Physician Prospecting and Gatekeeper Management

Joslin Diabetes Affiliates June 4, 2012

Session Objectives• Frame effective referral growth strategies in today’s market• Clarify roles and goals• Earning a relationship• Good prospecting

– Defining the right targets– Getting in

• Staging the visit• What’s next

– Content for next webinar– Follow up learnings

Today’s Realities • Referral development is part of the package

– Different models, different approaches – Reps are everywhere

• Practice receptivity is down– Practices are restless– Physicians are unhappy – many at a crossroads– Pressure for productivity

• Organization strategy is complex– Efficiency is discussed, often not embraced– Multiple agendas and limited resources– Healthcare reform has changed the strategy

Where Are You? • How would referring physicians grade

you for: – Accessibility– Convenience– Educational tools and resources– Communication – Involvement

• Is it different for private vs. employed?• Are their grades fair? • What role can you play in improving the

grade? • What needs to happen to do that?

Where are You? • Share your business growth goals

– What needs to get done in your organization?– What needs to occur with referring physicians?– What do you need to own, develop, improve?

• Define your approach with physicians to date– Proactive vs. reactive– Number you connect with on a regular basis

• If I were to ask them to describe you, what would they say? What would you wish them to say?

• If they were to change referral patterns away from you– Would you know it before they are gone?– Would the impact be significant?– Hindsight learnings?

Best Program Trends• Clear expectations• Stakeholders understand obligations • Earned relationships• Value driven

– Position the right offering for the doctor and practice

– Add measurable value for the organization

• Focused in an unfocused world

Roles of Key Participants Who? Key Obligations Measures of Success

Center Administrator

Clinical Staff

Educators

Endocrinologists

Hospital Leadership

Time to Audit Your Referral Relationships?• Do you know who your best referral sources are?

– What drives those relationships?• Why do you not get business from others? How about others who work with

those who do refer? – Categorize the reasons

• Are you prepared to accept new business?• What are your competitors doing that you are not?

– Can you compete on that level? – If not, what can you do to offer something different and better?

• What needs to happen next to grow and expand referral relationships?

Internal Readiness• Understand the referring physician’s

experience:– Clinical delivery– Service delivery– Patient communication

• Create WIIFM statements for the clinical and educational services

• Gather proof sources to validate your claims

• Have issue resolution process and messages in place

• Ability to track, measure and report

Target Selection

Generalist vs. Specialty Primary or Tertiary referral

growth priorities Clinical focus or Educational

focus Geographic reach – Near

or Regional Target selection Loyal

– Splitter– Red flags – New – Unknown

Data support Percent of your time in the field _____ Other

Persistence is the twin sister of excellence.

One is a matter of quality; the other, a matter of time.

- Author Unknown

Prospecting • It is continuous– Manage time for impact– Schedule your goals to stay focused • What makes them a prospect? • Create a systematic approach – Percentage with each group– Call to conversion ratios• Method– Approach/phone calls– Time requirement

What Are Your:• Targets• Frequency• Methods• Measures

Objective:

Key Staff:

Competitor Positioning:

Opening Statement:

Questions to Ask:

Benefits/Solutions:

Potential Objections:

Closing:

Pre-Call Planning: Develop a ProfilePhysician: Practice: Date:

Pre-Call Beyond the Basics• Practice dynamics • Clinical specialization• Personal areas of clinical interest• What type of patient do they most enjoy?• Training – where, when and what; Do they keep in touch? • A day in the life• Key office staff people, their roles and goals • Plans for the next five years• Years they have worked with the same partners in the practice• Their referral base if a specialist – how was it acquired• Their referral patterns if primary care- how was it acquired

…. You get the idea, create your framework

Getting in the Door! 1. Define what you need and from whom2. Pre-plan and script your approach

– Make sure you have a real reason for visiting– Prepare your WIIFM

3. Always start at ultimate goal– Try for appointment with doctor first– Consider a horizontal strategy

4. Assume you will need to go three-deep in your “reason for call” – What is this regarding – And you are whom?

5. Try a variety of scripts find one that works for you6. Assumptive language is critical 7. Referrals are a great method, so is input. Education is also a solid

approach

Great Introductions

• His or her name• Your name• The organization you represent• Reason for the call• For example: “Mary, This is Kriss Barlow, Education Coordinator at

Joslin Diabetes Center at Mercy Hospital. I am glad I reached you today. Dr. Bill Smith, our Chief Medical Officer asked me to meet with Dr. Doe in your practice….”

A very succinct, tightly focused statement

Other Examples…• “Mary, Hi I’m Kriss Barlow with Joslin Diabetes Center. I am

glad I reached you. Last week I spoke with Susan at Other Internal Medicine and she suggested you would be the person to share our diabetes educational calendar with….”

• “Mary, Thanks for taking my call, you are just who I needed.

We are doing a very brief update/survey regarding our clinical and educational services and I wanted to gather input from you and Dr. Adams. I’ve planned to stop Wednesday afternoon and just need 5 minutes, would that work?”

Getting In Scenarios… List 5 things that can clearly differentiate you in the market:

1.2. 3.4. 5.

Create a script leveraging this to get the appointment:

1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

Good Prospecting • Clear targets• A credible messenger• The right message • A sustainer – something you have

beyond the initial intrigue

This all assumes to have the ability to get in.

What Makes a Good Prospect for Joslin?

Interacting with Referral Sources• Is it a challenge?• How do referrals happen in a practice?• What is the best approach?• What if that does not work?• What if the office staff creates barriers to meeting

with the physicians?• Is the office staff meeting enough?

Your Approach Pros Cons

Appointment

Announcement

Drop-in

Group Invite/Presentation

Nothing Happens Until you Get In

Ideas to Support the Process• Create a plan• Script your approach• Consider horizontal or vertical methods• Name drop• Research • Collaborative meeting • Do an end-around• Never bait and switch• Create allies

Manage Process and Expectations• Always start at ultimate goal• Expected number of visits vs. results• Practice desires• Time management• Earn the right to come back• Differentiate or die• Pre-plan the visit

Prepare for Pushback• Bad date or time• Uncertain you deserve to get in• Question your motives• Statements are often:

– “What’s this regarding?”– “You are who?”– “We don’t see reps.”– “You need to bring lunch and our next date

is April 1st.”

You Get the Drift…• Less is more• Be inclusive, not submissive• Stay focused on the goal• Make your script about them• Differentiate yourself• Use the right request for the right action• Rise above perceived attitudes• Speak with confidence

Failure to Plan is a Plan to FailBefore you call… • Think through your approach, reason for call• Consider their response – and yours • How about past meetings?• Is the timing right for the next visit? • What is the purpose for your visit?

Meeting Agenda• Who are you?

– “Dr. Smith, good to see you again. As you may recall Sue Johnson, our Center Administrator is very interested in the needs of your practice and she’d like me to be

your link with Joslin.”– Why are you here?– “The reason I wanted to meet with you today is….”

• What is your plan?– “I would like to ask a couple of questions about….”

• Do they have a specific need?– “Before we discuss that, is there anything else that

you want to make sure we talk about today?”• Affirm the time is still good

Doctor

Referral Coordinator

Office Manager

10 Do’s and Don’ts of Working With Gatekeepers1. Do find out all you can about the practice before you call; many will have

their own website2. Don’t use trickery, “almost true” statements3. Do be polite4. Do prepare in advance 5. Do remember this is a long term relationship6. Do respect the gatekeeper’s time and role7. Do know that your caller ID is seen 8. Do deliver what you say you will to the doctor 9. Don’t say you spoke to the doctor if you didn’t; lies don’t earn trust10. Do use the name of individuals at your hospital if they are part of the

plan. In the clutter it can help.

If people like you, they’ll listen to you.

But if they trust you, they’ll do business with you.

- Zig Ziglar

Next Session• Asking the “right” questions• Matching their needs with your benefits• Creating interest

Until Then… • Set your personal criteria for the types of

meetings you desire• Detail the best options to work around

the gatekeepers • Start to script – and review the script• A consistent winning approach for

gaining credibility with the gatekeeper is to have his or her doctor value you

Getting In:How Is It Working Today?First Point of Contact Receptionist Practice

ManagerPhysician’s

NurseBarrier or

Asset? Why?

Practice #1

Practice #2

Practice #3

Etc.

Thank You!Kriss

Kriss Barlow651 Old Hwy 35 South, Hudson, WI 54016

715.381.1171 kbarlow@barlowmccarthy.com