Kriss brings an energy and expertise to the process that inspires stronger relationships, smarter strategies and more meaningful results.
The leading expert in physician relationship strategy, Kriss Barlow has deep healthcare experience and an unrelenting commitment to deliver meaningful results to her clients. Backed by more than two decades experience as a healthcare consultant, plus clinical and business development experience within organizations, Kriss offers unparalleled expertise in the areas of strategic growth and implementation; physician relations, engagement and retention; as well as sales and training. Her passion for developing innovative growth strategies and a shared vision helps teams define the right medical staff relationships, increase referrals and meet even the most ambitious objectives. While Kriss is highly skilled at inspiring vision, she also takes a hands-on approach to implementation that drives results.
A nationally recognized healthcare speaker, Kriss is frequently asked to share her insights at conferences and webinars, including The Forum for Healthcare Strategists, SHSMD and ACHE. She’s the author of five books, including her newest, Physician Relations: The Model, The Method & The Impact. A certified sales instructor, Kriss is a recipient of SHSMD’s award for Individual Leadership Excellence.
Located in Hudson, WI, Kriss has dedicated her entire professional career to healthcare. She’s earned a BS in Nursing from Augustana College, Sioux Falls, South Dakota and a Masters in Business Administration from the University of Nebraska, Omaha.
Working with Kriss:
The work that we have been doing with Kriss Barlow is aimed at structuring our provider relations team in a way that would meet the needs of the organization and drive measurable results. I couldn’t be more pleased with the growth and development of our team, facilitated by Kriss. Her knowledge and expertise has really positioned us for the right level of credibility with leadership which has proven to be key in sustaining a successful provider relations team.
– Summer M. Lesic, VP Sales and Growth, Centura Health
Recent Posts and Articles
A Checklist to Consider How Ideas are Processed Internally
By Kriss Barlow, RN, MBA "It is one thing to have a great idea – it is quite another to see your idea actually implemented. How often have you had a “brainstorm”, gotten excited, rushed in to share it with your boss, co-workers, family, etc. only to see their...
Physician Sales Tool Box
By David F. Zirkle, PhD As with most sales efforts, effective physician relations begins with well-developed prospect lists to direct field activity and allocate resources. The process and tools described below focus on growing key strategic service lines. The...
Prospecting Tips for Sales
Author: Kriss Barlow, RN, MBA This article has been updated by the author to reflect 2009 trends and market dynamics. For many people who are in sales, seeking out and developing new contacts is a difficult and time-consuming task, a task that often gets pushed to the...
Communication to Keep Physicians in the Loop
Author: Kriss Barlow, RN, MBA For almost every healthcare executive, managing change seems to be a daily obligation. Change means that people and departments are in a state of flux. What is all of this change doing to impact communication? Tremendous energy is being...
Asking for the Business
by Kriss Barlow, MBA In sales circles, the topic of “the close” is always discussed. It seems fitting that we discuss this topic at the end of the year, as there are some similarities and of course, some vast differences in approaching the close. New sales staff are...
Creating a United Front for the External Stakeholder
By Kriss Barlow, RN, MBA Have you ever purchased an item only to learn that nobody is as eager to respond to service questions or implementation needs as they were to “do the deal?” In our household, it really hit home with a new TV and the remote. We need three...
Credibility in Communicating with Physicians
Author: Kriss Barlow, RN, MBA While communication woes can happen with a variety of people, many in healthcare say they wish they felt more comfortable interacting with their medical staff. There's an inherent challenge in learning how to speak the language of the...
Developing a Regional Referral Strategy
Author: Kriss Barlow, RN, MBA The original version of this article appeared in Healthcare Executive. Content has been updated to recognize the marketplace in 2009. To grow and sustain their business, many hospitals rely on inpatient tertiary care, and the competition...
Earning the Yes through Effective Customer Management
Author: Kriss Barlow, RN, MBA The author updated this article in 2009, to reflect the most current market and trends in physician relations/sales strategy. The article discusses different attitudes that slow the sales process, whether the audience is a physician or an...
Four Barriers to Successful Physician Sales
Author: Kriss Barlow, RN, MBA This article appeared in Healthcare Marketing Advisor, January 2007 and was updated by the author in 2009, to provide readers with the most current market reflections. What makes some physician relations programs so successful, whereas...