff

Does your staff know what you are capable of providing? During my regular office meetings, I occasionally add a section to the agenda titled, “What Does Dr. Wesley Do In the Exam Room?” I try to touch on all the conditions I manage, what I do for them, how I test for them and what the patient experiences.

I think it’s easy to assume that our front desk staff or optician knows what happens during a normal exam, but most likely they are not in that exam room but (hopefully) once per year. Educating them not only helps further awareness with your patients, it also assists you in triaging potential medical patients.

3 Have the needed “stuff” on hand

Have the necessary supplies, equipment and paraphernalia. You need to properly manage your medical patients, so be sure the desired equipment is available for proper diagnosis and treatment. Additionally, have the drops, eye masks, lid cleansers, supplements, etc. you recommend and prescribe for your patients available at your office.

No, you are not capitalizing or taking advantage of patients by offering such products; you are making it convenient for them to see you and obtain the products they need for their particular condition. The choice is always theirs.

For those of you who don’t currently offer miscellaneous medical products, I think you’d be pleasantly surprised at the relief your patients have when they don’t need to go elsewhere to find and figure out another step in the management process.

Bundle the products together in convenient packages for patients, so they don’t feel the need to pick what seems best in an “a la carte” fashion. This will make presenting the products easier for your staff and also for the patient. Be sure to display these products throughout the office as well, as this will prompt questions from patients and open the door to further conversations about the medical services you offer.

Speak up

Patients don’t know what you can do unless you tell them. By following these three steps, you’ll create greater awareness of the medical side of your practice. OM

DR. WESLEY PRACTICES AT COMPLETE EYE CARE OF MEDINA, A VISION SOURCE FRANCHISE, WHICH SHE OPENED IN 2008. SHE WAS HONORED AS MINNESOTA’S OPTOMETRIST OF THE YEAR IN 2011. E-MAIL DR. WESLEY AT DRWESLEY@CECOFMEDINA.COM.