Building a cardiology practice.

Abstract

This study was designed to quantify the clinical and marketing effectiveness of the Pocket EKG Clinical Based Marketing Program by measuring its impact on new patient visits, patient satisfaction, payor negotiations, and patient management at Pikes Peak Cardiology (PPC), Colorado Springs, Colorado. New patient visits were found to increase by 22% for 6.5 consecutive years. Ninety-two percent of patients surveyed found that the Pocket EKG Card promoted loyalty to the cardiology practice. The Pocket EKG Patient Satisfaction Survey was proven to satisfy Health Plan Employer Data and Information Set (HEDIS) guidelines as required in payor contracting. Finally, access to a baseline electrocardiogram contributed to a 54% reduction in unnecessary hospitalization. The Pocket EKG Clinical Based Marketing Program proved to successfully market PPC to its three customers: patients, payors, and primary care physicians.