Flu Vaccine Dilemma
August 13, 2008 – 7:04 am
As summer comes to a close, I’m already thinking of the fall activities and plans for the year’s end. One thing on my “to do” list for the fall is to get a flu shot. I hate being sick, and if I can avoid a potential illness with a simple shot, then I’m all for it.
Every year I wish I could go to my physician’s office for the vaccination, but the only available appointments are during work hours. Not to mention my doctor is always running behind schedule – sorry, doctor, that’s why I’m not mentioning your practice name.
The only other available options are to go to these “traveling flu shot clinics” that are often offered at local pharmacies, big box chain stores and, in some instances, even banks. Every time a patient goes to one of these retail medicine options, it takes away from the importance of seeing their physician. This is a missed revenue-generating opportunity for your practice, and one that can be easily fixed.
If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em. A simple option may be to bring the “traveling flu shot” concept to your practice. Create your own walk-in flu shot event. Once or twice during the appropriate months, schedule specific hours during which patients can walk in just for a flu vaccination – no appointment needed! This concept can be inexpensively marketed not only to your existing patients, but to your surrounding communities, bringing awareness to your practice name and potentially obtaining new patients.
To advertise the event, send a simple postcard to your entire patient base. This will not only keep your practice name in front of your active patient base, it may also reactivate some patients you haven’t seen in a while.
Prepare your practice for the event by:
- Being properly staffed
- Offering sugar-free snacks and other healthy options
- Creating a simple one-page flyer of your practice’s additional services
- Being prepared to make a lasting impression
This simple event not only satisfies the convenience that most patients are looking for, it also goes hand in hand with your practice’s goal of providing quality care and patient satisfaction.
For more information from the CDC about prevention and control of Influenza, visit: http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/rr57e717a1.htm
To read about the FDA’s approval of 2008-2009 flu vaccines, visit: http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/NEWS/2008/NEW01872.html
-Carlos A. Madinya
Marketing Manager
