A 30-day physician outreach plan for a specialty practice
In four weeks a specialty practice can start physician outreach without a liaison: build and rank a list of nearby practices in week one, call the referral contacts in week two, visit the top practices in week three, and in week four send notes, log results and choose the next batch. Keep it to 10 to 25 practices.
Before you start
- Pick one person to own it, a few hours a week. A coordinator is enough.
- Decide how fast you can see a new patient and what you'll tell practices. Say it plainly and keep to it.
- Read the referral outreach rules. Relationship work is fine; paying or rewarding referrals is not.
Week by week
- Week 1: build and rank the list
Map the primary care practices in your radius, mark each independent, system-owned or unknown, note the ones that already offer your services, and pick the top 10 to 25. See how to build a referring physician list and how to tell who owns a practice.
- Week 2: reach the referral contact
Call each practice and ask for the referral coordinator or practice manager. Ask how they prefer to refer and what slows them down. Don't pitch yet.
- Week 3: visit the top practices
Group visits by area so a morning covers six to eight stops. Leave one useful thing: a direct line for their front desk, your referral form and your next-available times.
- Week 4: follow up, log and choose the next batch
Send a short thank-you note within a few days of each visit. Log visits and any referrals per practice, then pick the next batch of practices.
What to track
| Column | Why |
|---|---|
| Practice and owner type | So you can see whether independent practices respond differently |
| Contact name and role | So the next call starts with a name |
| Last touch and next step | So nothing is dropped |
| Patients referred this month | So you know which practices to revisit |
Where Leadaura fits
Week one is the slow part. A Leadaura run gives you the ranked list for your whole radius, with the referral contact, a checked email, a direct line, an opener and a visit route, so the plan starts in week two. It does not replace the calls and visits. See physician liaison: what it is and how to do it.
Questions
How many practices should I contact in the first month?
Ten to 25 of the most likely referrers. A short list you follow up on beats a long list you contact once.
Do I need a physician liaison to do physician outreach?
No. A ranked list, a visit route and a follow-up routine cover the core, and a coordinator can run them a few hours a week.
What should I leave behind at a visit?
Something useful, not a gift: your referral form, a direct line for their front desk and your next-available appointment times. Ask a health care attorney before offering anything of value tied to referrals.
How much does Leadaura cost?
From $99 a run, pay per run, no subscription.