publicity - what not to do by dr shashwat jani

Dr. Shashwat Jani.M. S. ( Obs – Gynec )

Diploma in Advance Laparoscopy.

Consultant Gynecologist,

Smt. N.H.L. Municipal Medical College.Sheth V. S. General Hospital , Ahmedabad.

Mobile : +91 99099 44160.E-mail : drshashwatjani@gmail.com

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• Traditionally, physicians & medical societies have raised concern that advertising commercializes the practice of medicine & doesn’t respect the dignity of the profession….!!!

• Doctors have been expected to generate referrals from other physicians & from satisfied patients by providing good care to their patients.

In the increasingly competitive world of healthcare delivery, more and more hospitals are engaging in publicity to expand awareness of services that can build market share, diversify the payor mix and generate needed revenues.

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Company: Here, the hospital is the company that dreams up an idea of service offering (treatment), which will satisfy the customer’s (patient’s) expectations (of getting cured).

Customer: The patient who seeks to get cured isthe customer for the hospital as he is the onewho avails the service and pays for it.

Provider: Doctor, the inseparable part of thehospital is the provider, as he is the one whocomes in direct contact with the patient. Thereputation of the hospital is directly in the handsof the doctor.

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MEDICAL COUNCIL OF INDIA

(Professional Conduct, Etiquette and Ethics)

Regulations, 2002

(AMENDED UPTO 1st FEBRUARY 2016)

• 6.1.1• Soliciting of patients directly or indirectly, by a physician, by a

group of physicians or by institutions or organizations is unethical.

• A physician shall not make use of him / her (or his / her name) as subject of any form or manner of advertising or publicity through any mode either alone or in conjunction with others which is of such a character as to invite attention to him or to his professional position, skill, qualification, achievements, attainments, specialities, appointments, associations, affiliations or honours and/or of such character as would ordinarily result in his self aggrandizement.

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Advertisement Policy

A physician shall not give to any person, whether for compensation or otherwise, any approval, recommendation, endorsement, certificate, report or statement with respect of any drug, medicine, nostrum remedy, surgical, or therapeutic article, apparatus or appliance or any commercial product or article with respect of any property, quality or use thereof or any test, demonstration or trial thereof, for use in connection with his name, signature, or photograph in any form or manner of advertising through any mode nor shall he boast of cases, operations, cures or remedies or permit the publication of report thereof through any mode.

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A medical practitioner is however permitted to make a formal announcement in press regarding

the following:

(1) On starting practice.

(2) On change of type of practice.

(3) On changing address.

(4) On temporary absence from duty.

(5) On resumption of another practice.

(6) On succeeding to another practice.

(7) Public declaration of charges.

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• 6.1.2

• Printing of self photograph, or any such material of publicity in the letter head or on sign board of the consulting room or any such clinical establishment shall be regarded as acts of self advertisement and unethical conduct on the part of the physician.

• However, printing of sketches, diagrams, picture of human system shall not be treated as unethical.

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Most medical board regulations across various countries restrict physicians from self-aggrandizement and have defined rules against advertising themselves.

Failure to follow these guidelines lead to the possibility of suspension of their medical licenses.

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• It can be argued that just like any other business, providers need to look for ways to grow their medical practice, be it a clinic or hospital.

• Without impinging on the rules against publicity and self promotion, here are a few strict practices that you should definitely steer clear off when it comes to publicity...

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1. Refrain from using superlatives

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• Unless expressed by patients in their testimonials or reviews of your practice or services, it is best to avoid usage of superlative such as “the best”, “top”, “world famous”, “most qualified”

etc…• Misleading to patients• Can have negative consequences if the services do

not meet the expectations of patients who read such statements.

• Phrases such as “has been proven to be effective in the treatment of” and other such references to treatment outcomes should be referenced.

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It is more important to provide patients with details about your …

Practice ,

Qualifications,

Experiences,

Facilities,

Actual patient testimonials and experiences,

Images of the practice, its location and contact information.

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2. Do not promote specific services or medication

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“They must get paid to say that”, is a common refrain from many patients when they find doctors openly endorsing certain procedures or medications.

• It is best to avoid promoting medical procedures, highlighting the benefits of it over others or promoting certain medications to patients online or in your clinic.

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Doctors are ethically expected to discuss the pros and cons of medical procedures, benefits and risks associated with prescribed medications and not provide only a partial view of the facts.

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3. Do not employ Celebrities to provide patient

testimonials

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Using celebrities or fake imagery to portray patient stories or for patient testimonials is disingenuous and seen as an unethical promotion of a medical practice and its services.

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4. Refrain from showing competitors in a bad light

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• Promoting your practice should not be done at the expense of denigrating your competitors.

• Legally, you aren’t permitted to name or provide any indication of another practice when comparing services.

• However, many providers state that their clinic offers superior services over many other clinics operating in the same city or locality, indirectly defaming their competitor’s reputation.

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Rather, it would be better to provide on your website information about the services that your practice offers patients and allow them to make an informed choice.

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5. Do not reveal sensitive patient information

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• Disclosing patient information which would mean revealing their identity is definitely not permissible.

• Care should be taken to obliterate any mention of the patient’s name and personal information, so as to maintain the utmost confidentiality.

• Images of actual patients have been used in some cases, particularly on social media / waiting room , but this can be done only with the consent of the patient.

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6. Avoid being discriminatory in your promotions

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• All content that could be taken to be promotional should not be discriminatory on the basis of colour, sex, religion , financial status or nationality.

• Any material that is deemed to be partisan, hurtful to patient sentiments or derogatory will have a negative impact on the reputation of your practice.

• This can be particularly severe and have long term consequences when it comes to your online reputation.

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7. Paid advertising -strict no

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• Paying an agent to advertise your practice through newspapers, billboards or online advertisements is strictly prohibited for medical professionals.

• Especially when these adverts serve to exaggerate the truth with selftitled superlatives and images of medical professionals.

• Increasing your presence through paid efforts may be a quick way to gain popularity and visibility among potential patients.

• However, it is seen as unprofessional among the general public.

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• Advertising a physician or their services is considered to be against the code of medical ethics.

• However, health providers also have a responsibility to provide the right health information to their patients.

• Nowadays, the Internet serves as the main source of this information.

• Therefore, providers and clinics need an online presence, not as a means of marketing or advertising themselves, but to create a channel of communication, for patient education and awareness, to dispel myths, abate health concerns and to continue to deliver care to their patients remotely.

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8. Don’t offer discounts

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• Phrases such as “ Discounts",“ O% installments", “ 100 % Money back guarantee ““ Preferential rates", “ Free screening" etc…

… cannot be used to entice the public to use the hospital’s services .• A BIG ‘ NO ‘ to

souvenirs, promotional coupons, lucky draws and sale campaigns .

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9. Be clear about expectations.

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Avoid testimonials or examples that imply, promise or guarantee results.

A disclaimer such as “your results may vary” may be appropriate.

Avoid claims of competitive superiority, cures or promises of outcomes.

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Publicity in the medical field should meet the following standards:

(a) Factual.

(b) Accurate.

(c) Verifiable.

(d) Not misleading.

(e) Not unduly persuasive.

(f) No extravagant claims.

(g) Not sensational.

(h) Not enticing or alluring.

(i) No financial inducements.

(j) Not laudatory.

(k) Not comparative.

(l) Not disparaging.6/5/2017

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“ It is service quality that drives patient satisfaction, which leads to word-of-mouth referrals.

Patient-to-patient referrals are the best form of advertising…!!!”

Prof. Simon Bell,Professor of marketing,

University of Melbourne.

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“ Professor Bell says that spending $100 000 on advertising will not work anyway if the medical practice ignores patients or is dismissive of their concerns or if you can’t provide quality care and treatment. “

Professor Bell says service quality comprises five key elements :

1.Reliability, which for doctors means providing efficient and effective diagnoses

2.Responsiveness, which means seeing patients on time

3.Assurance, which involves a doctor’s expertise and ability to generate trust

4.Empathy5.Tangibles, which cover the physical aspects of a

practice such as cleanliness, facilities and the practice environment.

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Too much promotion?

• There is also the risk of creating a negative impression by advertising.

• “The medical profession is held in different regard to most other professions, so when they advertise people wonder why…!!! ”, he says.

• Too much promotion can make patients suspicious.

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Do NOT Expect Overnight Success

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Success takes time, so it doesn’t happen overnight.

You need to be prepared to work hard and wait for success.

Success has to build, and you need to be ready to accept it when it comes.

Having patience is one key to a successful, thriving business.

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