By: Kriss Barlow, RN, MBA | kbarlow@barlowmccarthy.com
Referral growth is a very effort-driven, tactical obligation. Many conversations are centered on visit cadence, quality messaging and the ability to demonstrate results. Where does strategy fit in and how will it benefit the daily work of a field team?
The first most obvious obligation is to know the organization’s strategic direction and to make sure we’re aligned. But, strategy plays an important role in our field team’s ability to implement and create impact. I’ve called out a few thoughts, but I bet you can add to the list.
- The right audience to meet or exceed the organization’s goals. As organizations evolve, needs change. The field team needs to consider the right audiences to match that change. Are your target lists the same as when you started? Have you stepped back to consider the priorities of the organization and then determined the best audience to achieve that goal? Are the lists segmented so you can adapt quickly and easily?
- Messages that are strategically aligned with the audience expectations. So much has changed for the referring physician audience, but has our approach? What field strategy will be impactful, valued and differentiate you with referring providers? Are you learning about their needs before you talk about your people and products? Can you stage a conversation that ensures you learn new intelligence? Consider how to best relate to your audience today and define a field strategy that works and then test it.
- Earning referrals away from the competition. Almost always, the business you want is going to someone else. Rarely is it effective to say, “We do it, too.” Our ability to earn business away from the competition requires a solid strategy so we can tactically consider when, how and what to message. A solid strategy helps us with customization and impact. Do you clearly know what competitors offer that keeps physicians referring to them? Do you understand if there is an opportunity to move the business and what it will take?
- New ways to be effective. Much of what happens in healthcare follows a time-tested, proven clinical approach. That is not true for our roles. Sometimes, a little innovation, some out of the box ideas, can reap wonderful results. Setting a course for skill enhancement and innovation can become a strategy that impacts the culture of your team. For example, have you recently looked at new market opportunities, have you created niche offerings to overcome access issues in the mainstay service lines, have you worked with service line leaders to better define your offerings for a select group of primary care providers?
We sometimes hear, “This all takes me out of the field…” Giving ourselves permission to step back and clearly define the strategy will always make the field role more impactful. Leaders can set the strategic direction, but field staff can often inform the strategy. And, once set, it’s our job to make it happen. If you agree with me that strategy does matter, what is your organization’s strategy? What’s the strategy for the team? What’s your personal strategy for field effectiveness?
Perhaps your program could use a re-look at your strategy and direction. Reach out to Kriss, KBarlow@barlowmccarthy.com to learn more about our Strategy Day. It’s a cost-effective way to assess your strategy and physician relations approach and create a roadmap for the future.