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Home Health & Hospice Week

Referrals:

WHAT A REFERRAL SOURCE WANTS, WHAT A REFERRAL SOURCE NEEDS

Published on Tue May 13, 2003

Do you have the same approach whether you're marketing to physicians, potential patients' children or hospital discharge planners?

If so, you're missing out on a chance to boost your marketing plan and your referrals, consultant Adam Bishop said in a March Eli teleconference, "Marketing Success Secrets For Home Health Agency Referrals."

Your marketers should realize the key elements each type of referral source is most interested in, said Bishop with The ADAM Group in Franklin, TN. In a nationwide study of 1,000 referral sources, physicians reported the following items as influencing their home care referrals:

  • competent, qualified staff,
  • length of time in business,
  • experience in caring for specific needs,
  • appropriate amount and level of care,
  • follow-up and communication, and
  • execution of prescribed treatment and medication orders.

    "When marketers call on physicians, they should address these variables," Bishop urged. And 25 percent of contacted sources said a face-to-face meeting encourages them to refer to a certain HHA.

    While family members and friends are concerned about the above items, they value frequent, caring communication regarding the status of their loved one, a clear sense that caregivers are compassionate and caring, and trust, the study found.

    When attending senior venues such as health fairs or senior centers, these are the areas to highlight, Bishop advises. "These are the hot buttons, give them to your marketers," he urged.

    Finally, discharge planners are most interested in quick response and professionalism, availability of staff and care supervision, Bishop said.

    Editor's Note: To order an audio recording of Bishop's March teleconference, go to www.eliresearch.com and click on 'Audio Learning.'

     

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