Thank you for taking a few minutes to read our newest Practice Support Newsletter! This month we are going to discuss the opportunity with the patients already present in your practice. We will also be discussing press releases, the winner from the last month’s competition and we have a new prize up for grabs – a $100 Restaurant Gift Certificate. Read on to find out how you can win!
Hemorrhoid Patient Recall – The Big Opportunity
We are constantly receiving questions and inquiries about how to grow the number of bandings in a practice. So we’ve decided to address this stumbling block in this month’s Newsletter. But before we jump to the obvious strategy of mareketing and advertising, let’s focus on the opportunity already present in your practice: Colonoscopy Patients!
The chart below demonstrates the annual hemorrhoid banding opportunity as a result of diagnosing patients during colonoscopy. This is an examplereimbursements are based on National average Medicare rates and the colonoscopies performed are based on a four physician practice, where each physician performs 150 colonoscopies per month. Please contact us for a copy of the numbers and rates specific to your practice.
| Percentage of patients diagnosed with Hemorrhoids | Conservative = 15% | Realistic Potential = 35% | Legend | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total number of patients diagnosed w/ hemorrhoids during colonoscopy | 1080 | 2520 | Colonoscopies performed monthly | 600 |
| 75% of patients choose treatment for their hemorrhoids | 810 | 1890 | Colonoscopies performed annually | 7200 |
| Total number of banding with full treatment (3x) | 2430 | 5670 | Office Reimbursement* | $307.44 |
| Total Banding Potential Office | $747,079.20 | 1,743,184.80 (M) | ASC Reimbursement* | $375.59 |
| Total Banding Potential ASC | 912,683.70 (M) | 2,129,595.30 (M) | * Based on avg national Medicare rates | |
Hemorrhoid patients are prevalent in your practice! These patients provide unique scheduling challenges because they are diganosed in the ASC but hemorrhoid bandings are frequently performed at a different scheduling location with a separate scheduling process. Most patients leave the ASC without having an appointment for banding, leaving it up to the patient to call back to schedule. Patients are less likely to get banded when the scheduling process is left in their hands. The question then becomes, how do we get colonoscopy patients in for banding? This newsletter contains two themes to help answer this dilema:
1. DON’T LET PATIENTS LEAVE WITHOUT AN APPOINTMENT!
2. MAKE A LIST OF AND FOLLOW UP!
The theme that applies best to your practice depends on a two things: Are your bandings performed in the ASC or the office? Does your office and ASC share a scheduling system? We have created some simple charts to highlight the scheduling ‘best practices’ that will increase your ratio of patients who are diagnosed with hemorrhoids during a colonoscopy to patients who are treated! Based on your scheduling process and where your hemorrhoid bandings are performed, see the charts below for a “choose your own hemorrhoid scheduling best practice”.
As you can see from the examples above, one of the keys to scheduling more patients is efficient communication between the ASC and office. It is also important to remember that hemorrhoid symptoms are often intermittent by nature, and a temporary pause in symptoms should not be considered a “cure” in the face of residual disease. This is why it is important to tell your patients about hemorrhoid banding- because even if they are asymptomatic right now, they are still candidates for the procedure. The question isn’t “do you currently suffer from hemorrhoids”, it should be “have you EVER suffered from hemorrhoids”. Scheduling patients immediately for appointments and having a list of patients to follow up with shortly after their colonoscopies helps patients be proactive with their health.
Dr. Shah, of Shah Associates in Maryland, is doing just that. He has also graciously allowed us to share his practice’s extremely efficient and successful process for making sure that every patient he diagnoses with hemorrhoids during colonoscopy is scheduled for bandings…before they leave the ASC!
Marketing Idea of the Month: Send out a Press Release!
Why are press releases effective? Because, they reach a wider audience with no associated cost!
Take a look at the press release template CRH has created for you. Customize the press release as you see fit. Then send it local media
outlets including: TV, magazines, newspapers, online journals/blogs, radio etc. Be sure to address the press release to the editor or correct
contact person and ensure that you have included the press release in both the body of the email and as an attachment.
Check out Dr. Young’s press release that was recently picked up by the Star Journal in Rhinelander, WI!
Keep in mind that not all press releases are picked up by the media. The more contacts you send your announcement to, the more
likely it is to be picked up. Helpful tips: send it out in the morning; stay away from heavy news days (politics or scandal) and feature the
Physician as local papers like to print releases that are relative to the general public and credible. Good luck!
The winner of last month’s crossword puzzle is…
Sherri Rogers from Gastroenterology Associates of Central Virgina! She has won a $100 GC to Macy’s! On behalf of CRH Medical, we want to thank Sherri and all others for playing along and submitting the crossword puzzle.
Want to win a $100 Gift Certificate to the restaurant of your choice?
Earlier this year, CRH relaunched our complimentary marketing materials with a fresh new look and feel. We’ve recieved fantastic feedback from our partner practices. If you have yet to see our revised material or need to order additional items, click on the “Order” icon on the top right hand menu.
We would like to gain an understanding as to what materials are the most valued by you, the practice, and most effective to garner new patients. We’re even considering developing new complimentary marketing pieces for you! By simply taking the time to answer a few short questions regarding the marketing materials that you currently use in your pracitce, you will be entered to win a $100 Gift Certificate to a restaurant of your choice! The deadline to enter the draw is Monday September 30th, so don’t delay. We will draw the winner on October 1st and announce the winner in the next Practice Support Bulletin! CLICK HERE to begin the survey.
Come visit us at ACG in San Diego!
ACG is just around the corner! If you or your physicians will be attending the conference October 13-15th in San Diego, please stop by our booth #721 and say Hi! Our Medical Directors, Dr. Guttenplan and Dr. Gorchynsky, along with the Business Development and Practice Support Teams will all be there.
All the best,
The CRH Practice Support Team
