marketing matters
LASIK Candidates: Go or No
This practice has developed a clever and accurate way to determine who's suitable for surgery.

One of the key functions of marketing is to identify a problem or need and then service that niche.

Several years ago, a popular television news magazine did an expose on laser vision correction services -- focusing on certain providers who had seemingly approved LASIK for patients who weren't good candidates for the procedure. Reaction was immediate and decidedly negative.

The revelations caused many potential patients to question LASIK surgeons around the country about the criteria they were using for evaluating candidates. Some candidates even went so far as to call off their planned refractive procedures.

Lanny Hale, M.D., of Hale Vision Correction Centers, with offices in Brookfield, Wis., and Scottsdale, Ariz., received his share of calls from refractive patients who needed to be reassured that they had been evaluated correctly. Dr. Hale explains on the previous page how Hale Vision Correction developed a software program to address this patient concern head-on.

PASS Meets Marketing Aims

In the context of the so-called "marketing triangle," the PASS program accomplishes two important things:

► In the area of internal marketing (i.e., enabling the staff to accomplish the practice's goals), this program allows for a standard evaluation of every patient from the practice's patient counselors. This consistency in presentation and discussion with each patient eliminates the possibility that any aspect of the procedure hasn't been covered and discussed prior to surgery.

► In terms of interactive marketing (i.e., delivering the promised service to the patient), the program creates an atmosphere in which the patient is presented with a personal evaluation in a straightforward and easy-to-understand format. This honest and neutral evaluation can even be printed out for the patient to take home -- creating a "no pressure" environment for a potential patient to make the important decision on whether or not to have the surgery.

The only marketing area in which Hale Vision Centers has yet to use PASS is in external marketing. The two obvious areas to address are:

Marketing directly to the patient. PASS only becomes a differentiating factor if it's used to set the practice apart from other refractive surgery practices in the area. While PASS is highly effective once a patient has walked through the door, its power as a differentiating factor would substantially increase if it was used in external marketing. Then, a patient could use PASS as a reason to come into the office in the first place.

Marketing the PASS system to any and all of the practice's referring doctors. Extending the reach of PASS will both increase the practice's referral base and ensure the referring doctors that their patients are getting the best possible treatment. Dr. Hale could also consider marketing PASS to refractive surgeons who don't compete with him.

Setting Yourself Apart

A marketing effort such as PASS that achieves both internal and external goals is a valuable tool for use in differentiating yourself from the competition. Remember, practices don't have great marketing ideas because they are successful, they are successful because they have great marketing ideas.

Brad Ruden, M.B.A, owns MedPro Consulting & Marketing Services in Phoenix, Ariz. You can reach him at (602) 274-1668, bruden@medprocms.com, or via his Web site at www.medprocms.com.

Our Candidates Know When They PASSBy Lanny Hale, M.D.

Several years ago, after a popular TV news magazine aired a negative program on laser vision correction, we began receiving calls from prospective patients who wanted to be reassured that we could evaluate them correctly. I immediately began thinking about how I could help reassure them with some sort of simple graphic display. With that as my motivation, I developed a software program encompassing about 30 different criteria, including pupil size, corneal thickness, pre- and post-operative corneal curvature, and other relevant information. I call the program the Patient Assessment and Safety System, or PASS. The PASS program takes the patient's information in each of those criteria and evaluates it on a red, yellow and green scale. By inputting a LASIK candidate's data into the PASS program, my staff and I are able to identify which criteria produce green lights (OK for LASIK), which produce yellow lights (this data needs to be discussed in further detail) and which produce red lights (not a good candidate). We derive a double benefit by using this color-coded scale. First, it's easily recognized and understood by the patient. Second, by identifying those criteria which can eliminate the patient as a LASIK candidate, it allows my staff and I to present other vision correction options that may be a fit. Just one red light usually means that the individual isn't currently a good candidate for LASIK. Some of the people who get a red or yellow light are good candidates for LASEK or PRK. Others may be on a medication that temporarily makes it impossible for them to have LASIK. However, if they go off that medication, they later could receive all green lights and become suitable LASIK candidates. We use the PASS system on all of the practice's patients. The patients seem to respond well to the easily understood scoring system that emulates a traffic light. In fact, it's been so beneficial that I plan on making PASS software technology available to other refractive surgeons because it can be adjusted to reflect a surgeon's preferences. For example, if you don't perform LASIK on myopes above -8D, you can set the program to give a red light on a -9D myope. It can also be modified to encompass such advances as custom ablation and wavefront technology. Our practice administrator, Monique Gingras, is certain that the PASS system has helped Hale Vision Correction differentiate itself from other LASIK providers. "PASS is a tool we use in many ways," says Gingras. "It not only helps us in marketing, it's also a risk assessment tool, a productivity enhancer, and a wonderful way to help educate and reassure our LASIK candidates. It's been a great benefit to our practice."