Effective Strategies For Getting Referrals From Primary Care Physicians

I was checking out LinkedIn the other day when I saw this question about how to market your mental health services to physicians.  David O. Saenz, Ph.D., Ed.M., a consulting psychologist in Wexford, Pennsylvania, provided a very thoughtful and effective strategy for doing just that.  I contacted David and he agreed to let me share some of his thoughts with you.

Everyone has their strategy, with some clinicians going so far as buying sandwiches and cookies for the office and leaving their card, then calling back later and trying to get past the receptionist. This would not be my strategy.

My suggestion is to start with your PCP [Primary Care Physician]. You can ask them what would be the best way to do this. Most PCP’s are more than happy to have an additional referral source/option, especially if you have a niche market that’s in demand (sex therapy, eating disorders, Autism, etc.).

Your PCP can open the door for you by giving you a good verbal reference, and some will even make a call for you if you’ve impressed them enough. MD’s are more inclined to listen to other MD’s, especially if your service has real benefits to their population. One happy client will often tell the MD, and now you’re golden or on the way.

Here’s the rub – you have to have impressed your own PCP that you’re solid, mature, seasoned and clinically sound… all by your small conversations. This may seem a daunting task, but it’s doable, especially if you can show them you provide a quality service. Like all humans, they are constantly “analyzing’ the person before them, so you will likely be sized up quickly. Too many clinicians don’t know how to work “it” on a consistent basis, so being off peak performance just a couple of times can be a hindrance.

If you can get in, have a brief (5 minutes), brisk, polished spiel that is compelling and grabs their attention. Have professionally done business cards that are impressive (e.g., no flowers, no fancy artwork, no outrageous colors, no fancy fonts, not too wordy or crowded), with literature describing your service.

Know your stuff. If, for example, you work with people with eating disorders, understand and be able to clearly, succinctly and intelligently answer seemingly simple questions: Is obesity an eating disorder? What strategies have you found that work with Anorexia? How many with Bulimia have you treated and what have been your outcomes (success rate)?

If your specialty is ADHD, the question may surround being able to differentially diagnose or explain (even if you’re not a diagnostician) the difference between ADHD combined and symptoms of Aspergers or Autism. The MD may know the answers, but they’re looking to see if you do and how well you come across.

Have a good website that MD’s can look at to better gauge you and your services– one that’s professional looking and well written ($75-150 per year) by you. Look at other clinician sites and see how they’re organize (you can even look at mine for some ideas, but look at several to see what fits you . . . ).  Read up on web design and how to get ranked. The website legitimizes you . . . .

Remember, they want to know what you can do for them and their patients, so being an excellent salesperson is critical.

Finally, most MD’s, like attorneys, are generally pressed for time, so having a succinct, polished spiel plus the verbal backing of another MD/Attorney, can make all the difference, and once you’re in one door, it opens up others.”

David has managed to cover just about everything I can think of to kick off your Fall marketing to physicians.  Since you are reading this post, why not take a moment to let us know how you plan to use this information and if you have any other suggestions to add to it?

[Thanks, David, for letting me share your tried and true strategies with my readers!]