Reaching out to Refers

#7 – Marketing, Branding and Entrepreneurship

#11 – When to Reach Out to Referring Medical Offices

I just had a conversation with a doctor that was wondering how often you should reach out to continue to build relationships with the offices that are already sending you patients.  That is a VERY good question and one that I really didn’t think about until that phone call.  For me, and this is what I would tell you as well, I want to walk the thin line between being remembered and NOT overstaying my welcome.

Here is what I do….

We keep track of all the new patient referrals into the office so I can tell who is in high gear and who is starting to fall off.  We look on a monthly basis and basically just add them up.  When they are referring I will stay away from them, send reports and keep it at that.  Obviously if they are referring they are thinking about our office and are engaged.  I want to be careful to not keep pestering them or to appear that I want to “get more” out of them. 

I wait until we haven’t seen a patient from them in about 3-4 weeks then I will make sure that I “stop by” or have an office member stop by to drop off research, see if they need any postcards, if they have been getting our reports or to see if maybe the MD or PA or NP that was referring has left the practice…that DOES HAPPEN.   

So the moral of the story is to always be out creating new relationships and let your current relationships refer…as you see them start to slow down then reach out in a non-soliciting manner (research, reports, invitation for dinner etc) to re-kindle.  This will help you to stay in front of them, maintain a solid relationship but without being overbearing.