| One of a medical practice or hospitals biggest | | | | designers create websites that make it easy to be |
| challenges stems from the surplus of providers in | | | | found in an online search. Having a website gives a |
| most communities in the USA. Most physicians' | | | | physician a vehicle from which he or she can |
| practices and even hospitals earn revenues that | | | | promote their specializations and capabilities. |
| depend on the numbers of patients they take care | | | | Through medicine and health journals |
| of. And the competition for the health care dollar is | | | | Innovations, discoveries and clinical breakthroughs by |
| fiercer than ever! A contemporary trend is to | | | | a physician boost ones credibility and reputation. A |
| establish a physician "brand". In the same way that | | | | medical discovery, a new treatment method or even |
| companies advertise their products to create | | | | a more efficient and effective way to provide care |
| awareness, interest and desire, doctors have to do | | | | helps distinguish a physician and may attract more |
| the same in order to attract more patients or clients | | | | patients to a practice. |
| to their medical practices and businesses. | | | | Positioning as an Expert |
| Physician marketing is an all encompassing term that | | | | Of course, nothing beats being a recognized expert in |
| describes the various methods used to promote or | | | | a field. An expert is more likely to attract business |
| advertise a medical practice or physician business. | | | | (and revenue) as long as he or she continues to |
| Some of the forms this marketing can take are: | | | | produce great results. In this case, "advertising" is |
| Online | | | | likely to take the form of testimonials from satisfied |
| Having a website is crucial especially in this information | | | | patients or clients. This word of mouth advertising is |
| age. With a simple click of a mouse, a curious or | | | | free and often reliable as a source of generating new |
| needy searcher can get all the data and information | | | | business. |
| he or she needs to take action. Smart doctors now | | | | One final note about marketing in the medical and |
| recognize the importance of a well-thought out and | | | | health fields: Marketing involves communicating a |
| designed website to highlight not only their skills and | | | | compelling message to prospective patients or clients |
| practice or business details, but also to make a | | | | that provides a meaningful value proposition and |
| compelling case for why their practice or business is | | | | invites action. As physicians, it behooves us to learn |
| unique, special or different. Skilled webmasters and | | | | this "not brain surgery" skill! |