Building Your Relationships

Getting involved in your community can really raise your visibility with current and prospective patients and referring physicians. The easiest way to start is to get involved with something that interests you, your spouse or your children. Perhaps your practice can sponsor your daughter’s soccer team. Or you can give a talk on spring allergies at your spouse’s biking club meeting. Consider your interests and hobbies and get out of your office!

Connect with new referring physicians and strengthen the relationships you already have by:
•    Surveying the primary care referrers in your area to find out how you can help them and what they’d like to learn about
•    Communicating promptly with the referring physician after you’ve seen his/her patient
•    Speaking—at the medical center, during grand rounds, with your nurse educator at local primary care offices
•    Being active in local medical societies—join a committee, give talks at the meetings
   
Become a key resource for information on allergic disease in your community by:
•    Participating in local service, business and educational organizations—Rotary, Kiwanis, Chamber of Commerce, PTA
•    Running for the local school board
•    Developing a relationship with the corporate sector, particularly the HR/benefitsdepartment of large and mid-sized companies in your area

For more detailed information on marketing and promotion strategies for your practice, see Chapter 7 of the Practice Management Resource Guide.

1/16/2023