HMO’s and Shrinking Fees: Can advertising make you a better doctor?

Yes it can. It's no secret that shrinking reimbursement schedules cause distress for just about every physician no matter the practice specialty, size, or reputation. Some, however, see the constraints as a signal to take action on the business side of their practice to grow and prosper. It's not uncommon today for doctors, medical administrators and hospitals to turn to marketing as a reliable way to offset the downward pressures on fees and medical delivery decisions. They understand the need to "go after patients" themselves and concentrate on marketing to promote procedures for better returns on services rendered.

Taking action to carefully target patients and better paying procedures does a lot more than offset fee constraints. Successful action often replaces pessimism and frustration with a new found sense of well being and the knowledge that one's future is back in one's own hands instead of in the hands of third party payors. Solvency also has a remarkable way of returning doctors to their original calling, the "challenges of their profession" and helps them be better doctors.