Robert Louis Stevenson said, “Everyone lives by selling something.” As a doctor, what you have to sell is yourself.

The first step in defining who you are is what marketers call branding. While branding strategies have long been used in conjunction with consumer products such as Coke and Nike, they are increasingly adopted by medical practices. Even solo practitioners can create a brand and an edge over the competition.

Branding is the big picture. The way you look to your patients, your colleagues, and the community. Branding starts with your image, and delivers on the promises that you make or imply.

Afterall, first impressions are crucial. You may never get a second chance. Your name is on the door and everything (good or bad) that happens in your office is attributed to you. If necessary, update your waiting room to be bright, cheerful, clean and uncluttered, the way your house would look while waiting for guests. Recycle magazines older than six months and subscribe to additional publications that represent the interests of your patients.

Instruct your staff to greet patients with a smile, listen attentively and answer questions completely. See patients in a timely fashion so they won’t seethe at long delays. Train billing specialists to be knowledgeable about all insurance plans for which you are a provider.

The Well-Equipped Brand
Your ophthalmic equipment is the visual center of your exam room. Make sure your chairs are in tip-top shape - comfortable and functional with nice upholstery. Although often overlooked in favor of other instruments, the exam room contains the equipment that a patient completely interacts with, and it should be a top priority for doctors. If your chair looks good, you look good. If it looks shabby or malfunctions, your patient will certainly notice.

Update the look of your office by replacing upholstery on your Reliance chairs. With over 165 colors to choose from, your exam room can be spectacular. Visit Reliance Color Studio for more information.

Secure Patient Relationships By Staying Visible
The consumer of the 21st century is astute. Healthcare providers must blend retail savvy with their professionalism and communicate to patients: “I am at the top of my profession with the technology I use.”

Be active and visible in the community through organizations such as the Chamber of Commerce or sponsorships of local school events.

Send complete, professional reports to the patient’s family physician. Your investment in technology will demonstrate your professionalism to these important referral sources.

Show Your Personality in Advertising
Market your practice with advertising and office materials that have a consistent look. Convey information in easy to understand language. Advertising doesn’t have to be bland and dry. Adapt it to the culture of your practice and let your personality show in your marketing materials.

In the past, doctors served their patients from cradle to grave, but increased competition and third party payers have made it nearly impossible to retain patients over the long term.

Call us to discuss how we can enhance your brand with new equipment, starting with Reliance chairs, slit lamps, imaging equipment and perimeters from Haag-Streit and other top manufacturers such as Topcon, Heine, Canon and Reichert.

Few things can impact a business more than staffing. The right hire can add and build business while a bad hire can actually cost a company profit and customers.

The entry point for new hires is often the resume and cover letter. Only 8% of employees admit to stretching the truth on their resumes, but 49% of hiring managers say they’ve caught job applicants lying on their resumes.

The best advice is to make the time to carefully check facts and references on resumes.

While not a guarantee of a successful hire, at least you’ll have a headstart.

A survey by CareerBuilder shows how far some people are willing to go with the 10 most outrageous lies on resumes.

The most common lies included:

• Embellished responsibilities - 38%
• Skill set - 18%
• Dates of employment - 12%
• Academic degree - 10%
• Companies worked for - 7%
• Job title - 15%

But some folks make incredible claims. Here are some of the most outrageous:

• Claimed to be a member of the Kennedy family
• Invented a school that did not exist
• Submitted a resume with someone else’s photo inserted into the document
• Claimed to be a member of Mensa
• Claimed to have worked for the hiring manager before, but never had
• Claimed to be the CEO of a company when the candidate was an hourly employee
• Listed military experience dating back to before he was born
• Included samples of work, which the interviewer actually did
• Claimed to be Hispanic when he was 100 percent Caucasian
• Claimed to have been a professional baseball player

The FX 920 examination chair is a stylish, functional, and durable addition to your exam room. This chair, when coupled with the Reliance 7900 stand, will offer an ergonomic workstation for the doctor and comfort for the patient for many years to come.

Outstanding features include:

• Power reclining top with power hydraulic base
• Dual-side, footswitch, and instrument stand controls
• Rotation lock
• Easily adjustable, concave upholstered headrest
• Upholstered armrests lock in place for patient security
• Tilt design saves space and allows for installation in small rooms
• Wide variety of upholstery colors - cushions can be removed easily for cleaning or replacement
• Made in USA and UL approved