Building Better Marketing Programs: RBMA Wrap-Up

The RBMA Building Better Marketing Conference in Long Beach, California went off without a hitch earlier this week, bringing together the best radiology professionals from all across the world.  On Sunday evening, the attendees mingled in the lobby of the Renaissance Long Beach hotel meeting new friends and reminiscing with the old. With the sound of an acoustic guitar in the background and the sea breeze filtering through the open doors, everyone knew we had arrived in Cali baby.

Monday morning is hard for everyone, but Terri Langhans opening presentation got everyone’s gears going for the week.  She asked us, “How do you stand out in an industry where everyone looks alike?” By comparing the radiology industry to the airline industry she led us to see the opportunities available to make ourselves stand out.  Think about the differences in flying Southwest versus Delta, even just the comedic way Southwest delivers their safety information. “You don’t have to be a comedian, you just have to have a personality,” Langhans quoted. Her message was to make sure we do small things with character, because the more similar you are, the more your differences matter.

In radiology, each touch point your patients have with your center matters.  A touch point is any point of contact, for instance; phone trees, parking, welcomers, front desk employees, techs, radiologists, schedulers, even your billing department. Langhans’ message essentially, is that your touch points should be talking points, or components that set you apart from the competition and contribute to a strong culture for your organization.

(Check out photos from the event on the RBMA Facebook Page here: https://www.facebook.com/RBMAConnect)

The schedule over the next two days was packed full of sessions covering content including:

-       Writing creative marketing/web content

-       Social media for radiology providers

-       Stark Law and Sunshine Act

-       Advancements in breast imaging

-       Search engine optimization

-       Selecting and utilizing a CRM

-       Rebranding techniques

-       Using referral metrics to drive business

-       Finding an “Open Table” model for radiology scheduling

-       Interventional radiology practice development

-       Imaging market changes and opportunities

-       Content marketing strategies

-       Customer service and efficiency

-       Campaign creation versus ads

-       Benchmarking for marketing and sales

-       Quality initiatives for independent hospital-based physicians

-       Advice for IDTFs competing with hospital systems

In addition to those very focused sessions, conference attendees gathered together for roundtables discussing marketing efforts they have used that were effective and the industry issues that have been keeping them up at night.  Tuesday morning was also kicked off by a 5 Minute Forecast from a panel of RBMA experts. All of whom were geniuses; well spoken and wonderful. (Cough, cough… this is shameless brag, as I was one of them.)  After the forecasts, which predicted increases in patient-consumerism, market transparency and the increased weight of strong industry relationships, the floor was opened up to the attendees and they were given the chance to ask any marketing questions they had up their sleeves. The session, entitled “Stump The Marketers,” was my favorite part of the entire conference because it enabled us to engage in candid conversation about the real issues we all face on a daily basis.   Topics covered included:

-       ICD-10 and the effect on marketing representatives: It was determined that the coding changes will give marketers a chance to stand out as early adopters and even give training opportunities to their referring offices.

-       Direct targeting and re-targeting campaigns for patients: Some wondered if this form of internet marketing could be considered invasive, but we decided that if the patient is already interested in you, they will perceive you in that way.

-       Utilizing technology for patient communication: We decided that nothing can be replaced by one-on-one communication and people do not want to be made more convenient. If a patient ops in for email or text reminders or event updates, that is another opportunity.

-       Spending money on traditional marketing and advertising like the phonebook: These historically expensive methods have no way of being measured as far as ROI goes, so most marketing pros have started to turn towards internet marketing instead.

Anyone that was a part of the conference will say that they learned a lot and will remember fondly how great the smartphone application was (especially with the neck-in-neck race between Erik W. and Brenda B. for top users), the great bartenders at "Sip", the great elevator struggle of 2014, the California-themed Quest Awards and how wonderful the RBMA faculty was for organizing such a spectacular event.

Overall the conference was a huge success. The RBMA team certainly knows what they are doing and each year the content and sessions get better and better. We are already looking forward to next year’s event, it is going to be in Nawlins’ after all!  Until next year everyone, can’t wait to see what all we will accomplish in 2014.

ICD-10 Education

Working with our partner, Universal Health Network, we’ve learned a lot about medical billing and all of the changes that are coming up.  Terms like ICD-10 and meaningful use have been floating around since this time last year, but like many others out there, we didn’t have the specifics. 

First, it is important to know what the difference is between ICD-10 and its predecessor; ICD-9.  Coders will have to go from knowing 13,000 diagnosis codes to a whopping 68,000 codes with ICD-10. If you’ve been wondering what people have been complaining about, this is it. Imagine the knowledge needed for you skill set growing to more than six times its size and trying to keep up.  Inconveniently, there are no simple conversions from ICD-9 to ICD-10.  Some codes here and there are remaining the same, unfortunately the new system is much more robust. Taking one code and breaking it down into many more specific codes now, the ICD-10 codes even look different.  Previously, codes were only 3-5 characters, while now they can have up to 7 characters.

Now, why was it necessary to make all of these changes if the system worked before?  Well, think about how fast technology has changed over the last few years. There’s literally a new iPhone every other year and people all across the world immediately adopt that new technology.  Now think about the medical advancements that are being made daily.  Every year there are newly identified medical conditions and brand new treatments and medical devices discovered.  Just to give you an idea of how desperately these changes were needed, ICD-9 had been around since 1979.

(Medical Advancements from 1979 to 2003 via: AAMC)

1979 First use of the immunosuppressant drug cyclosporine, now standard therapy for organ-transplant patients

1980s Development of coronary angioplasty

1980 First acute spinal cord injury intensive care unit

1981 First successful surgery on a fetus in utero

1981 Establishment of the first Pediatric Trauma Center

1981 First successful human combined heart/lung transplant

1981 Development of the first artificial skin made from living human cells

1981 Descriptions and reports of the nation’s first cases of AIDS

1981 Development of balloon angioplasty

1983 First performance of autologous bone marrow transplant for acute myeloid leukemia

1984 First successful pediatric heart transplant

1985 First Fetal Cardiovascular Center

1986 First hospital to initiate a lung transplantation program

1986 First use of lithotripsy to break up common duct gallstones

1988 First successful double-lung transplant

1989 First living-donor liver transplant, and in 1993, the first liver transplant from an unrelated living donor

1989 Identification of human umbilical cord blood as a suitable source for stem cell transplantation

1993 First Geriatric Research and Training Center

1993 First human gene therapy trial for cystic fibrosis

1993 First gene-therapy procedure on a newborn infant, correcting an inherited disorder of the immune system

1994 First use of functional MRI to provide rapid diagnosis of most strokes

1994 First gamete intrafallopian transfer for treatment of female infertility

1994 First human retinal cell transplant

1995 First implantable, artificial inner ear for treatment of deafness

1995 First deep brain stimulator implantation for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease

1996 Development of computer-assisted stereotactic neurosurgery

1997 First use of gene therapy in cardiac disease in humans

1997 First stem cell transplant for active lupus

1997 First retinal transplant

1997 First transplant of human fetal tissue in patient with spinal cord injury

1998 First laryngeal transplant

1999 First hand transplant

2000 First quadruple transplant of four organs—a kidney, two lungs and a heart—from a single donor

2000 First bioengineered cornea transplant

2001 First implantable replacement heart that functions without a permanent attachment to a power source

2001 Discovery of stem cells within the pancreas that can generate insulin-secreting beta cells

2002 Development of a Rapamycin-coated stent, a breakthrough in the prevention of restenosis following cardiac catheterization

2003 First successful larynx reconstruction accomplished using tissue taken from patient’s arm

The time to make changes will be up on October 1st this year and those who have not taken steps to prepare for ICD-10-PCS will be left in the dust.  This transition period is predicted to be rather turbulent for providers across the board, even 1/3 of hospitals still haven’t started their ICD-10 education.  Those who haven’t been getting ready have a couple of options at this point:

-       begin training with ready-made education programs

-       out-source your coding to a medical billing company

Having your coding managers in-house certainly has its pros, but with these changes, getting by with your current systems will prove very difficult.  When it comes to coding, the margin for error has grown and with reimbursement cuts, it is increasingly more important to be accurate.

Are you ready for October 1st?

5 Tips For Building Your Brand

A company’s brand can be the most important component of their business. This is more than just a logo and some brochures. Your brand encompasses everything that your company stands for.  This includes; how your patients see your practice, how your referring physicians see your staff and the impact you make on your community.  Think about some of the biggest brands in existence; the Coca Colas, Budweisers and Starbucks of the world dominate the ad space. Their brands evoke emotion and drive their consumers to remain loyal, year after year.

In what industry does it make more sense to promote brand loyalty, than in health care? There are some simple actions your practice can take to create stronger brand identity.

1.     Social Media

Whether you’re starting from scratch with social media or just revamping what you already have, your online reputation is an easy way to express your brand.  The key to maintaining your brand is consistency, so be sure to create a plan for how you’ll deliver your message. A content calendar will help you plan your posts and stay in line with your branding.

2.     Blogging

Creating a blog as a part of your website gives you the chance to provide unique content for your website. The best way to have your brand reach far and wide is to step up your SEO game. Your blog is a way to do that, adding new, original content weekly.

3.     Creative Campaign

Don’t limit yourself to a simple ad in your city’s newspaper or directory. Get out ahead of the news you’re delivering, by planning a full campaign. A series of advertisements, online marketing and social media; used in conjunction to your brand’s message can make a much bigger impact than an expensive billboard or commercial.

4.     Physician’s Event

Your referring physicians and community are the ones who will come into contact with your brand most often. The qualities that you portray to them are not just shown in words and campaigns. Rather, they are shown in the way that you treat their patients and how you network with them. Host an event such as an educational dinner or open house presentation, where you can showcase those things.

5.     Promotional Items

Of course, referring physician offices love their goodies. Think out of the box and instead of bringing around standard pens, breakfast and treats- find a unique promotional item that is in line with that previously mentioned creative campaign.

You don’t have to do all of these things at once, as they certainly take time. Remember that your brand doesn’t have to be built in a day.

Catch 22: The Impact of Obamacare on Patients

Meeting with some of the healthcare industry’s best marketers earlier today, we discussed the Affordable Care Act and how it has affected our business.  Obamacare aimed to lower healthcare costs and get more Americans covered with health insurance, but that concept has proven almost too good to be true.  It’s become quite the Catch 22 for some patients.

We have seen a number of patients whose policies were cancelled as of December 31st, leaving them uninsured for months until their new coverage kicks in, which could be as late as March.  So, why are these people getting dropped from their coverage?  It is because their previous coverage, considered catastrophic plans, are no longer recognized by the federal government as suitable insurance. A number of these individuals are simply waiting to enroll in a new plan, or are waiting for government coverage to begin; but a significant amount are opting out of coverage entirely. 

Hence, the Catch 22. While the ACA made it possible for patients with preexisting conditions to get the coverage they need, it has also lead those who had coverage previously, to now go without.

Oh, I know what you’re going to say now. “What about that stinkin’ penalty fee for those rebels who choose to remain uninsured?”  It’s been rumored that Americans might get charged up to $1200 for refusing to pay for coverage, but in reality it is much less.  The penalty is supposed to be $95 or 1% of your annual salary and no one is really sure when the fees will be implemented.  This has led many Americans to think to themselves, “Well, I could pay $3400* for this coverage I don’t need, or I could just pay $95. Yeah, I’ll go with the cheaper option.”

This means the types of patients that practices will see will be a mixed bag of sorts as far as coverage goes.  Some will continue to be self-pay, some will have high-deductible plans and many will opt into government coverage. If your practice hasn’t yet, be sure to reach out to your state, to find out how you can get set up with a network for the Affordable Care Act. That contact information should be listed on your states’ government website.

*This is an estimate based on data found on ObamacareFacts.com