Archive for December, 2011
Generation X Outdoes Baby Boomer Generation for Plastic Surgery
Dec 30th
Even in the midst of a sluggish economy, many Americans were still going under the knife to improve their appearance. The latest statistics from the American Society for 
Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS) show that Generation X — not the baby boomer generation — accounted for about 43 percent of all procedures performed in 2010. Baby boomers made up about 28 percent of all procedures performed in 2010, almost half the amount of Generation X candidates. The trend may be attributed to the “glamorizing” of plastic surgery procedures and the increase of ads and media images that portray cosmetic surgery as a socially acceptable choice.
Generation X patients were primarily focused on personal improvement and maintenance procedures. Treatments like Botox, VelaShape body contouring, non-invasive fat reduction procedures, and laser treatments were at the top of the list for many Generation X patients. Experts say that both Generation X patients and baby boomers were also very interested in anti-aging therapies and treatments. Wrinkle fillers, skin resurfacing treatments, and skin tightening treatments are just some of the popular treatments that can make subtle changes to the appearance.
Nonsurgical and non-invasive procedures continue to be among the most-coveted procedures for patients on a budget and are expected to remain so through 2012. As more people become comfortable with getting Botox and wrinkle fillers, undergoing liposuction, or trying out new procedures like Zeltiq, doctors around the country might see an influx of new, even younger, patients. Patients with high disposable incomes may be good candidates for packages of procedures which can be much easier to market and promote online and offline.
According to Denise Mann, editorial director of the Consumer Guide to Plastic Surgery, All About Facial Rejuvenation and Breast Implants 4 You, the prediction for 2012 is that more plastic surgeons will be focusing on correcting minor flaws and targeted “trouble” areas. Zeltiq CoolSculpting, a non-invasive fat reduction procedure, is expected to be among the most popular procedures in 2012.
Need help putting together a marketing plan for 2012? Talk to one of our PracticeDock online marketing specialists today!
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- Train Your Staff to Secure More Appointments with Call Tracking
- Top 6 Ways to Grow Your Practice Blog
- Top 10 Cities for Plastic Surgery Infographic
How Doctors Are Using Social Media to Connect with Patients
Dec 22nd
When you think of Facebook pages and Twitter accounts for business, most people think of retailers, restaurants, and local businesses posting updates and connecting with their customers.
However, many doctors and medical professionals are now joining the social media bandwagon and with some very positive results.
Both Facebook and Twitter make it easier for patients to communicate with a practice outside of their regular appointment schedule. Clinics, hospitals, plastic surgery centers, and other medical facilities are finding that building an online presence is becoming increasingly important for marketing. In a few years, you might even be able to find your family doctor or physician right on Twitter.
U.S. News recently covered a story about the rising trend of hospitals and physicians using social networking tools to promote their practice. The author of the article points out that more than 1,300 doctors have already registered on a site called TwitterDoctors.net, a database of physicians who tweet.
According to Kevin Pho of Nashua, N.H., a medical blogger interviewed for the article and someone who does communicate with patients via Facebook and Twitter, “These are powerful, tremendously influential tools. Doctors should be taking advantage of the opportunity.”
Many of your own patients could be active on social media sites like Twitter and Facebook, so it makes sense to join their conversation and take advantage of branding and marketing opportunities. You can share blog posts, link to news about your site, and share links to interesting articles or videos in your specialty.
One of the most important things to remember when venturing into the social media world is that you need to engage your audience. Patients don’t just want to be marketed to, they want to learn something and may be open to your insights and thoughts on a subject. Be prepared to create a solid social media strategy so that you are connecting with patients in the right way.
Need help with a social media marketing plan? Talk to one of our PracticeDock online marketing specialists today!
More content you may be interested in:
- Attract More Patients with the NEW LocateADoc.com Recommendation Button!
- Need Help Marketing Your Practice Online?
- Train Your Staff to Secure More Appointments with Call Tracking
- Top 6 Ways to Grow Your Practice Blog
- Top 10 Cities for Plastic Surgery Infographic
American Medical Association Pushes to End Photoshopped Body Images in Ads
Dec 15th
Some advertisers Photoshop images to enhance the appearance of a model’s body, and many people believe that these images have a negative impact on young teens and impressionable children. These images also set an impossible standard for society’s “ideal” body.
Even so, some designers and advertising agencies insist on using doctored images to run their ad campaigns. The American Medical Association (AMA) is working to end Photoshopping of images for ads and has issued a new policy that encourages ad associations to work with public and private health groups to develop guidelines to deter ads that have been altered with computer software programs.
At an annual meeting, The American Medical Association noted, “a large body of literature links exposure to media-propagated images of unrealistic body image to eating disorders and other child and adolescent health problems.” The organization wants to develop stricter guidelines for advertisements, especially teen-oriented publications that would discourage companies from using any type of Photoshopped images.
Most recently, H&M was “caught” using ads with Photoshopped models for their campaigns. The fashion company has been using virtual computer-generated images of the body and attaching pictures of real models’ heads to each one to make the figure look more natural.
A national advertising watchdog denounced the company for “creating unrealistic physical ideals”, and H&M did acknowledge that they had participated in such practices. Still, they said that the models were well aware of how the company is using their pictures (or body parts) to show off their items. In some ways, this approach saves the company money because they only need a model’s head shot and can cut down on booking time. The model’s face can be used on dozens of different bodies in different poses, with no need for another photo shoot.
More content you may be interested in:
- Top 10 Cities for Plastic Surgery Infographic
FREE Whitepaper Download: How to Create an Amazingly Successful Physician Marketing Plan & Budget - Attract More Patients with the NEW LocateADoc.com Recommendation Button!
- Need Help Marketing Your Practice Online?
- Train Your Staff to Secure More Appointments with Call Tracking
Top 6 Ways to Grow Your Practice Blog
Dec 13th
Maintaining a blog for your practice doesn’t have to take up too much of your admin time, but you do need a strategy to get the most out of your blogging efforts. Being consistent by updating your blog regularly is crucial for getting any type of response from potential patients.
There are also some best practices you can adhere to throughout your blogging and social media campaign.
Here are six ways to grow your practice blog:
- Choose topics you’re experienced in and passionate about. Write summaries of responses to a recent change in the industry, talk about your experience with a certain procedure or service, and touch upon topics that describe how your practice is different from the rest. Use your blog to differentiate yourself from other doctors and medical professionals in your area, and be very selective with the types of topics you choose.
- Answer common questions. If you receive a lot of queries via email or phone, consider responding to them on the blog. It’s likely that more than just a handful of patients have similar questions, and blogging about the topic can be a great way to attract these patients while establishing yourself as an expert.
- Offer something of real value. Don’t just rehash recent news events or copy an article written by somebody else in your industry. Offer your unique perspective and offer something of real value to the reader. This will encourage more engagement and also position you as an authority in your niche.
- Define your goals and stick with them. Know exactly what you want to do with your blog, and why you want to connect with prospective patients through a blog in the first place. Do you want them to contact you with further questions after reading a post? Promote discounts on services and products? Or, just to provide your audience with industry news? Be specific about what you hope to accomplish with this venture and stick with the plan.
- Push content out to social media channels. Make sure you link your posts to Facebook, Twitter, and other social media sites so all of your social media channels update instantly when you publish a new post. If your blog isn’t set up with social media functionality, make a point about updating each site manually.
- Include contact information at every opportunity. If you’re on Facebook and Twitter, make sure it’s obvious somewhere on your blog. If you want people to call you or send you an email, highlight your phone number and email address at the bottom of each post. Calls to action can be very effective — even when you’re not trying to sell something.
Need a blog for your website? Contact our team of marketing consultants and we’ll get you started!
More content you may be interested in:
- Top 10 Cities for Plastic Surgery Infographic
FREE Whitepaper Download: How to Create an Amazingly Successful Physician Marketing Plan & Budget - Attract More Patients with the NEW LocateADoc.com Recommendation Button!
- Need Help Marketing Your Practice Online?
- Train Your Staff to Secure More Appointments with Call Tracking
Top 10 Cities for Plastic Surgery Infographic
Dec 8th
Despite a the economy, the demand to be beautiful continues to grow. In 2010, Americans spent 10 billion dollars and had over 13.1 million cosmetic procedures and treatments, a 9% increase from 2009.
Procedures that have increased (and decreased):
- Botox has the largest growth – up 12% over the previous year and grossing over $1 billion
- Breast enhancement is the top surgical procedure – up 2%
- The largest decline is in surgical lip augmentation, which is down 21% and collagen injections are down 5%. With all the bad lip enhancement publicity for celebrities such as Meg Ryan, Nikki Cox, Lisa Rinna, Melanie Griffith, Janice Dickinson and many more have received, this trend is not surprising.
- There was a 61% increase in calf augmentations – although they only count for 418 cases – we may see this as a growing trend.
Competition is fierce in these top cities amongst Certified Plastic Surgeons, especially when you add in other physicians that are practicing various cosmetic procedures in the same city. Marketing yourself and standing out from the rest is so very important.
Need to talk to a medical practice marketing consultant? Click here to contact us.
Determining Plastic Surgeons Per Capita
To rank the cities, the number of plastic surgeons were obtained in each city from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS). The ASPS represents about 90% of all Board Certified Plastic Surgeons. While it is possible for plastic surgeons to practice without board certification, it is highly recommended that patients only seek out Board Certified plastic surgeons.
Next the number of Board Certified plastic surgeons was calculated per every 100,000 people. Population statistics were pulled from US Census Bureau. No one under the age of 18 (minors only account for 2% of cosmetic surgeries nationwide) were included.
Although New York has the most plastic surgeons (249 total) in the US, it only placed 42 out of 50. Unexpected cities such as Nashville, & Lousiville may have risen to the top ten due to university programs and centers that focus on plastic surgery and/or an influx of younger more affluent people to smaller cities.
The complete list
Number of Plastic surgeons per 100,000 people over the age of 18
| Miami | Florida | 18 |
| Atlanta | Georgia | 15.9 |
| Dallas | Texas | 10.5 |
| San Francisco | California | 10.5 |
| Sacramento | California | 10.3 |
| Baltimore | Maryland | 9.6 |
| Nashville | Tennessee | 9.5 |
| Louisville | Kentucky | 9.3 |
| Seattle | Washington | 9 |
| Washington | DC | 8.12 |
| Houston | Texas | 8.1 |
| Portland | Oregon | 8 |
| Fresno | California | 7.1 |
| Austin | Texas | 7 |
| Tucson | Arizona | 7 |
| Honolulu | Hawaii | 6.9 |
| Columbus | Ohio | 6.7 |
| Boston | Massachusetts | 6.6 |
| San Antonio | Texas | 6.5 |
| Oklahoma City | Oklahoma | 6.5 |
| Las Vegas | Nevada | 6.4 |
| Charlotte | North Carolina | 6.3 |
| Denver | Colorado | 6 |
Infographic prepared by the San Francisco Plastic Surgery & Laser Center.
Premier Online Physician Directory LocateADoc.com Public Beta Goes Live
Dec 1st
Mojo Interactive, imagineers behind the PracticeDock Online Marketing Suite and LocateaADoc.com, has just unveiled the new LocateADoc.com beta website! It is now in public beta which means your patients and practices can start using the new, innovative search tools, view upgraded before and after galleries, and enjoy a better site experience overall.
The new doctor profiles were designed to make your practice look more professional, provide more information at-a-glance and bring you more patient leads. We’ve updated our procedure resources section and added several other features that make it easier for your patients to find you. We’ve been working on this new design and feature-rich site for more than two years, and we’re proud to bring you the most advanced and comprehensive online tool patients have to find doctors in the elective surgery field.
What’s different about the new LocateADoc.com?
Here’s a summary of some of the new features and sections:
- Before and after gallery carousels on the main profile page
- Multiple ways for patients to contact your practice
- Enhanced patient lead form that collects more information about the patient and allows the patient to leave questions for the doctor
- Custom patient lead follow-up email templates
- Enhanced gallery search filter by procedure, gender, age, height, weight, body part, and skin tone
- Zoom picture technology and multiple angle views
- New featured listings section with “Featured top spot” doctors displayed more prominently
- Patients can now search for doctors by body part
- New procedure guides include overviews, conditions, related surgeries, average costs, recovery expectations, and more
- …and more!
New Doctor Profile Pages Include a Complete Before & After Gallery
You’ll notice all of these changes as you browse the site, but if you’re already listed on LocateADoc.com, you can also enjoy using the enhanced editing tools for your LocateADoc Profile Page. We’ve made it easier than ever to see real-time stats for your lead generation efforts, track and manage patient leads, and upload photos for your enhanced gallery — all within a few clicks.
Take a look around and familiarize yourself with the new site! Tell us what you think by contacting solutions@practicedock.com.
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