Barlow/McCarthy Blog
Check back often to hear from our talented team of consultants. Topics covered include: Physician Relations, Physician Recruitment, Practice Marketing, Medical Staff Development, Community Health Needs Assessments, etc.
Pre Sales Call Planning: Readiness and Product Knowledge
by Christine M. Rhodes, MS and Dave Zirkle, PhD Direction from your hospital leadership team and the annual strategic plan as well as the historical referral data will guide you in selecting clinical service lines to promote during your physician sales visits. It is...
Relationships Sales Techniques to Overcome Negative Perceptions
By Kriss Barlow, RN, MBA Relationship building with doctors can often be derailed because of perceptions. These perception challenges often fall into three major categories: Negative feelings at a personal level Negative feelings based on feedback from patients about...
Taking Hospital Leaders to Your Physician Visit
by Allison McCarthy, MBA There is one truth that stands above the fray; those who plan get the best results. Planning physician relations visits in advance, particularly when they involve non-physician relations staff, provides the preparation necessary to achieve...
The Joy of Giving and Receiving: Packaging the Right Relationship
By Kriss Barlow, RN, MBA Reflecting on the season, I was thinking about the joy that accompanies a gift received. Young or old, there is a sense of anticipation, wondering about the possibilities and a feeling of appreciation for those who share a part of themselves...
Listening… So Obvious and So Hard To Do
By Kriss Barlow, RN, MBA For those who work with physicians, the goal of our interactions is to create a relationship that provides mutual value. Successful long-term relationships are about getting to know the physician. As the relationship progresses, through...
Making Sure Your Field Team is Heard
By Kriss Barlow, RN, MBA Healthcare leaders are keenly aware of the physician’s role – and the need to forge the right kind of relationships moving forward. As they work through business solutions the field team can be a valuable conduit for information. But, do they...
The Pre-Call Plan: Organization Makes a Difference
by Kriss Barlow, RN, MBA In the world of physician relations, there is a great deal of discussion about planning. Our plans articulate actions, expectations, roles and responsibilities. They also serve as a road map for everyone involved to keep hold of the strategic...
Operational Readiness to Sell a Service
by Kriss Barlow, RN, MBA Have you ever been asked to grow a part of the business only to jump in and then feel like it was a waste of your time and sometimes your credibility? We’ve all done it once and with that painful reality comes a great chance to establish...
Planning Before Doing
By Dave Zirkle Success in today’s challenging healthcare environment rarely occurs by chance but rather through well-designed and executed planning. And this is definitely true in the category of physician relations. Good physician sales planning addresses four basic...
Data is your Friend
By David F. Zirkle, PhD While slow to penetrate many physician relations programs, the use of data to drive decision-making has now become the norm. Successful programs recognize data is a key ingredient to improve performance and maximize growth opportunities....