Marketing a glaucoma practice requires a strategic blend of approaches targeting both patients and referring doctors. In a competitive health-care marketplace such as the one we are in today, establishing a strong presence in the community and maintaining connections with other medical professionals are essential to success.

My goal is to share strategies that work for our practice that I believe can work for your practice as well.

Get Personal: Build Relationships With Referring Doctors

One of the most important aspects of our marketing strategy is building and maintaining strong relationships with referring doctors, particularly our region’s optometrists and general ophthalmologists. I cannot overstate how crucial this networking is for growing patient referrals, especially for glaucoma specialists, for whom collaboration with other providers is vital.

To develop these relationships, get out and personally introduce yourself to local comprehensive ophthalmologists and optometrists. Visit their practices, explain your services and make your expertise available to them. Bring business cards and offer your cell phone number for quick consultations. These personal interactions help build trust and instill confidence about referring their patients to you for complex glaucoma management or surgery.

This approach works especially well for new practices or those entering a new market. By making time to visit local doctors and establishing a friendly, professional rapport, you create the steady referral pipeline that is critical for the growth of your practice.

Face(book) It: You(Tube) Should Be Online

Maintaining a strong online presence is another critical component of marketing. A comprehensive website serves as a central hub for patients and referring doctors alike by offering key information about your expertise and services, along with educational content about glaucoma and patient testimonials. Your website is an opportunity to present yourself as a trusted authority in glaucoma care.

Your website should be professionally designed with search engine optimization (SEO) in mind to improve your visibility. Prospective patients often search for providers using terms such as “best glaucoma specialist near me”; strong SEO practices ensure you rank high in those search results. The higher your ranking, the more likely you are to attract new patients.

In addition, organize your website for ease of navigation and keep it updated. Besides offering the basics such as your practice location and contact information, your site should showcase your expertise and credibility. For example, we list the clinical trials and cutting-edge treatments we are involved in. I also recommend including patient success stories and videos to create a more personal connection with potential patients.

Don’t Be Antisocial

Speaking of building an online presence, do not underestimate the power of social media to increase your visibility. Consider the following statistics from MediaMarket.us:¹

• More than 80% of internet users aged 18-49 seek health information on social media platforms.
• More than 90% of health-care professionals use social media for professional purposes, with 65% using it for patient education.
• More than 40% of patients claim that social media interactions with health-care providers positively impact their decision-making process.
• Sixty percent of doctors state that social media has positively influenced the quality of patient care they provide.

Posting regular updates on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and LinkedIn lets you share patient success stories, highlight new treatments, and post educational material about glaucoma care. While many practices believe they do not have the staff or time to post on social media sites, scheduling tools like Hootsuite can help plan and automate posts without the hassle of daily management. Posting at least a couple of times a week keeps your followers engaged, and showcasing patient outcomes or new technologies sparks interest and reinforces your expertise.

Social media use also helps you stay connected with other professionals in your area. Connect with local doctors on LinkedIn or Facebook, and they will see your updates, which can remind them of your services when they need to refer patients for glaucoma care.

Don’t Shoot the Messenger: Gain Exposure Through Publicity

I know this one is counterintuitive but repeat after me: The press is your friend. Participating in clinical trials, publishing research and organizing philanthropic events such free glaucoma screenings are excellent ways to attract media attention. This kind of exposure can significantly boost your practice’s credibility and bring new patients through your doors — without costing you a dime.

For example, we participated in more than 30 clinical trials, a few of which garnered media attention and many of which are still active. We were among the first practices in the country to implant iDose TR, the sustained-release glaucoma implant from Glaukos. It was a locally newsworthy story and led many patients to reach out to us after seeing the coverage on TV.

Let Patients Sing Your Praises

Patient reviews on platforms such as Google are influential. If you doubt that, look over the following statistics from Repugen:²

• 84% of patients visit online review sites to evaluate health-care providers.
• 73% of patients consider online reviews when selecting a health-care provider.
• 40% of patients visit two or more review sites before choosing a health-care provider.

Positive online reviews are essentially digital word-of-mouth referrals, attracting new patients seeking trusted, competent care. Our patients often tell us they chose our practice based on online reviews. To maximize the benefits of review sites, encourage your patients to leave reviews, especially after a successful procedure or a particularly positive experience. Send patients automated text messages to ask for feedback without seeming intrusive.

And always respond to reviews — positive and negative. Potential patients often look at how practices handle criticism. Seeing a thoughtful, compassionate response to a negative review can reassure them that your practice makes patient care a top priority.

Stand Out With Personalized Care

Highlighting your practice’s personal touch is vital in times like these, when private equity-owned practices dominate some markets. If yours is an independent glaucoma practice, you can set yourself apart by emphasizing personalized care and strong relationships.

Not to denigrate private-equity practices, but while they may have larger marketing budgets, some can lack the personal touch that smaller, doctor-owned practices can provide. Do not shy away from promoting what makes your practice unique — whether it is your patient-centered approach, your involvement in clinical trials, or your dedication to philanthropy. These attributes differentiate your practice and generate interest from patients and referring doctors.

Measuring Success: Track and Analyze your Marketing Efforts

Contrary to popular belief, it was British physicist and mathematician Lord Kelvin, not business management guru Peter Drucker, who said, “What is not measured, cannot be improved.” Take the temperature of your marketing efforts by using your EMR to track patient referrals. This can help you determine whether your efforts are paying off. On a related note, ask each new patient, “How did you find me?” Their answers provide valuable insight into what is a veritable hero and what is an absolute zero for building your patient volume.

The Pillars of Success

Ultimately, your glaucoma practice’s success comes from balancing confidence, compassion and competence — pillars that not only build your reputation but also ensure your practice thrives. But those pillars cannot stand unless you get the word out about your practice. By focusing on personalized care, creating strong ties with referring doctors, and effectively utilizing digital marketing and the media, you can differentiate your practice and attract a steady stream of patients.  OM

References

1. Market.us. Social media in healthcare statistics 2024 by data, insights, engagement. Accessed October 31, 2024. https://tinyurl.com/ysjfw2eu 
2. RepuGen. RepuGen Patient Review Survey 2024. Accessed September 17, 2024. https://www.repugen.com/patient-review-survey 

Steven R. Sarkisian, Jr., MD, is the founder and CEO of Oklahoma Eye Surgeons, PLLC in Oklahoma City. Dr. Sarkisian is on the editorial board of numerous journals, including the Journal of Cataract and Refractive Surgery, and has co-authored the book, “Minimally Invasive Glaucoma Surgery, A Practical Guide.”