Thursday, July 11, 2019
If you like taking doctors out to breakfast, July is your month!
Here's how and why.
Think of July 1st as the medical new year. Medical schools and residency programs all begin July 1st. Residents and fellows complete their training in June. They usually sign annual employment contracts that begin around July 1st.
If doctors change positions mid-career, they generally do so as their contracts expire.
July is a time of transition in the medical world. (As an aside try not to get sick in July! )
New doctors have just arrived in your town. They will spend the next several months building the relationships that support their practice growth and professional success.
When a doctor is new in town, they actually have time to go out to breakfast with you. Here's how to make it happen.
Identify the new doctors in town In your community, there may be announcements in the local papers or on clinic web sites.
Send these doctors hand-written notes You can say, "Welcome to the community! May I take you out to breakfast and learn more about your clinical interests and the kinds of patients who are good referrals for you?"
Focus on them at breakfast Ask questions like:
- What attracted you to a career in medicine?
- What medical conditions interest you the most?
- How would I identify a patient who is a good fit for you?
- What's the best way to get in touch with you if I find a patient who is right for you?
?Do not sell at this breakfast meeting Instead, express a genuine interest in the doctor. If you do a good job, the doctor will turn to you and ask, "Now, tell me, what do you do?" If you can, tie your answer to an issue that has come up in the conversation. "Doctor, you mentioned that you accepted this position because one of the partners took an early retirement. I help doctors have the freedom to retire early."
If the doctor wants to learn more about you, suggest that you set up a separate meeting.
Follow up with a note Say, "It was nice meeting with you. Please let me know if I may be of assistance getting settled or growing your practice." Consider offering them a copy of the book Get More Patients Starting Today. (Click here to read the book. Click hereBooks for Doctors to learn how you can customize the book.).
Take advantage of this narrow window of opportunity in July!
My best,
Dr. Vicki
© 2019. Vicki Rackner MD. All rights reserved.
You may reproduce this post with this byline:
Vicki Rackner MD is an author, speaker and consultant who offers a bridge between the world of medicine and the world of business. She helps businesses acquire physician clients, and she helps physicians thrive. Click here to get a complimentary copy of her latest book The Myth of the Rich Doctor .