Marketing and Innovation

Marketing Plan for Physician Practice XYZ

I.

Executive Summary:

A distinct trend toward the integration of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM)
therapies with the practice of conventional medicine is occurring. Hospitals are offering CAM
therapies, health maintenance organizations (HMOs) are covering such therapies, a growing
number of physicians use CAM therapies in their practices, insurance coverage for CAM
therapies is increasing, and integrative medicine centers and clinics are being established.
(Institute of Medicine, 2005).
XYZ Holistic Internal Medicine Practice will embark on introducing its innovative practice
philosophy to the residents of Morris County, NJ. XYZ Holistic Internal Medicine will focus on
diagnosing and treating conditions of patientsages of 18 and older. The emphasis will be on
treating the patient as a whole not as the illness that is presented at the time of the visit. The
primary focus will be on

preventative medicine and the overall health and wellness of his

patients. The practice will utilize new equipment and a trained staff that will be able to optimize
the care of each patient. XYZ Holistic Internal Medicine understands that there are many factors
that can have a positive and negative affect on the health of a person, including exercise, diet,
environment and heredity. XYZ Internal Medicine will try to provide the most complete, holistic
approach possible to include traditional and alternative options in order to optimize the care and
well-being of each patient.
The marketing strategy will include a breadth of media platforms to insure that each segment of
the population is reached and educated on the philosophies of its physicians.
According to Pew Research, when asked to think about the last time they hunted for health or
medical information, 77% of online health seekers say they began at a search engine such as
Google, Bing, or Yahoo. Another 13% say they began at a site that specializes in health
information, like WebMD. Just 2% say they started their research at a more general site like
Wikipedia and an additional 1% say they started at a social network site such as Facebook

(Cisco, 2015). Understanding everyone does not access their health information on line nor use
the Web as a referral source for picking a new doctor, we have incorporated a breadth of media
platforms to insure the message and our mission is reaching our intended audience within in 10
mile radius of the office location. Our strategy includes: Website Development-with content
based initiatives, Digital Marketing Campaigns, Print Media Advertising, Networking,
Outreach/Promotional Events.
XYZ Holistic Internal Medicines success is dependent on the experience of its physicians and
the marketing strategy that has been utilized with positive outcomes. It is the projection of the
group to have a 5 year plan with an increase in patient growth by 10%-20% yearly.
1.1 The Challenge:
Understanding that many patients in Ocean and Southern Monmouth County, New Jersey
already have established themselves with primary care physicians in the community . The
challenge is to identify and target new opportunities for XYZ Holistic Internal Medicine to grow
business in an area that is seemingly saturated with traditional medicine health care providers.
Another challenge is with evolution of technology. Being the first holistic internal medicine
practice in the area, XYZ Holistic Internal Medicine will have to grow awareness and begin to
educate the community on the benefits of a holistic approach to include traditional medicine in
treating acute and chronic illnesses.
1.2 The Mission:
The mission of XYZ Internal Medicine is to support the health and wellness of the local
community and surrounding areas by providing accessible, high-quality, compassionate,
alternative and traditional medical care for the adult community of Ocean and Southern
Monmouth County, New Jersey. XYZ Holistic Internal Medicine is dedicated to providing both
traditional and alternative options and services that will not just meet the communitys
expectations but will exceed them in providing a comprehensive plan to optimal health.

1.3 Objectives:
The objectives for the first year of operation include:

Create a medical practice that has a niche market attraction.

Establish the practice with a patient-centric attitude and alternative health options.

Create a value-proposition mission statement that meets the communitys needs.

Increase patient volume by 10% per year through various marketing and educational
platforms.

Increase average visits per month from 200-250-capturing missed appointments and

reschedules via online booking capabilities and personal follow up phone calls.

To form a health care practice that is able to survive off its own cash flow in 10 months or

less.

Identify patients who live within a 10 mile radius of the office, have not established a

relationship with a primary care physician, one or both adults are working with a single or
combined income of $60,000 or greater and are in tune to their health care needs.

Create a website that is content driven and mobile optimized.

II. The Situation Analysis.

2.1 Strength/Internal

Reputable

Specific Area of Expertise

Quality Outcomes

Comprehensive plan to overall wellness and health

Highly developed infrastructure

Cost saving alternatives

High Level of Organizational Efficiency

Practice location

Staff is local and able to provide competitive intelligence

2.2 Weakness/Internal

Limited cross functional marketing

Targeted messaging

Benefit/Risk Value Proposition

Website and google AD words

Customer data limited

Social Media presence

Entering a saturated area of traditional medicine doctors

2.3 Opportunity/External

Increase patient demand with patient education and outreach

Health and wellness awareness opportunities

New Technology

New Service Lines

Boutiques Services

Untapped patient market segments

Population Health

Additional preventative care coverage from Health Plans

Baby Boomers and Millennials

Positive patient experience

Expanding Real-Estate market and new home building growth

2.4 Threat/External

Competition based on traditional medicine practices

Meeting customer expectations

Lack of education and knowledge of benefits of holistic approach

Managed Care plan /payment reductions changes

Healthcare policy guideline changes

Patient acquisition may prove difficult

III. Market Segmentation

Using market segmentation to define the right patient will allow XYZ Holistic Internal Medicine
to better attract and engage patients resulting in the delivery quality personalized care. (Statistics
retrieved from the United States Census Bureau, 2015)

Average age was between 40-and 45 in 2015, with approximately 500,00 residents.

Females residents make up approximately 51% of the population with men at 49%.

Average household income: Approximately $100,000+

75% of Morris County Residents own their home.

Average household has 2.71 people .

93% of Morris county residents hold a High School Diploma or higher.

51% of Morris county residents hold a Bachelors Degree or higher.

83% of Morris county residents are Caucasian .

IV. Market Strategy

Before opening up a new to market holistic internal medicine practice it is important to
create a sense of buzz and excitement and establish a presence in the community. The best
approach is through a combination of the strategies outlined below, in order to accomplish
greater visibility to prospective patients and institutions. It is important to note that the trends in
healthcare marketing is showing a transition from consumers relying heavily on their doctors
advice about how to treat an illness to a more patient decision making approach. (Lockard,

2016). This shift creates both challenges and opportunities for marketers. This transition is driven
by two variables. One is the evolution from a fee-for-service payment system to a healthcare
delivery model based on transparency, quality outcomes and patient satisfaction. The second is
the rise of the empowered healthcare consumer. These changes affect both the "how" and the
"who" of medical marketing strategies ( Lockhard,2016).

4.1 Strategy Outline

Action Item

Note

Collateral development

Establish a database of
referral sources

Secure mailing lists

Direct Mail

Flyer/Postcard

Digital strategy
development
Research

Identify new home construction.

Medical professional referral
sources, new growth areas w/in the
county, schools, local businesses,
hospitals.
Identify specific segmentation
target group for first round of
introductory mailers
Personalized letter to include
residents name, provide
background on XYZ practice, the
style of medicine that is practiced,
the benefits, and an introductory
offer-Target perfect patient
demographic.
Create a CTA and establish a tag
line: Not happy with your current
PCP? We can help. Make an
appointment and be seen the same
day.
Notes
Uncover primary medical concerns
among the age group of 18+.
Uncover dissatisfied patients
Uncover knowledge base about
holistic medicine
Uncover primary GOOGLE search
terms
Create campaign around what was

Responsible
Party
TBD after Plan
is accepted

Timeline

2 months
prior to
opening
2 months
prior to
opening
6 weeks
prior

4-5 weeks
prior

Responsible
Party

Timeline
8-12
weeks
prior to
opening

uncovered
Digital Ads

Develop digital ads with a focused

targeted message. That aligns with
research findings.

Website development

-Create and launch website with

key words to be found on search
engines
-Create educational blogs and did
you know newsletters that
highlight the benefits of practice
and the specialty
-Include insurance carriers and
Special introductory offers, for
non-insured and underinsured.
Mobile device Optimization

Social Media

Establish a value proposition and

begin to use the platforms to create
buzz about the practice and the
mission.
Build content around the practice
and highlight the benefits through
educational information that can
be repurposed in different areas of
the digital arena
Use Twitter as an avenue to the
website and generate curiosity
Use Facebook to solicit new
patients by way of educational
posts that drive back to the website
Use Instagram to highlight the
office and new technology. By way
of daily updates of the construction
and transformation.
Use You-Tube via Facebook
account and Website to personalize
Physicians and staff through
personalized videos, establishing
the community with the faces of
the practices.
Encourage patients to rate their
experience on line. Use the
positive information as advertising
on Facebook to promote positive
outcomes

Facebook
Twitter
Instagram
You-Tube

On Line Reputation
Management (CRM)

Content
submissio
n 3-4
weeks
prior
6 months
prior to
opening to
insure all
informatio
n is vetted

3-4 weeks
and
ongoing
after
opening

After
opening
continuou
s

Press Releases

Community Outreach

Establish relationships with local

media to help promote the buzz
and excitement about the practice.
Re-purpose releases on website,
Facebook.

Notes

55 older communities

Establish a relationship with

communities and social groups

Local Government

Establish an ongoing
relationship with community
leaders and government officials
Establish relationship with
religious leaders to help network
the practice with sub groups
with the establishments

Religious Leaders

Chamber of
Commerce (CoC)

Responsibl
e Party

Join the CoC and offer free or

discounted services to the members.
Give educational talks and offer same
talks to groups within a larger business
to attract employees and employee
benefit managers.

Day of
opening
and
continuou
s

Timeline
Prior opening
continuous after
opening
Prior/continuous
Prior/continuous

4-6 weeks prior to

opening and then
ongoing after opening.

V. Marketing Mix

5.1 Price
Price is among the highest concerns for prospective patients, especially those without
comprehensive health insurance coverage (Hanks, 2016). Healthcare providers need to look for
opportunity in the simplest form to offer patients/customer services at a reduced rate or
alternatives in medicine that treats them as a whole and not as an illness.

5.2 Placement
Medical services, no matter how inexpensive, must be made available to patients to be effective.
Providers can seek out new locations, expand office hours, offer no appointment needed as well
as reach out to local communities to offer more access to healthcare services and stand out from
the competition.
5.3 Product
Physicians must be able to provide services other than inexpensive testing. They need to
provide products that add value and improve quality of life to the patients.

5.4 Promotion
The promotion of a healthcare providers service is the most important aspect of the
marketing mix, yet it is often overlooked. Many larger providers, such as major hospital chains
or pharmaceutical manufacturers, use mass media to promote their services. Smaller providers
can promote their services at a grass-roots level.(Hanks 2016). Social Media is a promotional
platform that has great ROI and little investment costs. Social Media has great impact on the
how decisions are being made when it comes to healthcare. Consider these statistics as outlined
by Patty Cicso, MBA Principal of Inbound Marketing , in her blog of August 2015- 5
Marketing Trends to Look For in 2016 for Healthcare:

More than 40% of consumers say that information found via social media affects

the way they deal with their health. (Source: Mediabistro)

90% of people that responded to the survey from 18 to 24 years of age said they

would trust medical information shared by others on their social media networks. (Source:
Search Engine Watch)

41% of people said social media would affect their choice of a specific doctor,

hospital, or medical facility. (Source: Demi & Cooper Advertising and DC Interactive
Group)

Parents are more likely to seek medical answers online, 22% use Facebook and 20%

use YouTube. Of non-parents, 14% use Facebook and 12% use YouTube to search for
health care related topics. (Source: Mashable)

40% of people polled said information found on social media affects how they coped

with a chronic condition, their view of diet and exercise, and their selection of a physician.
(Source: HealthCare Finance News)

VI. Conclusion.
The physicians of XYZ have both the experience and the training to successfully counsel
and treat patients with the most comprehensive care plan that rival their traditional medicine
competitors. However, the healthcare consumer expects more. Essential to the success of XYZ
Holistic Internal Medicine is patient education and content marketing on a consistent digital
platform. In utilizing the guideline of the market strategy and incorporating the staff and
physicians expertise and customer service aptitude , the projected 5 year plan of growth at 10%20% is attainable.

References

Cisco, P., (August, 18, 2015). Top 5 Marketing Trends for Healthcare in 2016. Essentials in
Marketing. Retrieved From: http://blog.mktgessentials.com/top-5-marketing-trends-forhealthcare-in-2016/
Hanks,G(2016). How to Implement the 4 P's of Marketing in Healthcare. Chron.com.
Retrieved From: http://smallbusiness.chron.com/implement-4-ps-marketing- healthcare68980.html

Institute of Medicine (US) Committee on the Use of Complementary and Alternative Medicine
by the American Public.
Washington (DC): National Academies Press (US); 2005. Retrieved From:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK83807/
Lockard,P. (March 16,2016). 5 Healthcare Marketing Trends to Watch in 2016. DMN3.com
Retrieved From: www.dmn3.com/dmn3-blog/5-healthcare-marketing-trends-you-should-knowabout
Town Charts.com. Retrieved From: http://www.towncharts.com/New-Jersey/Economy/MorrisCounty-NJ-Economy-data.html
United States Census. Retrieved from: http://www.census.gov/en.html