Healthcare Blog | Tiller-Hewitt Healthcare Strategies

Beware of Breathing Your Own Exhaust

“The greatest danger in times of turbulence is not the turbulence;
it is to meet the turbulence with yesterday’s logic.”
-Peter Drucker

What’s new?

By far, the most popular question I’m asked. My translation of that question is: What’s the last innovative thing you’ve seen or done?

Like many, I love when people ask that question because it implies it’s common for something to be new, which provides a way for us to separate ourselves from the pack.

I call that our DF or differentiation factor.

innovation

The truth is differentiation really only counts when it brings value. In the skies-the-limit, always connected world we live in today, being innovative is neither easy nor for the faint of heart; especially when at the same time we’re also required to stay on the top of our game with the multitude of every day responsibilities. And, that is exactly why we must remain in a constant ‘eyes-ears-heart open’ state of mind!

In Motivation

Data vs. Sales: Which Comes First in Driving Growth

Parking yourself in a garage won’t make you a car just as purchasing external data won’t increase your market share. Successful organizations use timely and relevant data to direct and measure their efforts; however the real measureable success comes from what is done “with” the data. Timely and relevant data provide the map or direction, but alone will not provide the vehicle (sales team) to influence or reach your strategic growth destination.

data-vs-sales

Too many healthcare organizations today are spending a ton of money on external data before using available internal data or having a sales strategy and professionally trained sales team(s) in place.

Internal Data – If you’re Getting Paid, You have Internal Data

Too many healthcare organizations are putting the cart before horse and spending an absorbent amount of money purchasing referral databases/CRM systems before:

Effectively evaluating and using their own [free] internal data, and
Having the right people or team in place to strategically use data to drive measurable results.

Before spending limited resources on external data systems, organizations should make sure their internal data has been exhausted.

In Physician Relations

Farewell to Dear Abby and Hello to Dear Lady Liaison

After suffering from a long battle with Alzheimer’s, Pauline Friedman Phillips—better known as Abigail Van Buren, the ‘Dear Abby’ advice columnist—died at the age of 94.

Dear Abby

With the departing of Dear Abby, an idea was born at Tiller-Hewitt. We get calls and emails from so many people just looking for quick advice or comic relief as they face the front line every day. So in tribute to Dear Abby we are launching the 21st century electronic version for Physician Liaisons, recruiters, marketing teams, and c-suite executives dealing with the quandaries and craziness of physician relations and retention.

We’re Calling it Dear Lady Liaison

Our plan, like Dear Abby, is to say more with less; so don’t expect long answers. You’ll enjoy quick, succinct, and humorous if possible, answers to your nagging questions. We hope to entertain, interact, educate, and encourage the masses.

Submitting Questions is Easy

There are several ways to post your questions. You can text, tweet, Facebook, call, or email! We just want to hear from you!

Facebook: TillerHewitt
Twitter: @tillerhewitt and use the hashtag #LadyLiaison
Website: LadyLiaison
Call: 618-651-8700
Text: 618-781-2197

The thing is there really ARE no stupid questions. If you don’t know, you don’t know. The only thing that’s stupid is not knowing and refusing to ask. Bring it on!

In Lady Liaison

Life as a Brand New Liaison

Tiller-Hewitt HealthCare Strategies’ Partners – Guest Blog SeriesMallory Wilkins, Physician Liaison, Gadsden Regional Medical Center, Gadsden Alabama.

When I first heard about the Physician Liaison position I could barely spell, “liaison,” much less did I really know what one did. God, however, has perfect timing in all things and I guess that He knew I needed a change in my life and placed an opportunity in my lap.

The opportunity, of course, was to become the next Physician Liaison for Gadsden Regional Medical Center (GRMC) in Gadsden, Al. It would take several weeks (months, etc?) before the puzzle pieces started to fall into place; but when they did, they rapidly snapped together.

new-liaison

Eyes Opened

Working only for a family business growing up and owning my own business later in life (none of which had anything to do with healthcare) I never understood just how competitive this industry was.

I never knew that physicians had loyalties. I never knew what a struggle it was for a hospital to get reimbursed for a hip replacement if the surgeon didn’t document enough medical necessity prior to the case.
Continue Reading…

In Physician Liaison

Speed Limits vs. Seat Belts

Tiller-Hewitt HealthCare Strategies’ Partners – Guest Blog Series

Cameron M. McGregor MSN, RN, Clinical Operations – Innovate Team, Premier Health Partners and former Physician Liaison for Community Mercy Health Partners

Picture this: You are driving down the open highway, it is a glorious day outside and traffic is relatively light. The posted speed limit is 65mph.

Speed Limits

Given that scenario, answer the following:

How fast are you driving?
What would make you slow down?
Are you wearing a seatbelt?
What would make you take it off?

For me (and, let’s face it, most people), the answers are something like the following:

In Physician Relations

If The Shoe Fits

Tiller-Hewitt HealthCare Strategies’ Partners – Guest Blog Series

Laurie Frank, Physician Liaison. St. Joseph Hospital, Highland, IL.

I like shoes. I can’t help it, but I do. I think it started when I worked in a shoe store during college. You know, the old-fashioned shoe store, where the clerk sat on that funny shaped stool, and actually fit your foot into the shoe. I’m dating myself, but the point is, finding a good shoe for those customers back in the day is quite a bit similar to providing the right fit for my hospital’s physicians and their referral staff.

If The Shoe Fits

In Physician Liaison

A Flash of Inspiration

Tiller-Hewitt HealthCare Strategies’ Partners – Guest Blog Series

Phillip Stephens is a Fellow in the American College of Medical Practice Executive and the Chief Executive Officer of Consultant’s in Women’s Health.

Its’ funny what you draw knowledge and inspiration from. Generally, I read journals or hear lectures that will spawn business insight or ideas. Movies or novels can also be inspiring if you see through the drama and capture the underlying message that the writer is trying to artistically convey.

A couple of months ago, late at night, I’m doing a guy thing – sitting on the couch, mindlessly flipping channels on the TV. I scroll across a movie that presented me with a management epiphany a long time ago. It was the deep and epic business management classic – Flashdance.

A Flash Of Inspiration

Yep. Flashdance. It came out in 1983 when disco and big hair was dying a merciful death. Most of you are probably too young to remember this forgettable movie.

Here’s the plot:

In Motivation

The Five Year Mark

Tiller-Hewitt HealthCare Strategies’ Partners – Guest Blog Series

Kim Grant. Manager Physician Relations at Children’s Medical Center, Dayton, Ohio

As I reflect on my almost 5 years as a physician liaison I start to see the similarities between my job and the game of golf. Strange comment I know – especially if you do not golf – but hang with me here and you might see what I mean.

The 5 Year Mark

The First Year

In my first year of being a liaison, I truly did not know what I did not know. For example, I did not know that doctors would not just stop whatever they were doing to talk with me. I thought my charming personality and ability to converse on almost all topics would be enough. Imagine my surprise when the receptionist said I needed to leave my information and she would be happy to make sure they received everything.

In Physician Liaison

When You’re Doing What You Love

Time flies by is an understatement! I’ve been in the physician relations and retention business for over 20 years, but last month Tiller-Hewitt Healthcare Strategies celebrated our 11th anniversary. It seemed like yesterday that we took the plunge, and what a wonderful adventure it’s been! And so, I’ve learned that time does fly by – but even faster when you’re doing what you love!

I am grateful to the finest hospitals/health systems, medical groups, and health related organizations for the privilege of their trust and partnership over the years. Those partnerships would not be possible if not for the wonderful people I’ve met and friendships that have formed along the way. I would love to recognize so many by name; instead I thought you would enjoy hearing from a few in upcoming blogs.

In Physician Relations

7 Success Factors for Building an Effective Physician Onboarding Team

Effective physician onboarding and new physician navigation is the foundation on which long-term strategic physician integration and retention goals are achieved.

Physician Onboarding

When I hear the word “onboarding”, I instantly think locomotive! For me, locomotives symbolize strength and performance. That’s exactly how to describe a successful onboarding process. The locomotive is what we should visualize when building, or rebuilding, a result-oriented Physician Onboarding & New Physician Navigation Program for long-term retention. If a locomotive seems too aggressive, hang on. I think I’ll change your mind.

In Papers, Physician Relations

What’s new?

Internal Data – If you’re Getting Paid, You have Internal Data

Submitting Questions is Easy

Eyes Opened

The First Year

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