2 dos, 1 don't for marketing a radiology department

The primary focus of many radiology departments and imaging centers is—as one might expect—their patients. But without a successful business strategy, those departments may not survive another day to treat these individuals. A paper in the Journal of the American College of Radiology examined some marketing options that could help make up part of that good business strategy.

Researchers found two main approaches to marketing could bring business to the practice: marketing focused on patients directly and marketing targeted referring physicians. At the same time, radiology practices must also keep payors and administrators happy too.

Certain approaches could be tailored to both referring physicians and potential and existing patients, according to the paper authors.

An “imperative” part of a good radiology business is a useful and informative website. But it can’t just exist—it needs to be discoverable, easy to use and accessible on mobile browsers, the authors said. At least one non-physician staff member should dedicate most of their time to its upkeep to make sure the website has the basics, such as a functional scheduling tool (plus clinic hours, directions and contact information) and information about the radiologists at the practice. A good website should also include information about radiation exposure, answers to commonly asked billing questions and even a video sharing a history and mission of the practice.

And the authors included a pointer about what such a website should not do:

“One thing the website and other marketing materials should avoid is proclaiming that a practice is ‘the best.’ Patients and referring physicians can see through such self-serving, unprovable statements, and they may even be illegal,” the authors wrote.

Other marketing strategies that can be useful in appealing to both outside physicians and patients are customer satisfaction surveys, initiatives that put scheduling follow-up appointments in the radiologists hands and newsletters that include information for both patients and other physicians elsewhere in the hospital or health system.

Certain efforts can also be made to appeal to directly to patients, specifically. The measures can help make patients more comfortable with procedures and help them know those at the practice care about their health. Practices should have clean, comfortable waiting rooms with personal touches. They should also offer online patient portals (complete with radiologist contact information), appointment reminders, evening and weekend appointment options and low-cost imaging opportunities.

Appealing directly to referring physicians requires a different approach than appealing only to patients, the paper authors pointed out. Physicians will be more familiar with the science and technology of radiology than most patients. The radiology practice can put out a multimedia or annual report to show administration and other departments the recent happenings in the radiology practice.

The practice can also participate in events throughout other departments of the health system or hospital to integrate with the organization as a whole. They can also offer radiology-based continuing education for other physicians to stay fresh in their minds.

One marketing area the authors were not yet ready to cover is social media—and the potential risks (and rewards) that could come with it.

Though the authors called their existing recommendations “readily achievable,” they cautioned practice administrators to invest enough time and energy into marketing applications in order to make them worthwhile.