How to Determine Your Actual Cost Per Patient
Apr 25th
You work hard to ensure you’re putting together creative marketing campaigns each quarter and training your staff to handle your patient leads. But do you have an accurate idea of how much it actually costs to acquire a patient? Even though reviewing financial statements regularly will give you an idea of how much revenue your practice is generating, those numbers don’t give you any idea what your return on investment is for various marketing endeavors.
You need a formula that calculates how much it actually costs to acquire each patient based on how much you spend to attract the patient.
Here are some was to determine your actual cost per patient:
Step 1: Track all expenses related to advertising and marketing. You want to have a solid idea of how much it costs to bring in new patients. You can do this by determining total costs of every single marketing and advertising campaign. Remember to include the cost of salaries you pay to people managing these campaigns, as well as any materials you purchase or investments you make to implement and execute the campaign.
Step 2: Track the number of patients acquired with each campaign. This can be tricky when you are running billboard ads or sending out direct mail pieces, but you can include a special phone number within these marketing campaigns so that you can track response rates. If you are executing an online marketing campaign, you’ll need to track the number of leads generated from the campaign and calculate how many of those leads turned into patients. Don’t be afraid to ask patients how they found out about your practice or a special offer.
Step 3: Divide the total cost of a campaign by the total number of patient acquisitions. This is the basic formula for determining how much it cost to acquire a patient with a specific campaign. For example, if you spent $2,500 on newspaper and magazine advertising and acquired 100 patients from these campaigns, your cost per patient is $250.
After you have a good idea of what your average cost per patient is, you can determine how profitable a patient is by reviewing typical patient purchase history and considering how much a patient might spend with you over their lifetime. The most profitable patients will, of course, be your returning patients because you have only spent that initial amount to attract them to your practice. After that initial ‘investment’, you can look to that patient to book more procedures or make more purchases. This will give you a lifetime value of a patient (LTV).
Need help with your patient acquisition strategy? Talk to a PracticeDock online marketing specialist today!
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Infographic to Share with Your Patients: Shaping The Idea Of The Perfect Body
Apr 23rd
Top Cosmetic Procedures and cost… See more at: http://www.locateadoc.com/article/cosmetic-surgery-cost-infographic
Doctor Offers Virtual Consultations and Mobile Services to Patients
Apr 18th
You’ve probably already realized that the majority of your patients go online to learn about treatments and services, and to find a doctor that meets their needs. But what if doctors started offering virtual consultations and visited patients outside of the traditional office setting?
That’s what one young doctor has done, and claims to be “reinventing health care” with the help of the Internet. In a recent story in the New York Times, Dr. Jay Parkinson talks about his company Sherpaa, a website that serves like a virtual doctor’s office. Parkinson offers consultations online via email and text messages, and explains how easy it is for his patients to connect with him without having to visit him at an office.
Parkinson goes on to explain that, “We’re tech-savvy doctors for tech-savvy patients” when describing how Sherpaa works. His clients include Tumblr, General Assembly, and Hard Candy Shell. He started this venture by inviting patients to contact him via email and text message instead of working in a private practice setting. He built his business on networking rather than seeing patients in a traditional way, and explains, “The Internet crowd really latched on to my practice.”
The New York Times article highlights the doctor’s approach summarized on the website: “We can figure out if I need to come to your work, your home or meet somewhere else in the city. We can even meet in the park or in a coffee shop.”
Sherpaa now has eight employees which include two primary-care physicians. The company has been in business since 2012 and now has about 500 customers from 30 different companies. The main selling point to employers interested in offering this benefit to employees is cost. Instead of relying on traditional primary-care physicians and emergency rooms to provide services, Sherpaa offers the same services at a fraction of the cost. The company claims that it can save companies up to $4,000 per year for each employee. Current rates are $50 per employee.
Read more on NYTimes.com: Jay Parkinson, The Doctor Is In (Well, Logged In)
More content you may be interested in:
- Best Practices for Capturing New Patient Leads
- Need Help Marketing Your Practice Online?
- A Look at the Facebook Power User Infographic
- Case Study: How a Doctor Leverages Online Marketing Tools to Attract More Patients
- Use Videos in News Releases for Better SEO
Haptic Technology and the Future of Dental Training Programs
Apr 12th
The field of haptic technology – the science of touch technology – is growing and expanding, and may soon be a part of dental training programs. A TED-Ed lesson by Katherine Kuchenbecker, an assistant professor at the University of Pennsylvania, explains how it’s possible to digitize our sense of touch so that it can be used to create models or simulations of different surfaces and touch experiences. Kuchenbecker shares an example of how her team was able to create a digitized pen to help train dental students to find a cavity.
Since dentists often use a handheld tool and to determine whether there is a cavity that requires a filling, they rely on the sensation of the tooth against the tool to make a decision. Haptic technology is advancing so much that engineers can recreate the sensation of a cavity against the tool so that dental students would be able to sense exactly what a cavity feels like – without touching a patient.
This type of technology could be very valuable as part of a dental student training program or similar situations where any type of touch sensory experience was needed to create a simulation.
Watch the video of Katherine Kuchenbecker: The technology of touch via Ted.com below:
Katherine Kuchenbecker Talks About Haptic Technology
More content you may be interested in:
- Best Practices for Capturing New Patient Leads
- Need Help Marketing Your Practice Online?
- A Look at the Facebook Power User Infographic
- Case Study: How a Doctor Leverages Online Marketing Tools to Attract More Patients
- Use Videos in News Releases for Better SEO
On-Demand Webinar: Marketing Metrics – Getting the Most from Your Marketing Dollars
Apr 11th
You know you need to market your practice, but how effective your current methods? Marketing metrics give us the
best information about what’s working – and what is not – and will help you make better investment decisions. Learn how to measure the impact of your efforts and refine your approach in our FREE webinar, “Marketing Metrics -Getting the Most from Your Marketing Dollars” with Cheryl Whitman, CEO of Beautiful Forever Consulting.
WATCH ON-DEMAND NOW!
This webinar will cover the following topics:
- Specific strategies for measuring the impact of your efforts
- Refining and optimizing your ‘marketing mix’ to capture more patient leads
- Using the ‘market basket analysis’ for deeper market saturation
- Effective ways to tap into your existing customer base and the emerging prospect market
- Key information you need to determine how well your marketing dollars are currently working
- How to review your marketing expenditures and programs
- Managing inefficiencies and streamlining your efforts.
- …and more!
Cheryl Whitman is an internationally-recognized pioneer in medical spa and aesthetic medical business consulting. She is a published author, speaker, and cosmetic marketing specialist, and spearheads a successful team of aesthetic business consultants and business professionals as founder and CEO of Beautiful Forever. Don’t miss the opportunity to learn how you can get more out of your marketing dollars!
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- Cheat Sheet: How to Write for Email, Facebook and Your Website [Infographic]
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A Surgeons Best Marketing Tool: Before & After Photos (Infographic)
Apr 11th
Did you know that the single most searched item for patients interested in cosmetic procedures is a doctor’s before and after gallery? Before and after picture galleries provide the opportunity to showcase your skills and expertise, so it’s important that your doctor profiles on directories and your website includes examples of your work. Put yourself in the place of the patient, would you want more information from a doctor that showcases successful cosmetic surgery before and after pictures on actual patients or would you choose a doctor that has decided not to disclose any photos? The internet is a visual medium – take full advantage of it. Read the full article.
View this infographic to see how you can best use your before and after pictures:
Need help marketing your practice? Talk to one of our PracticeDock specialists for tips and ideas about effective patient marketing strategies.
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Best Practices for Capturing New Patient Leads
Apr 5th
Attracting new patients to your practice may not be easy but there are several things any practice can do to build a solid patient base and continue generating leads via email, phone, and even the Internet. In fact, your online presence may be responsible for a significant percentage of leads you generate year after year.
The PracticeDock team of online marketing experts works with practices just like yours to build a strong online presence and also generate high-quality leads to help your practice grow. The next step is to convert those leads into patients, and we have tools and resources to help you with that as well.
Here are some tips and best practices for capturing new patient leads:
- Be quick to reply. Don’t wait more than 24 hours to respond to a lead when you can help it. Whether the inquiry comes via email, phone, or through an online contact form, make sure you have staff available to respond to the lead immediately. Waiting too long increases the chance that your prospective patient will go elsewhere.
- Be persistent. In most cases, calling back once is not enough. Research tells us that at least six call attempts increase your chances of converting that patient and booking an appointment.
- Consider the day. Some research also suggests that the best days to make initial contact are on Thursdays or Wednesdays. The best times to call are between 4 p.m. and 5 p.m., and the second best time to call is between 8 a.m. and 9 a.m. Plan your marketing and communications accordingly.
Need more patient lead generation ideas? Talk to one of our PracticeDock online marketing specialists today!
More content you may be interested in:
- Need Help Marketing Your Practice Online?
- A Look at the Facebook Power User Infographic
- Case Study: How a Doctor Leverages Online Marketing Tools to Attract More Patients
- Use Videos in News Releases for Better SEO
- Online Marketing Technology Enhances Patient Leads
Online Marketing Technology Enhances Patient Leads
Apr 4th
Your practice may have a website, but that doesn’t mean your site is helping bring patients through your doors. The most successful practices are leveraging online marketing tools and technologies to generate more patient leads month after month, and this whole process is much easier than you think. You don’t need to have extensive online marketing skills to put together a campaign yourself either. You can take advantage of doctor directories such as LocateADoc.com to boost your online presence, attract more qualified patients, and book more consultations and appointments.
Here are some ways that online marketing technology enhances patient leads:
- Get listed on a doctor directory. Niche directory sites like LocateADoc.com are designed to attract patients who are very interested in the services you have to offer. Unlike standard online listing sites, LocateADoc.com drives patients directly to your customizable profile page where they can learn more about you, see before and after photo galleries, and request an appointment within a few clicks. This portal site is essentially a gateway for patients to connect with doctors like you. Make sure you?re listed on a high-profile site like LocateADoc.com to maximize your reach.
- Take advantage of pay-per-click (PPC) advertising. PPC advertising is a targeted advertising solution for physicians and allows you to attract just the right type of patient at the right time. Patient who are seeking out your services will find your ads on search engine results pages, regardless of where your organic search rankings end up. Investing in a PPC advertising campaign can power up your online marketing efforts and ensure you are maximizing your ROI.
- Analytics tools to measure performance. The PracticeDock marketing products make it easier measure the performance of all of your online marketing efforts. The ROI Dashboard within the PracticeDock platform gives you a snapshot of results from each campaign so you know exactly how many patient leads you?re getting and where they?re coming from.
Get in touch with a PracticeDock Online Marketing Consultant today to find out how we can help you attract more patient leads and generate more revenue!
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The Science of Pricing: Pricing Strategies to Increase Your Sales [Infographic]
Apr 4th
What’s the best price for your products and services?
Choosing the right price for your product can make you get a headache. Pick a low price and you?ll earn too little from your sales, pick a high price and you?ll sell only a few products.
Well, to tell the truth, it?s even more complex than this. For example, do you know that having a single price instead of a few pricing plans will make you lose money?
Do you know that having a free plan will make you lose money?
And more important, do you want to increase your income?
The following infographic will show you 7 of the best pricing strategies that will make your sales go up.
Originally published by http://www.blog-growth.com
Public Relations / Interview Opportunities for Doctors – April 2013
Apr 1st
Like us on Facebook to be alerted when new posts are added. https://www.facebook.com/PracticeDock
Looking for Dermatologists, Plastic Surgeons, and Estheticians for an Article: “Skin Care Secrets”:
Name: Sally Muxlow
Email: query-306z@helpareporter.net
Media Outlet: Health Affairs
Deadline: 9:00 PM MST – 24 April
Query: Skin Care counters are chock full of wisdom and beauty secrets but is this information really valid? We want to hear from the experts what these non-professionals don’t tell you and what a consumer should really know.
Requirements: We are limiting this to Dermatologists, Plastic Surgeons, and Estheticians.
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Seeking physicians for article about incontinence in adults 50+
Name: Shannon Philpott
Email: query-2zvz@helpareporter.net
Media Outlet: Mom.Me
Deadline: 5:00 PM CST – 22 April
Query: I’m writing an article about incontinence in adults 50+. Please feel free to e-mail responses to the outline below or contact me for an interview. I’m on a tight deadline. Please contact me by Monday, April 22nd at 5 p.m. CST.
Ideas/Concepts/Questions for the article: The article is focused on encouraging activities and healthy living for adults 50+ dealing with incontinence.
1) How can adults cope with incontinence while continuing to live an active lifestyle? (We’d like to tackle both the physical and emotional aspects) 2) We’d like to provide a list of 10 things adults 50+ can do while struggling with incontinence. What would you suggest? Please provide rationale for each suggestion. (Primarily, we want to frame this as 10 things you don’t have to give up while coping with incontinence) 3) Please provide some tips for traveling with incontinence. 4) Please provide a brief bio or title and a website/link to your business/practice if you have one.
Any additional input/anecdotes are welcome.
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Howcast.com Seeking Psychiatrist or Psychologist Specializing in Schizophrenia in the NYC area:
Name: Erica Magaril
Email: query-2zyi@helpareporter.net
Media Outlet: Howcast.com and Affiliates
Deadline: 7:00 PM EST – 23 April
Query: Howcast.com is seeking a psychiatrist or psychologist in the greater New York area for an educational video on understanding schizophrenia. Howcast has been showing millions of users how to do just about anything with our award-winning how-to videos, produced by our talented filmmakers. Our new video will provide an expert overview and explanation of schizophrenia. On camera experience is encouraged but not required. Sample topics include: Symptoms of Schizophrenia, How to Treat Schizophrenia, How Schizophrenia Is Diagnosed, Medications for Schizophrenia, etc. If interested, please email erica@howcast.com. Please include all contact information, and a brief description of your qualifications, as well as a recent photo.
Requirements: Must be based in the greater New York area
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Guest Authors Needed for “Your Health Journal”
Submitted By: Len Saunders
Title: Author
Media Outlet: Your Health Journal
Deadline: Ongoing
Respond here: http://www.reporterconnection.com/index.php?p=pubse_response_query&qid=22411
A national health journal is looking for guest authors to post on health matters – diet, nutrition, obesity, exercise, fitness, supplements, weight training, jogging, walking…and most health topics. Authors can be doctors, nurses, fitness experts, nutritionists, dietitians, athletes, parents, or teachers. If this interests you, please respond to this query with your topic. From there, you will be sent the website’s writer’s guidelines to begin your process. You may also plug your website in your bio. If interested, we will send you our writer’s guidelines. Look forward to hearing from you.
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Dr. Oz Medical Talk Show Is Currently Seeking MALE Gynecologists!
If you are a male gyno we want to hear from you!
Please email: tvtalk2010@gmail.com with the following information:
Full Name:
Contact Number:
City / State:
Updated CV:
Recent Photo:
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Article Summary: Natural Ways to Treat Infertility
Reporter Name: Jennifer Nelson Mother Nature Network
Email: query-2yc7@helpareporter.net
Media Outlet: Mother Nature Network
Deadline: 5:00 PM EST – 4 April
Query: For a an article on natural fertility treatments, I’m looking for experts to speak about some alternative medicine practices in treating infertility, including acupuncture, Chinese herbs, botanicals, anthroposophic medicine, mind-body practices, fertility yoga … and any other complementary therapies.
Would love to talk with Naturopaths who practice these treatments.
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National Health Journal looking for Health Role Models for a webinar series “Role model in You”:
Submitted By: Len Saunders
Media Outlet: National Health Journal
Respond: http://www.reporterconnection.com/index.php?p=pubse_response_query&qid=22359
Deadline: Ongoing
In need of more candidates for our continuing web series, ‘The Role Model In You.’ The Role Model In You series discusses who influenced YOU as a child with regards to healthy lifestyle, the impact they had in your life, and the message they conveyed to you. Our past guests have included doctors, soccer stars, Super Bowl champions, NBA players, Olympic Gold Medalists, entrepreneurs, celebrities, and just regular people looking to share their story. You will also be given the opportunity to promote your website. I promise to include every response ‘over time’ on the blog. You will be notified when your Q & A goes live. No pitches needed here. Thanks.
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Examiner.com looking to interview someone about Unique Spa Treatments:
Name: Marie Sarantakis
Email: query-2xyl@helpareporter.net
Media Outlet: Examiner.com
Deadline: 12:00 PM EST – 1 April
Query: Have you tried a unique spa treatment? Something that you, or your friends, considered to be weird or bizarre. We want to hear from you. Briefly describe the procedure, where you had it done, and what the results were. The more details, the better.
Requirements: Please include your name and location if you would like to be named in the article.
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Prevention Magazine (Online) looking to interview alternative med practitioner or certified acupuncturist to comment on dry needle trend:
Name: Stephanie Castillo
Email: query-2y02@helpareporter.net
Media Outlet: Prevention – Online
Deadline: 11:00 AM EST – 1 April
Query: Hello! I’m currently reporting on the new pain-relieving trend dry needles (http://ow.ly/jzQ3J), and if it’s something Prevention should consider. Specifically, I’d love an expert to simplify dry needles (what they are and do), how they differ from acupuncture, and/or if it’s worth it. Plus, 3-4 suggestions on other alternative pain-relieving methods to consider, e.g.,
cupping, tai chi, etc. Many thanks!
Requirements: MD, ND
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