making your practice "unique"

[randomdoc1]

As I was browsing the threads, one theme that came up to helping a private practice succeed is somehow offering something other clinics don't (e.g. a particular subspecialty, better availability, etc.). There has certainly been some great advice that has helped my practice grow a bit faster (e.g. I make extra effort to get new patients in faster and that seems to draw more people in, and not too many train wrecks). I've also been trying to find ways to give my office a better look and even looking into touching up my wardrobe a bit. As superficial as it sounds, as others suggested, it does seem to help. My husband and I were at the mall yesterday and I saw some really cute dresses and he joked saying "just make sure it stays professional and don't show too much skin." Then I remembered someone on this thread joking by saying to make sure to show lots of leg. I thought: hey, we have some new younger prescribers at the clinic I'm at and they're young cute females. Why don't we make a theme of young cute female prescribers and we all dress a little skimpy? Kind of like the restaurant Hooters but this time it applies to our clinic? It did remind me of a vet who had terrible attendance to his med management visits and therapy appointments until he had a therapist he said was hot, and his attendance has been pristine since. lol. Obviously I am just kidding. But it does make me wonder if the practice is full of cute young females who dress nice if that would do anything for business.

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[michaelrack]

It might turn off female patients

 

[MrWonderful]

From a business perspective, I say it makes sense. Most in medicine lack the marketing/branding expertise or capacity to relate to the perception of a consumer, which is distinct from that of a patient. Patients make their healthcare decisions not based on who provides the best clinical care, but rather, from subconscious forces that are the same that drive sales in other industries. This is why the largest healthcare systems pay millions for brand consulting to formulate the best brand imaging, color scheme, logo, etc., which will most likely result in healthcare dollars spent at that location.

Bottom line: sex sells

 

[WisNeuro]

I imagine it would cater quite nicely to the Axis II crowd.

 

[Fan_of_Meehl]

I'm having a hard time coming up with reasons that cuties, hot wings, and on tap SSRI's wouldn't be a successful combination for treating depression in the average male client. But you'd probably need to follow up with some dismantling studies to be sure about the critical treatment components.

 

[dl2dp2]

You have to think this through. While I think it's true that physical attractiveness in general can't hurt, there's a lot of sexism such that attractive females dressed provocatively were thought to be not as "competent". Given that medication management is commonly thought of as a more "technical" job, I would be cautious is marketing yourself in that way. In fact, I may consider deliberately toning it down and putting up more of a technical facade. There are several articles for "women in tech" that basically said in order for women to succeed more in technical fields they have to downplay their sexuality. Some of this is even backed by real data.

 

[Nasrudin]

I've been watching carefully the launching of my senior resident colleagues over the past few years and thinking about what sort of admixture of charisma and business savvy is successful for private practice. And there's definitely an element of charisma that pertains to sex appeal. But to think of that as cleavage and short skirts is, funny, if you're joking. But entirely unnecessary to the extent that you're serious. Sexy, well dressed, and smart is a deadly combo. I'm thinking of one woman I know who fits this bill who is killing it. I know 2 men--one pretty good-looking, the other a 5 of 10 on a good day, but both run their practice sophisticatedly, with beautiful office space, streamlined commercial aspects, both well-dressed, both make themselves available in a manner consistent with excellent customer service, etc.

It's not rocket science. But you have to sharpen your edge. And the success is coupled with lots of hard work and tech savvy from what I can observe.

It's an interesting question about uniqueness. The woman is by far the more unique--in personality and cultural background, etc. The dudes are not emphasizing uniqueness so much as sharpening attractive overall practice styles.

I think a variety of unique factors could accentuate the overall picture. But I'm not sure... I like the question though, because I'm thinking of how to approach it myself. Authentically, of course, but not without concern for it's stagecraft.

 

[Nasrudin]

double post

 

[nexus73]

As I was browsing the threads, one theme that came up to helping a private practice succeed is somehow offering something other clinics don't (e.g. a particular subspecialty, better availability, etc.). There has certainly been some great advice that has helped my practice grow a bit faster (e.g. I make extra effort to get new patients in faster and that seems to draw more people in, and not too many train wrecks). I've also been trying to find ways to give my office a better look and even looking into touching up my wardrobe a bit. As superficial as it sounds, as others suggested, it does seem to help. My husband and I were at the mall yesterday and I saw some really cute dresses and he joked saying "just make sure it stays professional and don't show too much skin." Then I remembered someone on this thread joking by saying to make sure to show lots of leg. I thought: hey, we have some new younger prescribers at the clinic I'm at and they're young cute females. Why don't we make a theme of young cute female prescribers and we all dress a little skimpy? Kind of like the restaurant Hooters but this time it applies to our clinic? It did remind me of a vet who had terrible attendance to his med management visits and therapy appointments until he had a therapist he said was hot, and his attendance has been pristine since. lol. Obviously I am just kidding. But it does make me wonder if the practice is full of cute young females who dress nice if that would do anything for business.

Is getting psych patients in the door that difficult? Around here there are hardly any psychiatrists with clinic openings and if they do it's more than 1 month out.

 

[FlowRate]

I have thought about doing weekend, evening, or early morning hours after residency, but that would be if I stay in a big city with a professional population to support a cash practice that's willing to pay for said scheduling perks. I don't believe you're even allowed to charge a concierge fee / subscription if dealing with insurance pts, esp Medicare.

 

[birchswing]

If you show up even 50% of the time, you'll have loyal, paying patients!

 

[Nasrudin]

I guess it depends where you are amongst other things.

I'm referring to big US cities with an excess of shrinks who are going for cash practice models.

That's a competitive market. Both comparatively to each other, but also in it's premise, that the patient is using their own discretionary spending. So even if there wasn't competition that's a competitive notion.

 

[birchswing]

There's one about an hour and a half away from me that does private pay--no insurance. She has infomercials and a fancy web-site. Her big thing she advertises is privacy. She says that by not working with insurance companies you don't have to worry about employers knowing your private medical issues, etc. So privacy in her case is her unique proposition. She comes off as extremely fragile and delicate and like if she saw someone with mental illness she would freak out. In the infomercial the actress (her assistant) seeing her is like a Stepford wife robot, sitting with her in this palatial like room, and it's like some big stigma-breaking thing that they talk about their feelings, which are these sanitized, quaint feelings. It's not at all advertised toward people with mental illness. I feel like I'd scandalize her spa-like office with my uncoiffed hair and casual attire alone. But yeah, that's her thing: No one will ever find out you're slightly unhappy in your fairytale marriage because she doesn't take insurance, she's there to listen, and therapy doesn't have to be scary. I'd find it scary because I'd feel worried about offending her sensibilities. No mention of medications.

 

[smalltownpsych]

Good marketing means looking good as already stated. I would think that the bigger key is matching your style and preferred patients to the community need to determine your target audience. If you like doing it, then it is easier to market. Right now I am forced to take all comers because of my position and the negative issues with cases I don't like or feel comfortable with gets in the way of devoting the energy I need to the patients I do like working with and am more successful with. Active substance abusers referred by DFS being an example of some my least favorite clientele. It is always a bad sign when you are relieved that they don't show. Adolescents with NSSI, depression, and anxiety? Could see them all day long. Severe childhood sexual abuse leading to Borderline PD, so long as they aren't chronically using substances, I can always have a few of those going to keep me on my toes. I also find that I like working with the more codependent types. It is a lot of fun teaching them how to set healthy boundaries for themselves and it is a very collaborative process since setting effective boundaries is just another day at the office for us.

 

[Dharma]

I'm referring to big US cities with an excess of shrinks who are going for cash practice models.

Can only imagine the clientele...

 

[Salpingo]

Can only imagine the clientele...

I'll take "the rapists" for $200, Alex.

But honestly, real sociopaths would realize it's much cheaper to go to a strip club. In the case of scantily clad "therapists," you'd probably have repressed men (and maybe women?) who want to be around attractive members of the fairer sex, but would feel too inhibited to seek them out otherwise. It would probably end up being some sadomasochistic enactment, essentially feeding off of the patients insecurities for financial gain.

Still, better than the shirtless orthopedic surgery clinic that opened up in my town.

 

[deleted736562]

I'll take "the rapists" for $200, Alex.

But honestly, real sociopaths would realize it's much cheaper to go to a strip club. In the case of scantily clad "therapists," you'd probably have repressed men (and maybe women?) who want to be around attractive members of the fairer sex, but would feel too inhibited to seek them out otherwise. It would probably end up being some sadomasochistic enactment, essentially feeding off of the patients insecurities for financial gain.

Still, better than the shirtless orthopedic surgery clinic that opened up in my town.

Recently had a lecture by a therapist who mostly treats sexual disorders with men forming a large part of his clientele. You could probably smell the testosterone in the room 100 feet away. I imagine psych patients are even more "vulnerable" to marketing tools and you could definitely point out some potential ethical "dilemmas" with providers who make a concerted effort with their PR to attract clientele (i.e "sex sells").

 

[michaelrack]

This thread reminds me of the time I went to an APA meeting in the late 1990's or early 2000's, and there was a session in which an attractive sex therapist peddled her product- a series of videotapes. The promotional flyer of her product was rather risque.

 

[randomdoc1]

So...sexy female prescribers to the rescue it is then! just kidding of course. Although I do agree that attractive, smart, and well dressed is a potent combo.

 

[thomasina]

What about non-white or visible minority psychiatrists who are interested in private practice? Have you encountered any challenges? Is your client base more minority?

 

[Nasrudin]

I don't get the aversion to the market place. The patients that bother me the most are the ones that are institutionalized into submissive, passive-aggressive, dependence. Who see their psychiatric illness as their career and identity.

I don't think it's so compromising for people to use their discretionary spending for attentive effort and hard work.

Obviously there's a michael jackson medicine effect towards one end of that spectrum but there's the whole other and middle end of that spectrum that combines the lazy-and-accountable-to-no-one aspect of public bureaucracies with low expectations and a flat interest in crippling a dependent population that's way, way.....way-way worse than the trappings of slick customer service based practice.

Give me a couple of sociopaths. I'll deal with it. Without showing my furry cleavage.

 

[MacDonaldTriad]

The population that is dependent on the public bureaucracy is often formed in the smithy of the enabling parents who have defective failure to fly detectors and bring their kids to care at age 32. At least this is the source of the initial mutation. There are also multiple generational system dependent people who inherited their dependence by having had no role models of anyone supporting themselves.

 

[DRHRT]

Telemedicine can make your practice unique! Cute females in short clothes may turn away your female clients. But hot male docs may attract them. lolx

 

[WisNeuro]

The population that is dependent on the public bureaucracy is often formed in the smithy of the enabling parents who have defective failure to fly detectors and bring their kids to care at age 32. At least this is the source of the initial mutation. There are also multiple generational system dependent people who inherited their dependence by having had no role models of anyone supporting themselves.

The military provides a good anvil for this as well.

 

[Nasrudin]

The population that is dependent on the public bureaucracy is often formed in the smithy of the enabling parents who have defective failure to fly detectors and bring their kids to care at age 32. At least this is the source of the initial mutation. There are also multiple generational system dependent people who inherited their dependence by having had no role models of anyone supporting themselves.

Very challenging notion. As always you've given my pause to think.

It's useful to keep this in mind.

But in terms of identifying the change agent, within the patient. Or the sub-personality that has been long dormant, regardless of it's origin mythology. And ability to frame treatment as the stage from which to call forth that being within them, is hamstrung, by systemic malaise. A malaise that swamps and subsumes the survival notion instilled by a masculine energetic impulse. (I mean this archetypically not male or female bodies.) And I find it frustrating to be surrounded by crippling, oedipal mother culture, to try to call forth dormant but necessary subpersonalties from my patients when they have dozens of mommies who eat them all around me.

In private practice they make the effort, take the responsibility, initiate the treatment, to change something. Sure. There's a faulty premise there too. But I trust myself to negotiate that path to the dark side.

But then again, it's easy to stand out, in the other setting too. And I will certainly endeavor to do that.

So. Cutting both ways ideally. I guess...

 

[MacDonaldTriad]

"I'll do anything to show the government and my parents that I'm working hard to get better, but if you actually expect me to change, we are going to have a problem."

This wasn't said in latent language, it really is a quote. Speaking of which, one of you therapy supervisors complained that when he was teaching the importance of latent language, his student said "but if that is what he meant, why didn't he say so".

 

[deleted343839]

But it does make me wonder if the practice is full of cute young females who dress nice if that would do anything for business.

In my city there is a very busy, medium-size OB/GYN practice consisting entirely of beautiful female physicians who all walk around the clinic in fashionable heels and seem to have cosmetically enhanced skin and/or teeth. It's a sight to behold and, considering that the clientele is 100% female, I have to conclude that they have nailed the art of aspirational marketing. So sure, "sex sells," whatever, but you have to think carefully about whom you really want to reach and how.

 

[Jules A]

At the lower to middle income outpatient practice where I work the feedback I hear relates to our competent, professionally dressed staff and an attractive office. Its not overly chic but clean and cute like the HGTV renovation style. Unfortunately many of the high volume clinics in this area that those who can't afford the concierge practices are subjected to have shabby, filthy offices and tend, imo, to be staffed by lower tier providers and therapists. We have an excellent reputation and almost always carry a waiting list so while we aren't smokin hot you can actually sit on a cute chair without having to check for a pee stain, lol.

The idea of extended hours, as Flowrate suggested, especially if looking to attract professional clients would likely be a big draw.

 

[Salpingo]

So...sexy female prescribers to the rescue it is then! just kidding of course. Although I do agree that attractive, smart, and well dressed is a potent combo.

You could argue that anyone can BECOME attractive even if they weren't born good-looking (or so I've been led to believe by morning/daytime television makeover specials... not that I secretly watch them on inpatient televisions...). Good hygiene, modest physical fitness, clean haircut, and a bright smile can go a long way. Same thing with flattering clothes, without getting super-trendy or ostentatious

We're not plastic surgeons, but the cash private practices aren't that far off in terms of what they sell. So no casual Fridays (some graphic language):