FON: The Business of Personalized Medicine

Cancer Treatment Centers of America: 800-Pound Marketing Gorilla

Since 2008 most major business sectors have evolved their business development strategies in response to profound changes in the modern marketing landscape. Curiously and with few exceptions, independent hospitals, hospital systems and large medical institutions remain firmly stuck in the 20th century. Not so for Cancer Treatment Centers of America (CTCA). In fact, not one national cancer center matches CTCA’s overall aggressive marketing prowess and sophistication. This includes the top

Dean Ornish: Unrelenting Healthcare Disruptor

No one has been a greater force than Dr. Dean Ornish in proving the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of ‘lifestyle over procedures’ for chronic disease. His seminal work, designing whole systems research models and documenting remarkable outcomes—for reversing heart disease and early stage prostate cancer—has been extraordinary. Most impressive has been Ornish’s unwavering determination and skill over three decades to effectively translate scientific findings to practical clinical program models; thereby disrupting

[Case Study] Negotiating Your Career in Integrative Health and Medicine

Managing a busy consultancy, I work on wide-ranging projects with a diverse collection of medical providers, administrators and small business owners. I always find working with mid-career physicians seeking to reposition their professional futures an especially rewarding assignment. Typically well-trained and board certified, these integrative, functional and lifestyle medicine practitioners possess ample clinical experience but often feel frustrated, trapped within conventional medical delivery models that just feel inadequate. I’ve never consciously

Grow Your ‘List’ to Grow Your Integrative Health Business

Whether you run an integrative or functional medicine practice, or market other services or products related to the field, building an email subscriber list is critical to the health of your organization. The Gold is in The List Growing your ‘list’ grows your integrative health business because no digital marketing strategy provides a higher return on investment than email marketing. It is the most direct and effective method to actively

9 Ways to Earn Your Patient’s Lifetime Value

Acquiring patients (and clients) is one thing—and not always so easy—but the holy grail of medical practices and all brands is customer retention, achieved by securing customer loyalty, in turn, driving patient lifetime value. According to Wikipedia, customer lifetime value—what we’ll refer to as patient lifetime value (PLV)—predicts net profit attributed to the entire future relationship with a customer. Though extraordinarily important, it’s often overlooked by most integrative and functional

The Best Social Media Networks to Grow Your Integrative Medicine Practice

I am often asked: What are the best social media networks in which to grow an integrative or functional medicine practice and position a brand? And I answer: The ones where your current and prospective patients and clients spend the most time, and… The social media networks that you like the most, and can fit into the daily mix of priorities Then I continue with the why, my own examples,

Institution-Based Integrative Medicine: Current Economic Challenges and Opportunities

I recently heard from the clinical director of a major academic integrative medicine program based in a large, progressive institution. His program is one of the originals with a steady following of patients. But the program had a problem: it was losing money. It’s the typical story of 90-minute comprehensive new-patient consults, and extensive follow-ups; appointments that require time to hear a patient’s story and explore root causes, as opposed

Let Others Sing Your Praises… So You Don’t Have To

Craft all the fancy copywriting and tight messaging you like. It’s helpful. Create elegant brochures highlighting your professional credentials, and illustrating your products and services. Polish your professional positioning and image. People like to engage with those they feel they can trust. You can even scream from rooftops about how great you, your team, and your products are. Purchased print and radio advertising will do that. And though it might