The term brand refers to your reputation. Your brand is neither your personal reputation nor your exceptional ability to deliver healthcare. Your brand is the resultant sum of all the experiences your patients have from every touch point or interaction they have with your office or institution.
Creating a Brand
Your brand is defined by every interaction a patient can have with your office or institution. The sum of of any and every encounter creates a perception…that’s your brand.
For example, in a typical medical office “touch points” include message hold, receptionist answering the phone or greeting you in person, complicated parking directions, newsletters, staff interactions, etc. Your brand is a reflection of ALL touch points a patient experiences.
The doctor and healthcare provided are a mere single touch point, that is, the doctor patient relationship is not a major contributor to your brand.
Your brand is not the same as the personal reputation of the physician. The personal reputation of the physician is included or is just a part of your brand.
Optimize Your Touch Points
You can’t buy a brand. This is not an advertising campaign for purchase. Your brand reflects a perception.
What can you do?
Identify your touch points. Analyze the touch point from your patients’ perspective and find ways to make improvements.
Caution. There are some touch points which you can NOT control, such as a crowded waiting room.
Why Brand Matters
Your brand matters because it is your reputation. Your brand also matters because it serves as a foundation for which your patients become your best ambassadors. Your brand is ALSO the perception or culture of your employees. One person can not deliver a great brand.
Patients love to brag about their doctors. Give them an exceptional patient experience. Give them “5 star” material to tell others!
All the best,
Randy