For multi-building operators, the concept of sharing best practices can be an important benefit to your organization.  Have your buildings document their best practices relating to operations, customer service, marketing and sales.  Then, take those ideas and leverage them among your other buildings.  You’ll be surprised to learn how much value this can bring in terms of generating more referrals, increasing admissions and building census.

Today, a 24/7 admissions and discharge policy is an important way to demonstrate your commitment to providing outstanding care and customer service. Appreciated by referral sources, their patients and family members, it’s a policy that will help you to attract more referrals and more admissions.

Sales activities are one-to-one personal contacts that help turn relationships into new referrals and actual admissions.  Here’s one such activity that can be practiced by virtually every member of your staff literally every day; smile. A natural, warm smile is truly a welcome mat to your facility; It says, “I’m approachable.” It also communicates a positive attitude, inspires confidence, and wins friends instantly.

Don’t assume that your referral sources fully understand the scope of services you provide. Communicate with these professionals regularly. Tell them about your capabilities and how your services differ from the senior care providers "down the block".

To cut through the clutter in today's fast-paced environment, successful communicators utilize both direct mail and email marketing to get their message across. Email marketing provides an easy and cost-efficient way to connect and keep in touch, while direct mail is highly effective when used as part of a targeted, consistent campaign. This dual approach has been proven successful over time.

Optimize the value of your marketing investment; focus on tracking and managing census-leading indicators.

Your organization should consistently and accurately track inquiries/referrals, conversions, admissions, CMI, LOS and satisfaction.  You'll be surprised how much value this can generate.  By establishing a process-based system to capture this information, you can use that data to improve performance, enhance revenue and boost your bottom line.

Don’t take long-standing referral sources for granted. Update these professionals regularly, so that awareness of your organization, services and your points of difference with your competition remain “top of mind.” Maintaining strong relationships is no less important than cultivating new ones. Both are critical to building admissions and census.

Achieving successful outcomes and letting all your referral sources know about them is one of the best ways to increase your Medicare referrals. This year, hospitals will be making important decisions about who to partner with, especially as the ACO issue heats up. Successful outcomes and high satisfaction levels will be rewarded with more high reimbursement referrals.

The current thinking on the Healthcare Reform Bill is that hospitals (and doctors) will be penalized for having too many of their Medicare Part A patients who have been referred to lower levels of care returned to the hospital within a short time with the same or similar diagnosis.

Demonstrate to hospitals and referring physicians that your building is focused on avoiding unnecessary re-hospitalization of patients within the first 30 days of their admission.  It will give you a distinct competitive advantage and can result in increased referrals. 

Develop a formal process and review the sources of your referrals and admissions on a monthly basis. Any changes in your normal referral patterns should trigger immediate attention on the part of the admissions and senior management staff.

Adults age 55+ are generally the “decision-maker” for LTC placement and are the fastest growing segment of Internet users, with over 80% using the Internet to research health and LTC information. Your website is the window to this opportunity.  Make sure it’s designed by LTC experts to communicate effectively with all LTC stakeholders… is easy to navigate, provides information about all your care services and highlights your credibility on the home page.

Develop a list of all prospective referral sources in your service area. This should include both traditional referral sources(e.g. discharge planners, physicians, etc.), as well as ancillary care providers such as home health care and adult day care programs, etc. Be sure to include community and religious leaders as they can and often do influence a referral decision. And, of course, don’t forget to use this list to keep in touch with these important contacts, either through mailings or through personal follow-up.

Whether a free standing SNF or large CCRC, word of mouth referrals is a must in today’s competitive marketplace. You can increase your word of mouth referrals by leveraging your relationship with residents and families that have been “touched” by your services and programs. Remind them of your expertise and leadership in senior care and their good experience with your organization. Keep in mind that communicating with them via email can save time and money.

The central location for all your internet activities is your website. It serves as a hub for all your online communications. In digital marketing, your website acts like the front door to your facility. A website designed by a LTC professional, with copy written by an LTC professional, will work to immediately engage visitors – using the content on the site to quickly create a positive feeling about you and your credibility as a senior care expert.

All staff can be a partner in reducing re-hospitalizations by being trained to immediately inform their supervisor of a change in a resident’s condition. Reinforce your staff training by posting “reminders” throughout the building and be sure to make this a focus in all your staff meetings.

The Affordable Care Act is in full swing and will change your current referral relationships. Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) are being formed in your marketplace with the desire to lower costs and improve outcomes. Your current Medicare referrals are at risk if your organization is not included. To prepare and protect your flow of Medicare referrals, re-look at the way you are projecting your image to referral sources and physicians. Make sure your building’s name and brand reflect that you are an expert in short-term rehab and sub-acute care.

Enhance relationships with referral sources and generate more referrals by organizing a Referral Source
Task Force (Administrator, DON, Admissions and Outreach). Together, regularly review current referral
sources’ performance and FOCUS on cultivating new ones. Then communicate consistently with them and develop presentation “tools” for your outreach staff to use so they can accurately and effectively deliver your
facility’s story.

Health care reform will change referral relationships. So to protect your Medicare referrals in the future, start communicating your clinical capabilities and successful outcomes to referral sources, physicians and consumers right now. This will enhance your image as a provider of superior short-term rehabilitation and sub-acute care and help to maintain or increase your Medicare revenues.

Perhaps the most important lesson learned from this past year is the need to maintain a positive attitude and continue to focus on ways to increase referrals, admissions, revenues and profitability. For example, here are five areas you can focus on immediately: