McKerns Development Press and PR

www.mckernsdevelopment.com

Strategic Marketing and PR for the Medical Profession

In this new economy, changes have happened that are beyond the control of the physician, yet have startling effects on the bottom line for the medical practitioner.

• The internet. The internet has become a global tool for investigative research and for physician reputation management. Not only do individuals trust their physicians less (as overall trust of all professionals has declined), they are more likely than ever to turn to the internet to find a physician, research the reputation of the practitioner and research the disease, its prevention and outcome, its potential treatments, operations and procedures, pharmacological risks and side effects.
• Medicare reimbursement cuts.
• Reduced ability for Out of Pocket pay for non-covered procedures and treatments. Less wealth, perceived wealth and consumer confidence.
• Drop in the insured.
• Medical holiday travel – traveling globally to get medical care at reduced cost.
• Deferred treatment. When in doubt, do nothing.
• Less income into the practice and at the same time, less available financing to support staff, invest in necessary diagnostic or other equipment.

The informed physician can consider a proactive response to these issues through the use of strategic marketing and PR. With the current emphasis on medical care, there will be an increased need for medical practitioners to create an informed message for the public. PR can assist in promoting new programs, initiatives, issues, and can position the physician as an informed leader.

McKerns Development assists the medical practitioner by:

• Creating or evaluating the Internet and the physician website: providing clear content and naturally created copy with the keywords that your target market will use when searching the internet.
• Branding the practice – getting the physician known for the specialty areas, and incorporating that advantage in everything the practice does or says to the world.
• Creating and distributing an invaluable knowledge base – so that potential new and existing patients can find what they seek about conditions, treatments and potential outcomes – in words they can understand.
• Procedures and techniques – written in patient terms (written for the patient)
• Strategic advice about the office and patient centered care – the experience, what to expect. Interestingly, physicians all think that their practice is patient centered (focused on the needs and experiences of the patient) yet few patients express satisfaction with the procedures and processes of their current physician.

 McKerns Development has designed a unique hybrid press release and feature story. This hybrid press release – feature story technique expresses not only the immediate news, but reports on the underlying trend, ties the news to that trend,  piques consumer and media interest and provides statistical and source data.

Understand that in the past, it was enough to focus on journalists and the media in the hope of attracting them to your source, and in creating an interest in them writing about you. While that is still a valuable endeavor, it is also possible to reach the target market directly by posting content immediately to the internet, and to digital media sources.

 

Organic search results deliver new audiences in both the press and in the consumer. As a strategic PR professional, McKerns Development delivers readers to your website by understanding what keywords will be used when searching and delivering well written, superior copy of interest. Copy that brings readers and potential patients directly to the door via the website.

 

Your website should be an organic, living growing thing with fresh, relevant content, delivering hungry readers to your site initially, for repeat visits and for sharing with their friends, relatives and associates.  McKerns Development will evaluate the site and make recommendations towards updating the content so that the website can be used as a viable marketing resource.

 

McKerns Development will assist in content research and article creation, valuable links and resources, professional bios/cv’s that instill confidence in patients and associates, create calendars of speaking engagements, provide interactive opportunities with professional associations and charitable organizations that interact with your patient population, create polls and provide updates to how other patients feel and respond to treatment, forums and chat features so that patients can interact with the physician and reach out to others, and many more interactive and patient building techniques.  

 

McKerns Development articles built around your expertise in the medical field become a valuable marketing tool for the physician practice, and can be used as patient information packets in person and online.

 

McKerns Development will create a press kit available for print, online, for digital download and for patient and referral associates – associate physicians, referring physicians and referral agencies and online and print directories of physicians and specialties, and the media and media sites where journalists turn to seek an expert.

 

McKerns Development has an excellent relationship with the media and belongs to such organizations as HARO (Help a Reporter Out) where journalists reach out directly to PR professionals when writing stories, creating documentaries, radio and TV programs.

 

McKerns Development will coach the physician in media preparation and teach others to become valuable spokespersons for the practice and its procedures.

copyright 2009 McKerns Development

http://www.mckernsdevelopment.com

McKerns Development

264 Cypress Trace, Royal Palm Beach, Fl 33411

mckerns@mckernsdevelopment.com

561-305-4264

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