Limbo doesn’t always have to resonate as a bad spot to be in, especially when the outcome is out of your control. You can’t do anything to change it, so the resulting downtime presents the opportunity for a welcome break. However, this “intermission” doesn’t mean you can kick back and let all responsibilities rest.
The U.S. News Best Hospital surveys have been collected and the data is being compiled. With the results not scheduled to be released until later this summer, it’s to be determined whether you make the grade (or not). Yet, this is not the time to neglect communicating your health system’s strengths to physicians within your network—or even those outside your network.
In fact, regular correspondence with physicians is just one of the ways you can build the type of cohesive organization that continuously makes top marks on the U.S. News assessment.
Email: Willing and Able
Email is their preferred mode of communication.
Doctors of all specialties, experience levels, and practice sizes agree on one thing: Email is their preferred mode of communication. It’s accessible. They can read and respond to it when most convenient to them, whether that’s at 7:00 a.m. when they’ve ended a night shift or at 9:00 p.m. after putting their kids to bed.
The caveat to affording physicians this ease is ensuring you’re deploying to the email address physicians actually use. Not all vendors can guarantee their lists include physicians’ preferred email addresses. In truth, most don’t. The only way to know for certain is to employ a list where physicians themselves have volunteered that information via an opt-in process. Double opt-in assurance—required to confirm their sign up through a confirmation email—is the gold standard and fully covers the “willing.”
Double opt-in assurance is the gold standard.
The “able” is an innate feature of email, but by working with a first-rate list, you can optimize it even further. For example, a 100 percent double-opted in physician list maintains 99.5 percent deliverability. That means your docs are getting your messages every time you deploy. Daily updates also confirm you’re reaching the right physicians and avoid sending to those who no longer practice.
The same caliber of list contains additional information about physicians, such as specialty, geographic location, referral patterns, caseload, and case mix. With those uniquely specific details, you can segment and target your audience to create the most impact with your messaging. Future campaigns build upon accrued positive engagement. Before you know it, you’ve shaped and solidified physician relationships that ultimately empower your health system to realize success.
Big or Small, Communication is Key
Docs are getting your messages every time you deploy.
Even if you’re a smaller health system who only dreams of making the Best Hospitals list, there is immense value in creating and maintaining frequent conversations with your physician audience. Profitability doesn’t rest on U.S. News rankings alone—not even close. Rather, the ability to quickly and effectively disseminate information about new service offerings, equipment, and career advancement opportunities is the key influencer in promoting a health system’s prosperous future.
