How to Attract Patients to a Medical Practice or Clinic, Ethically

The envelope arrived on opening day, between a flower arrangement and a box of chocolates. Heavy paper, handwritten, with a return address on the same street: Dr. Ivan's practice, three doors down.

Dr. Beth knew the name. Everyone in the neighborhood did. An endocrinologist, almost thirty years of seeing patients right there, the kind of doctor patients refer to by first name. She opened the envelope after the last guest had left, sitting in the new reception chair that still smelled of packaging.

The short answer, before the letter

To attract patients ethically, a practice needs to be found by people who are already searching for a specialist and to convey trust before the first appointment. In practice, this is done with a few well-tended channels: a complete Google Business Profile with real reviews, educational content that explains without promising, relationships with physicians in other specialties and a presence as a specialist in the press, at events and in associations. All within the advertising rules of your state medical board and professional association: no promises of results, no before-and-after images and no price promotion.

Dr. Ivan said the same thing, only in a way Beth would never forget.

The letter

Dear Dr. Beth, Welcome to the street. I'm writing because, almost thirty years ago, two doctors opened practices here in the same semester. One of them was me. The other was Dr. Joan, whom you may not have met; she retired last year, with a schedule many people in town envied right to the last day. We started out equal. Same training, same age, offices the same size. We both saw patients well. We were both, modesty aside, good doctors. And for a good many years, we both lived the same way: patients who came from the insurance directory and patients who came because a satisfied patient told someone. I thought that was enough. Good care brings patients, I used to say. And it did. Until the year the insurer I worked with most changed its network and my name came off the list. Within three months my schedule had gaps I had never seen. I had a single channel of patients and didn't know it. I thought I had a reputation. Joan never went through that. Not because she was lucky, but because, from early on, she did things I considered a waste of time. She accepted invitations to speak about prevention at the neighborhood association and at the senior center. She wrote, in the neighborhood paper and later online, pieces explaining clearly what a test measures and when a symptom is worth investigating. She never promised a cure, never showed a patient case, never mentioned fees. She explained. People kept her articles and, when they needed an endocrinologist, they already knew her name. She also cultivated, with a discipline I admired from afar, her relationships with colleagues in other specialties. When she saw a patient from a cardiologist, she sent the case back with a clear letter, in writing, thanking them for their trust. There was never money or any advantage in that exchange; you know ethics don't allow it. There was respect and a standard of communication that colleagues valued. In time, she became the person half the physicians in the city sent their most delicate patients to. When the internet changed the way people look for doctors, she was the first around here to tend her practice's Google profile the way she tended her waiting room. Real photos of the office, correct hours, a precise address, and polite, discreet replies to reviews, never exposing anything about any patient. It took me years to discover that my own profile had the wrong phone number. In time, the newspapers began seeking her out to explain health topics. She never mentioned her own practice. She didn't need to. Notice, doctor: nothing Joan did was advertising in the sense we physicians distrust. It was her reputation gaining more paths to reach people. When one path closed, the others stayed open. I had one path. She had five. I'm not writing to give medical advice, which you don't need. I'm writing to say what I wish someone had told me on my opening day: being a good doctor is what keeps the patient. What brings them in is the paths you will build starting tomorrow. With esteem, and a standing offer of coffee, Ivan

Dr. Joan's paths, one by one

The letter describes, without using the technical name, acquisition channels: the paths through which a new patient reaches the practice. For a clinic or practice, the safest ones, and the most consistent with the image of a specialist, are these:

1. Your practice's Google Business Profile. It's the first impression for someone looking for a specialist nearby. First step: check the name, specialty, address, hours and phone number, and add real photos of the reception and the entrance. Review it once a month.

2. Reviews answered with discretion. Real reviews convey security to those who don't know you yet. First step: respond to all of them, thanking in a general way, without confirming that the person is a patient and without commenting on anything clinical. To ask for reviews without awkwardness, see how to get more Google reviews without begging.

3. Educational content. Explaining a test, a condition or a prevention measure in clear language positions you as a specialist. First step: write about the three questions patients ask most in the office. No promises, no patient cases, no prices.

4. Relationships with physicians in other specialties. Referrals between colleagues are born of trust and the quality of the report back. First step: for every patient referred, send the colleague a written summary, with the patient's authorization.

5. Talks and events. Associations, companies, clubs and schools look for specialists to talk about health. First step: offer a free talk on prevention to a neighborhood association.

6. Press and interviews. Local newspapers, radio stations and podcasts need specialists who explain things well. First step: introduce yourself to a local journalist as a source available on your specialty.

Before any action, check the advertising rules of your state licensing board and professional association. They change over time, and following them is part of the image you're building.

A reputation with only one path is fragile

There's the doctor who believes that quality of care alone will fill the schedule. And there's the one who knows that quality keeps the patient, but paths are needed to bring them in.

Both see patients with the same care. Only one of them gets through a change in insurance networks, the opening of a large clinic on the corner or a difficult year without watching the schedule empty out.

Dr. Beth put the letter in the top drawer. The following week, she went for coffee with Dr. Ivan and left with a question: what other paths are there besides these six?

There are many. The 100 Acquisition Channels Guide, by Luiz Philipe Campos, founder of Ímpetus Host, brings together 100 of them in 10 parts: referrals, partnerships, content and search, communities and events, press relations, podcasts and more. Not all of them suit a clinic, and the guide helps precisely with sorting that out: for each channel, it shows what it is, a practical example, the first step to test it, who it works best for and the cost to test. The scoring worksheet lets you rate each by cost, speed and fit and choose the three best suited to your practice. The 30-day plan organizes the first test without pulling your focus away from patients.

Next step

Don't depend on a single way to win customers

Everything in this article works better when new customers arrive every month. Most businesses depend on two or three channels and suffer when one of them slows down. The 100 Acquisition Channels Guide shows 100 ways to win customers, a practical example of each one and the first step to test it spending little or nothing.

• ✓The 100 channels, one by one, from the best known to the ones almost nobody uses
• ✓A practical example and a low-cost first step for each channel
• ✓A simple way to choose the channels that fit your business now
• ✓Bonus: Channel scorecard
• ✓Bonus: 30-day test plan

Get the 100 acquisition channels guide for $49

One-time payment · Instant access · 7-day guarantee

Access is immediate, as a PDF, to read between one appointment and the next or calmly on the weekend. If it isn't useful for your clinic, Hotmart's 7-day guarantee refunds your investment.

Start with one path. Tend it for 30 days. Then open the next.

Ivan, Beth and Joan are characters created for this text.

Frequently asked questions

How do I attract patients to a new practice?+

Start with the channels that convey trust to people who don't know you yet: a complete Google Business Profile, real reviews answered with discretion, educational content on your specialty and relationships with physicians in other areas. Choose one, keep it up with routine for 30 days and only then add the next.

What can a doctor advertise online?+

In general, a doctor can publicize their specialty, training, address and educational content of public interest, as long as there are no promises of results, no sensationalism and no exposure of patients. The exact rules are in the advertising standards of each profession's licensing board and association, which should be consulted before any action.

How do I get referrals from other doctors?+

Referrals between colleagues are born of trust, quality of care and communication. Sending the colleague a clear summary of the case, with the patient's authorization, and keeping regular professional contact are the most common paths. Any financial advantage in exchange for referrals is prohibited by medical ethics.

Is it worth it for a clinic to produce content on social media?+

It is when the content is educational and reinforces the image of a specialist: explaining tests, conditions and prevention measures in clear language. Content with promises of results, before-and-after images or prices tends to violate advertising rules and harm your reputation.

Where can I find other channels for attracting patients ethically?+

The 100 Acquisition Channels Guide brings together 100 channels in 10 parts, with the first step and the cost to test each one. With a scoring worksheet, it helps you choose the channels that match the image and routine of your practice, and it includes a 30-day plan for testing the first one.

Does it work for my type of business?+

Yes. The channels cover local businesses, service providers, online stores, B2B companies and professionals. The guide helps you pick the ones that fit your case.

How do I receive the guide?+

Right after payment, Hotmart sends the access to your email. You can read it on your phone, computer or print it.

What if I don't like it?+

You have a 7-day guarantee. If it isn't for you, ask for a refund through Hotmart within that period.

The 100 Acquisition Channels Guide

100 ways to win customers without depending on a single source of sales

Get the 100 acquisition channels guide for $49

One-time payment · Instant access · 7-day guarantee