Marketing

Analyze Patient Demographics and Lifestyles–then Tailor Your Services

By Gregory D. Foley, OD, FAAO

Communities change—and you need to change with yours or perish. Assess the demographics and lifestyles of your patient segments, then cater to their preferences.

The majority of patients who visit your practice probably have certain things in common–maybe they are primarily young professionals who are just starting families of their own and value long office hours and an upscale optical shop. Or maybe, just the opposite, they are primarily skilled laborers who most need value frame options, affordable bundled lens packages and an efficient, but no-frills office environment. Whoever your patients are, the products and services your office provides must match those patients’ preferences. Here are some of the demographics that have affected the growth of my practice and how my participation in the community has impacted the services we provide.

Match Practice to Patient Demographics:
Analysis–and Actions Taken

Ambitious young professionals
Evening and weekend office hours

Harried schedules

Ability to order contact lenses online and fill out patient forms ahead of time online

Technologically savvy

Revamped web site and EHR system implemented

Professionalism valued

Strict rules on being late for appointments;
appointment slot given up to next patient if too late.

Value sense of community

Doctor participation in local charities and neighborhood events and doctor spends time at local popular hang-outs like nearby coffee shops.

 

Evolution of a Neighborhood

My primary office is located in the Capitol Hill neighborhood of Washington, DC, and is experiencing an ongoing evolution. The demographics are different for the different doctors in the practice. When my partners started the office in 1981, Capitol Hill was just beginning to undergo a re-gentrification. It was a rough area that was beginning a rebirth. That re-gentrification promised fantastic potential for future growth. According to my partners’ memories, the patients back then were urban hippy types who were educated and often artistic, but typically without much disposable income. Many of these original patients have remained loyal to my senior partners, but 30 years later, a lot has changed.

Capitol Hill has become the home to congressional staffers and members, as well as to others who provide related services such as lobbyists and political consultants. The neighborhood also has become home to many non-profit organizations and their staffs.

Differing Patient Demographics for Each Doctor in Practice

Being the new doctor of the practice, I’m capturing young new consultants, staffers, lobbyists and non-profit workers. So, my individual sub-poplution demographic is very different from that of my senior partners. I’ve had many successful conversations with practice co-founder David A. Fissel, OD, to make him aware of why we need to invest in upgrades like a new web site and an electronic health records system. His patients have been coming for 25 to 30 years and already have a favorable impression of our practice. The new, younger patients I am seeing have completely different expectations that must be met if the practice is to remain relevant to the neighborhood.

Time-Conscious Patients Who Value Professionalism

Our patients have told me they most value our efficiency and professionalism. Most of our patients are people carrying several cell phones, PDAs and laptops who are on tight, regimented schedules. When they enter our office, they want to be out as soon as possible. We have analyzed our schedule template to be busy, but not so busy that we are running more than 15 minutes behind. We have strict rules on being late so as not to punish the next patient who is “on time.” If patients are more than about 20 minutes late, they will find that the next patient on the schedule who has already arrived was taken first.

Just as patients expect to be seen at as close to their scheduled appointment time as possible, they also expect speed at product delivery. I use ABB CONCISE which can usually deliver contact lenses to my office the next day. We also do special favors for State Department workers and other people who leave the country frequently–we will absorb the expense to ship both contact lenses and eyeglasses internationally. These patients get limited state-side time and we may not have time to produce their eyeglasses before they return back to their international assignment. Patients appreciate us bending to meet their unusual needs. They tell their co-workers how well we accommodate their needs and the word spreads bringing us new patients.

The 1850 storefront of Eye Central on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC.

Office Hours With Many Options

Most of my patients work 12- to 14-hour days. To accommodate them, our office hours slightly fluctuate every day. Some days start early and end early to accommodate one group of patients. Other days start later and stay open later. In addition, we have Saturday hours, which is especially popular with patients. Many young professionals can’t get away from the office during the week, so this gives them a day they can visit us. Saturday is also a day that our patients who live in the suburbs feel more comfortable driving in without the hassle of week-day traffic. We also try to accommodate special after-hour requests for VIP patients to maintain security and privacy and to adapt to their busy schedules.

Tailor Web Site to Patient Needs

The main change we’ve made since I joined the practice is to get an interactive web site patients can use to correspond and request appointments and order contact lenses and submit demographic and insurance information ahead of their appointments. Thanks to my partnership with ABB CONCISE, they also can reorder contacts lenses any time of day, seven days a week.

Learn Who Patients Are By Talking and Interacting with Them

Most of the things I noticed about my patients that enabled me to spearhead changes to our office such as hours, in-office technology, web site and other services, I noticed by talking to them. Conversation is huge. Being in touch with your patients and neighborhood is essential to knowing how to better serve your patients. If you don’t recognize their needs–you can’t meet their needs.

I think you also must be active and seen in your patients’ neighborhood. They want to feel you are part of their community and that you understand them. I don’t live on Capitol Hill, but do patron many businesses in the neighborhood. I want patients to know my face. I have conversations with other neighborhood business owners and get their viewpoint on things. I also like knowing their staff. I offer discounts to these business owners and their employees. A lot of these businesses are small operations that don’t offer vision insurance, so our neighbors discount makes them feel like we appreciate them. They appreciate us in return and tell customers about the great eye doctor down the street. I especially want the local coffee baristas and bartenders and waiters wearing my eyewear. Those people get noticed and they can say: “I got these cool looking glasses at Eye Central.”

Join Local Clubs and Associations

Being an active guy (competitive tri-athlete), I’ve involved myself with local sports clubs via neighborhood running groups and cycling stores. I’ve rowed with one of the local row teams. I let my fellow local athletes know of our sports sunwear offerings including our optician’s ability to grind lenses for specific sportswear. Cycling stores especially carry a lot of sunwear and some people may want an RX put in them, which I let them know we can do for them. I’ve also used the practice to sponsor several sports and civics events for the sake of community good, as well as to get my logo out there on banners. I’m a large sponsor for my competitive cycling team, so my logo is on our cycling jersey, at the affiliated bike shop and all associated racing information also features my logo and practice name.

In addition, I’ve hosted special events and open houses in the office after business hours. For all my local sports teammates and friends, I hosted a Rudy Project night to highlight this line of high-performance sunwear. I had the Rudy Project rep present the latest eyewear and associated gear for various sports from sailing to cycling to snow sports, which I made available to purchase at a discount the night of the event. The evening was a huge success and we nabbed many referrals from those who attended.

Related ROB Articles

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Gregory D. Foley, OD, FAAO, is co-owner ofEye Central, PC, inWashington DC and McLean, Va.To contact him: gdfdoc@me.com

 

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