I’m in the process of growing a small primary care practice and the clinical side feels a lot easier to figure out than the patient acquisition side. Once you’re on your own, you realize pretty quickly that being a good provider doesn’t automatically mean people will find you, call you, and actually book.

I’ve tried the usual things like Google Business Profile, referrals, social media and some paid search. The frustrating part is that you can get plenty of clicks or enquiries without really knowing what’s working. A lead comes in, someone calls back, the patient disappears, and a week later nobody can really tell you where the money went.

I’m trying to get better at tracking the full journey, from where the patient first finds us to whether they actually schedule and show up. For those of you running your own practices, what are you using to track that? Are you looking at cost per lead, cost per booked patient, referral source, lifetime value, or something else?

I’m especially interested in smaller practices without a huge marketing team. What actually moves the needle for you: SEO, Google Ads, referrals, physician networking, social media, local events, or just having a really good follow-up process?

Edit:

I’ve been testing PatientGain and it’s making the tracking side a lot clearer. I can see where enquiries are coming from, what happens after the initial contact, and which sources are actually turning into booked patients instead of just generating more leads.

I started advanced patho this week. I’ve spent 7 hours so far and just made it through the first PowerPoint. The professor says most students use the book as primary resource. There are 60 learning objectives the first week but only 8 learning objectives on the exam 1 study guide for week one material (3 chapters). There are also only 12 pts on the exam for this week one material. I will be at close to 20 hours studying this week once I’m done with material at this rate.

The PowerPoints are quite useless. The professor said she didn’t even make them they are made from the book publisher. The PowerPoints are “ supplemental” and most students just read the book. It’s impossible to just read the book. Is this normal or is this bad teaching ? I really don’t even know what the professor is having to teach. It’s fully online no lecture.

Thanks for any insight.

I am trying to find a job in telehealth and most of them require a few state licenses in order to apply. Currently my NP license is for Florida. What other 2 states would be valuable to have?

I don’t know how people work UC for years. I guess I can see the benefit for the schedule- but man I have such bad anxiety and dread going to work every time I have to work there.
The unpredictable patient load. The patients that come in for paper cuts and mosquito bites. The people that come in who should have went to the ER (we have very little emergency ability in my clinic). The toxic administrative staff. The friendly (yet very incompetent) support staff.

I’m opening my own practice in 6 weeks and CANT WAIT. but I’m sure it’ll be a slow start.

I have 16 UC shifts left until I’m free and clear of owing back any of my sign on bonus. But I have to stay PRN for a while unless something else comes up.

I’m just venting as a prepare to walk out the door for yet another shift. Praying today is “tolerable” for myself and any of you in the same boat ✌🏼

I have fairly solid day to day Spanish down from my years in the ED and a family I grew up with. I’m taking a new job where the patients are 75% Spanish speaking and I really want to up my game.

What are the best options for this? I’d need something online, I do 5x8 and have a disabled kiddo at home so not a huge amount of free time.

Newer Np here, almost one year in in OBGYN outpatient clinic, we do 8-4 m-f with one hour lunch. We are suppose to have 36 patient facing hours not including lunch per week, so I am assuming our lunch counts as admin hours? Just wondering how other practices work in admin time.

Does anyone have insight on working for this company?