Neil H. Baum, MD

Neil H. Baum, MD

Tulane University School of Medicine, Louisiana State University Medical School, Vanguard Communications Group

New Orleans, Louisiana

Neil H. Baum, MD, is a Clinical Professor of Urology at Tulane Medical School in New Orleans, Louisiana. He is also a retired urologic surgeon. Additionally, Dr. Baum serves as the Medical Advisor to Vanguard Communications Group. Dr. Baum is the author of Marketing Your Clinical Practice - Ethically, Effectively, and Economically, which is in its 4th edition, has sold over 175,000 copies, and has been translated into Spanish. He also wrote The Complete Business Guide to a Successful Medical Practice, which was published in 2015. Dr. Baum was the columnist for American Medical News for more than 25 years. Dr. Baum also wrote the popular column, “The Bottom Line,” for Urology Times for more than 20 years. He is a requested speaker each year to the Practice Management Seminar for the American Urological Association (AUA), where he discusses techniques for making urology practices more efficient and more productive. He has written more than 9 books on practice management and over 250 peer-reviewed articles on various urologic topics. Dr. Baum is also the medical advisor to Vanguard Communications Group.

Disclosures:

Talks by Neil H. Baum, MD

Seeing Your Last Patient On Time

Seeing Your Last Patient On Time

Posted by | May 2021

Grand Rounds in Urology Contributing Editor Neil H. Baum, MD, Professor of Urology at Tulane Medical School, discusses scheduling in a urology practice, with the goal of seeing the last patient on time. He provides six suggestions for maintaining on-time appointments. Dr. Baum stresses the importance of doing so by noting that sitting in the waiting room or exam room for a long time can increase patient anxiety and reduce their overall satisfaction. For the practice, delayed appointments create stress for staff and can increase overtime expenses. Dr. Baum suggests physicians rethink the “waiting area” as the “reception area,” and encourages physicians to make a commitment to be on time each day. He also recommends managing appointment types based on the estimated time each will take. Follow-up visits to check BPH or testosterone deficiency may only require five minutes, but a new patient or new diagnosis is likely to require a 30-minute appointment. Dr. Baum adds that doctors should not accept meetings with pharmaceutical representatives or vendors while patients are present, nor is it acceptable to make or accept phone calls while in the exam room with a patient. Finally, he notes the value of rewarding staff if they help manage an efficient schedule.

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Recalculating Route: Options Besides Clinical Urology

Recalculating Route: Options Besides Clinical Urology

Posted by | May 2021

Grand Rounds in Urology Contributing Editor Neil H. Baum, MD, Professor of Urology at Tulane Medical School, discusses alternative careers for clinical urologists seeking to switch paths. He lists factors that can lead to a departure from clinical practice and provides five examples of career options that effectively utilize a urologist’s skillset. Dr. Baum highlights decreased reimbursements, increased overhead costs, loss of autonomy, and other pain points like burnout as some of the key reasons why clinical practice may lose its appeal. He then describes alternative careers such as medical educator, pharma and medical manufacturing, legal advisor, healthcare appraiser, or medical writer. For example, a physician may have an opportunity to teach internationally or provide legal advice to defense attorneys in malpractice claims or by serving as an expert witness. Dr. Baum concludes that physicians who leave clinical practice can apply their experience in a variety of ways.

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One-Page Marketing Plan for a Urology Practice (Part 3 of 3)

One-Page Marketing Plan for a Urology Practice (Part 3 of 3)

Posted by | May 2021

In the third part of his series on urology practice marketing strategies, Grand Rounds in Urology Contributing Editor Neil H. Baum, MD, Professor of Urology at Tulane University, discusses the result of successful prospecting and conversion as well as how to cultivate “raving fans” of a practice. After converting leads to patients, it is critical to create an exceptional customer experience. To do so, Dr. Baum emphasizes reducing “pain points” in a practice, such as patients completing duplicate demographic forms and excessive waiting prior to an appointment. He suggests calculating the total time a patient spends in the office versus the time spent with the doctor. Dr. Baum advises leaving one to two time slots open every day to account for inevitable delays. Another helpful tool is to provide each patient with a card for writing down three questions they want to be answered and responding to a brief feedback survey. This simple system allows the doctor to finish consultations on time and ensures patients receive the information they need, with the added benefit of conveying their customer experience. Dr. Baum then describes how increasing customer value translates into a stellar patient experience and ultimately into ambassadors for the practice.

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One-Page Marketing Plan for a Urology Practice (Part 2 of 3)

One-Page Marketing Plan for a Urology Practice (Part 2 of 3)

Posted by | Apr 2021

In the second part of his series on urology practice marketing strategies, Grand Rounds in Urology Contributing Editor Neil H. Baum, MD, Professor of Urology at Tulane Medical School, presents three elements of lead capture and conversion. For example, after giving a talk to a lay audience, Dr. Baum suggests collecting the names and contact details of these potential patients. Once these marketing leads have been captured, it is critical to nurture them through consistent follow-up. The most effective way to manage this with potential patients is by using a customer relationship management (CRM) database. While offering tokens like pens or notepads is commonplace, Dr. Baum instead recommends sending materials that distinguish the urologist or practice from competitors, such as articles that have appeared in local or national media or were published in professional journals. Finally, urologists need a conversion strategy that demonstrates their expertise to potential patients. If a doctor is a leading robotic surgeon, treats erectile dysfunction without medication or surgery, or provides other specialized services, these should be emphasized in their follow-up communication.

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One-Page Marketing Plan for a Urology Practice (Part 1 of 3)

One-Page Marketing Plan for a Urology Practice (Part 1 of 3)

Posted by | Apr 2021

Grand Rounds in Urology Contributing Editor Neil H. Baum, MD, Professor of Urology at Tulane Medical School, presents a one-page marketing plan for urology practices in part one of a three-part series. Most doctors and office managers are untrained in the marketing skills necessary to develop and execute a successful plan, and consultants are not always worth the hype. Dr. Baum discusses the first three components that are key to creating a marketing plan: identifying the target market, messaging to that target market, and utilizing relevant social media tools. He advises doctors to clarify their unique service proposition, focus on what they enjoy doing, and assess the potential profitability of their proposed target market. Next, he offers tips for developing a brand, such as building on positive online reviews and distinguishing the practice through effective messaging. Ultimately, a compelling marketing plan tells a potential patient why they will prefer one practice over a competitor before they arrive for their first appointment. Finally, Dr. Baum looks at using social media and analytics to both reach the target market and measure the success of the campaign.

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