Neil H. Baum, MD, presented “Building Your Urologic Castle: Barriers to Exit (Part 2 of 2)” for the Grand Rounds in Urology audience in February 2021.
How to cite: Baum, Neil H. “Building Your Urologic Castle: Barriers to Exit (Part 2 of 2)” February 2021. Accessed Dec 2024. https://grandroundsinurology.com/building-your-urologic-castle-barriers-to-exit-part-2-of-2/
Building Your Urologic Castle: Barriers to Exit (Part 2 of 2) – Summary
In the second part of this two-part series, Grand Rounds in Urology Contributing Editor Neil H. Baum, MD, Professor of Urology at Tulane Medical School, gives suggestions on how urologists who have already successfully attracted patients by removing barriers to entry can then keep those patients in their practice by building barriers to exit. He explains that the goal is for each patient to have a stellar experience and then share their feedback with others. Dr. Baum emphasizes the importance of a robust, regularly updated website and active social media pages. He also highlights the importance of practice accessibility, from having online scheduling and communication via email and text, to having same-day appointments available, keeping office wait times as short as possible, and supplying accessible, validated parking. He suggests that doctors call patients at home after they have had a procedure, both to demonstrate care and to reduce incoming calls from patients. Dr. Baum also notes the importance of having transparent pricing and insurance assistance, and of providing translators for patients who do not speak English. He concludes by encouraging urologists to make their USP (unique service proposition) visible and obvious to patients, by noting that there are riches in the niches, and by reiterating the importance of eliminating negative barriers and fortifying positive ones in a medical practice.
For more commentary on practice management and telemedicine from Dr. Baum, visit his Improving Your Urology Practice page.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
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.
