Transcript Building your Private Duty Company from the Inside/Out

California Association for Health
Services at Home (CAHSAH)
2006 Annual Conference & Home Care Expo
May 17 – 19, 2006
San Jose, California
Build Your Private Duty Company
from the Inside Out
By: Neil Rotter, MSG, MSW
Vice President of Marketing
Accredited Nursing Care
Definition of Internal Marketing
• Internal marketing is your best
friend. When you look at the overall
marketing cost associated with bringing a
qualified new patient prospect to your door
compared with the cost of a referral from
an already satisfied patient, you will see
what I mean. Internal marketing is built on
relationships with the people who most
value your office -- you, your staff, and
(hopefully) your patients.
Goals of Internal Marketing
• Enhance greater cross-company utilization
of services
• Identify new referral sources for external
sales force
• Encourage feedback and client
communication to counteract
problems/termination of services
• Upgrade cold calls to warm leads
• Turn clients into company referral sources
Developing an Internal Marketing
Plan
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Define Your Target Markets
Tap into the information at your fingertips
Procedures & Flow of IM Activities
Staff Assignments
Marketing Collateral
Training
Checks & Balances, Tracking Results
Living in the Past
• Gathering Information
- Patient Database
- Payor Database
- Referral Source Database
- Screen the facesheets
- Check the deposits
Test the waters to take advantage of immediate
opportunities
Internal Marketing mirrors
Operations
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Inquiry
Staffed Cases
Unstaffed Cases
Client/Staff Interaction
Billing
Client Maintenance
Post Services
A Work in Progress – Developing systemic,
consistent internal marketing efforts
• Specific Internal marketing activities
1) Initial Phone Inquiry –
Introductory letter to caller/patient
Thank you letter to referral source
Introductory letter to payor
2) Initial Fax Inquiry –
Introductory letter to caller/patient
Thank you letter to referral source
Introductory letter to additional contacts
Assignment of marketing contact for external
marketing staff
Inquiry to staffing phase
• Customer Service & Cross-Marketing by staffing
coordinators
- Consistent sales pitch, reinforce message
- Look for cues (ie. Incontinence care,
transferring. Communicate referral to patient
and have appropriate staff follow-up
Case is staffed and services commence
- Welcome letter to patients
- Introductory letter to patients’ other providers
Staffing a Contracted Case
• When the payor is not the actual client and
a specific authorization exists
- Welcome letter with auth guidelines to
promote utilization
- Schedule follow up visit for external
marketing staff
- Utilization Tracking
What to do with clients that don’t
start services
• Initial Introductory Letter
• Follow up letter 1-2 months
• Follow up call 3-6 months
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Qualify Reason for Call
Search for Unmet Needs
Identify any changes in medical or functional condition
Discuss satisfaction with current provider and/or caregiver situation
• Include in database for periodic marketing
efforts
Billing & Marketing
• On your invoices, print a different
marketing message every month
• Include stuffers with the bill
• Provide an incentive for referring other
clients
• Cross market other company services
Staying in Touch
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Disease Management
Birthday Cards with DME Gift Certificate
Specials of the Month
Industry Changes (ie. Insurance Benefit,
Legislation)
• Self Needs Assessment
• Referral Card
Sample Mailer – Needs Assessment
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Accredited – Please tell me more about …..
(Mark all that apply)
Intermittent Home Health Services
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Teach about newly diagnosed medical condition(s)
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Assess and Care for any Pressure Ulcers or Wounds
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Help care for my ostomy or otomy
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Educate on caring for a bedbound patient
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Monitor medications and establish a medication regimen
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Teach appropriate exercises and activities to improve functioning and strength
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Evaluation any potential nutrition and/or hydration problems
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Assist with infusion therapy (IV) or Central Line Maintenance
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Conduct a home safety evaluation
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Train for proper usage of new medical equipment and supply
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Assist with swallowing or speech difficulties
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Teach how to take better care of myself in the home
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Provide emotional support or community resources
Extended Care Nursing Services
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Provide nurses for feeding tube care
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Provide tracheotomy or ventilators care for patients at home
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Provide weekly, monthly, or bi-monthly medical case management to monitor medical conditions and take vital signs
Medical Equipment and Supply
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Mobility Aides – Walker, Wheelchairs, Cane
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Commodes
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Bathroom Safety – Shower Chair, Grab Bars
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Hospital Bed
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Oxygen Therapy or Nebulizers
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Scooters
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Power Wheelchairs
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Diabetic Supplies
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Incontinence Products
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Diagnostics (Blood Pressure Kit)
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Wound Care/Ostomy Supplies
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Braces
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Other (Please list:) _____________________________________________________________
Other Needs – Referrals for outside services (Please list) ____________________
Patient’s Name: _____________________________
City of Residence: _________________
Responsible Party: ___________________________
Phone Number: ___________________
Please send via mail or fax to (818) 986-2624 Attn: Neil Rotter
After Services Terminate
• Determine Reason for Termination &
Adopt Strategy (if any) to recoup business
for future
• Patient Satisfaction Survey
• Private pay option (for patients with
expired/exhausted authorizations)
Formalizing Networks of Care
• ‘The Web Effect’
• Build relationships with clients and families to
gather this information
• Train your intake personnel, staffing
coordinators, field staff to think like ‘minimarketers’
• Send a letter that ties your company to their
client. Introduce idea of collaboration
• Follow up with in-person contact
• Identify other ‘network’ participants
Name Recognition
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Marketing Visit
Follow-Up Letter
Newsletter
Email Blasts
Hot Topics
Industry Changes
Company Updates
Introduction of new marketing collateral
Referral Source Satisfaction Survey
Medicare Scores
Educational Pieces
Tips for Proper Referrals
Other Internal Marketing Tips to
Maximize External Efficiency
• Pre-Inservice Questionnaire
Are you aware of the services Accredited Nursing Care, Accredited Home Health Services or Accredited Medical
Equipment & Supply has to offer?
YES
NO
Have you ever tried to make a referral to Accredited?
YES
NO
If Yes, please tell us about the outcome ___________________________________________
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If No, what has prevented this from happening? _____________________________________
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Do you have any current clients under Accredited’s care?
YES
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Have you ever had a client under Accredited’s Care?
YES
NO
If Yes, please describe your experience with our services _____________________________
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What problems or issues have you had with home care agencies? _______________________
What impacts your decision to refer to one home care agency over another? _______________
Accredited wants to be your first choice for home care, how can we make this happen?
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Please fax to Neil Rotter at (818) 986-2624 before January 30th.
Marketing to your staff – Office &
Field
• Don’t assume your staff knows about all of
the company’s services
• Orientation Packets
• ‘My Job’ mentality
• Incentives/Recognition
Organizing through Automation
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ACT Program
Timeslips
MAS 90
Visitrax Program
Synergy