MEDICAL BILLING  Inexpensive Marketing Tips

 

Most entrepreneurs begin by knocking on doors or telemarketing. You can also mail brochures and letters, and then follow up with a personal request for an appointment.

 

To reach more doctors, however, you should obtain referrals from other medical professionals. If you haven't already, ask your doctor and other health-care providers you know for referrals, or ask satisfied clients for the names of other medical professionals they know who might be interested in your services. You may also be able to get help from pharmaceutical sales representatives, who regularly see doctors in their offices. (However, expect to pay a commission to reps who mention your service.)

 

Consider contacting marketing directors at local hospitals regarding their monthly staff meetings. After these meetings, hospitals often have a mini-trade show so doctors can learn about new products and services. You could also offer hospitals an opportunity to include a discount on your services to new doctors who affiliate with the hospital. Another option: Contact the local medical society about offering a discount to its members.

 

Don’t limit yourself to medical doctors. While managed health care has decreased the number of claims being filed by physicians who contract with HMOs, opportunities have arisen to serve a wide range of other health-care practitioners, such as acupuncturists, dentists, chiropractors, commercial ambulance services, home nursing services, massage therapists, nurse practitioners, occupational therapists, optometrists, osteopaths, physical therapists, physician assistants, podiatrists, psychologists, and respiratory and speech therapists.

 

After you've made initial contact with prospective clients, follow up by phone to see whether you can provide additional information. Then send periodic reminders in the form of timely tips and useful information via postcards, fliers or newsletters.

 

You’ve got some great selling points to help convince health care providers to use your services! Here are just a few points to touch on in your brochures and cover letters:

 

You offer faster turnaround on their money, which will improve cash flow and lower outstanding receivables.

 

You can usually process claims with a higher degree of accuracy, which lowers claims suspensions and rejections.

 

You take much of the hassle out of dealing with insurance carriers by handling any necessary follow-up, which will free the office staff's time and allow them to attend to more important issues.

 

You do all this, and you can save them money too, usually 50 percent or more of what it currently costs them to process paper claims from their office.