Marketing and General Practice

This book deals with the area of marketing in general practice. It presents a step-by-step guide to the nature of marketing in which each aspect is presented in short, separate chapters accompanied by questions, checklists and practical examples. It is based upon the lessons learned by a number of GPs and practice managers over a variety of situations and concludes with a comprehensive case study of one particular practice with which the authors worked. Readers of this book should gain a clear idea of the nature and purpose of marketing techniques and how the opportunities now becoming available can benefit both practice and patients.

1. The challenges facing general practice 2. So what is marketing? 3. Developing the patient-centred practice: The first few steps 4. Patient satisfaction and the role of marketing research 5. Environmental pressures and the parable of the boiled frog 6. Planning for success (part one): Assessing your planning skills 7. Planning for success (part two): Developing the marketing plan 8. Using the marketing audit to assess the true level of practice capability: Revisiting your strengths and weaknesses 9. Developing the practice's marketing mix 10. Setting the standards of customer care: The Blackpool rock phenomenon 11. Internal marketing, leadership and teamworking: Fighting the Napoleonic complex 12. Implementing the plan and making things happen 13. The Psalter Lane Surgery