The Executive Suite: Building Your Practice: Soliciting Doctors for Referrals

Sunday, May 5, 2013

Building Your Practice: Soliciting Doctors for Referrals

Soliciting doctors for referrals can make or break your health care trade. A self-employed, professional physical or massage therapist, for example, often relies on doctor referrals to generate business. While asking doctors directly may work, there are other ways to boost a physician's interest in your business. Be sure to master your trade and have an arsenal of professional qualities on display to boost your chances of enticing any doctor into a partnership for referrals.

Suggestions:

Solicit physicians from existing patients. Ask your own clients for a list of all the names and contact information of current physicians and specialists they use. Talk to the client and ask if it will be okay for you to contact the doctors. Obtain written consent on the matter from each client. Reach out to doctors and generate discussion by providing progress reports and medical evaluations. Schedule meetings with doctors to discuss building a referral base.
Send doctors information about your practice. Mail and/or email brochures and newsletters with up-to-date information on your practice and the relevance of your trade. If you are a physical or massage therapist, for example, provide articles from well known medical journals that validate these kinds of services and/or emphasize how your specialized service and general practices can work hand-in-hand. Include your professional contact information on all mailings.
Network with doctors. Attend cocktail parties, forums and events where doctors meet and gather. Go to a dinner for the grand opening of a general practice or reserve tickets for medical presentations or conferences, for example. Talk with doctors about their practice and introduce your skills as well. Exchange information with every doctor you meet -- business cards, for instance -- and follow up with all new contacts. Accept any invitation from friends who are doctors or in the medical field that may give you access to networking opportunities.
Give exhibitions whenever possible. Build a rapport with the doctor and offer to provide a free clinic to patients at his office. Demonstrate your key skills and what your services can offer. Answer any questions posed by attendees and provide brochures and contact information to all who attend. Use exhibitions as a launching pad for soliciting referrals. Schedule exhibitions on a regular basis with every doctor you can. Repeat step one for all new clients you acquire to broaden your solicitation database.
Join a Managed Care Organization (MCO). MCOs are institutions created to generate business and partnerships between members and help finance the cost of health care. MCO members must sign contracts abiding by guidelines -- offering services that only fit within MCO regulations, for instance. MCO status can boost your appeal with doctors; offering credibility to your specialty. Contact the American Medical Association for additional details and a list of active MCOs.

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