Obtaining and retaining patients is the goal of most health care practices. Marketing of practices through a variety of means is un-parallel in health care history.  And with the advent of new web technologies and social media providers have a much further reach than ever before.

The nature of a providers marketing depends on the specialty.  Surgical practices and other related specialties will be marketing to family practice providers as their primary source for patients.  By developing a relationship with the FP providers, sending them thank-you notes for their referrals, and remembering their birthdays will go a long way to establishing that relationship.

Family practice providers will use other means of marketing to attract patients; especially if they are a new practice just getting established.

All practices can benefit from a practice web site.  A practice web site does not need to cost tens of thousands of dollars. There are many companies out there right now designing web sites that are affordable. If you are a really technically savvy practice you may want to design your own.  The care and feeding of that site is time intensive; so don’t bite that off unless you are prepared to spend time and energy developing the web site and maintaining it.  The web site should contain information about the location of the practice, a map, information about the providers and staff, forms needed to be filled out prior to the visit, what the practice offers to the patients including any ancillary services or retail services.

Using social media such as face book can also be used to market your practice.  Again, refreshing the face book page and keeping interest in it is needed, and again that takes time to maintain.  It can also be used to provide educational materials related to your practice specialty.

Although twitter is a very popular medium right now; the jury is still out as to whether it is better used as a social rather than a marketing tool.

Regardless of the medium of marketing you use, providers are actively marketing their practices and getting on that band wagon to maximize your exposure is a must.