The referring physician and the teaching center

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Management
• Medical Marketing
• Physician Relations

Background:

• Tertiary care institutions rely on an adequate patient base for survival.
• Referring physicians are a significant source of patients for teaching hospitals.
• Effective communication with referring physicians is vital for maintaining patient flow.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess referring physician perceptions of The University of Virginia Medical Center.
• To identify areas for service improvement based on physician feedback.
• To explore the role of medical education programs in marketing academic medical centers.

Main Methods:

• A survey was conducted among physicians referring patients to The University of Virginia Medical Center.
• Physician responses were analyzed to identify service needs and marketing opportunities.
• The marketing concept of derived demand was applied to understand physician referrals.

Main Results:

• The survey identified specific hospital services requiring improvement.
• Graduate and continuing medical education programs were recognized as valuable marketing tools.
• The University of Virginia Medical Center enhanced its relationships with practicing physicians.
• Visibility of the Center's medical expertise and special technology increased.

Conclusions:

• Responding to referring physicians' opinions and needs is a viable strategy to increase referrals.
• Strengthening physician contacts enhances the patient base for tertiary care centers.
• Medical education initiatives can effectively support academic medical centers.