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Making your Web Site Work for You

By Jay Levine, VP of Marketing PBHS
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As seen in the March 2000 edition of the AAOMS Newsletter: Practice Management Notes


Internet technology is surging ahead at an unexpected pace. Every day, new aspects of this emerging technology are being developed, implemented and marketed freely for the shared benefit of all that partake of this new medium. In every healthcare field - including oral and maxillofacial surgery - practices are using the Internet to implement new strategies to develop business and lower overhead costs. Should you market your practice on the Internet? To position your practice for continuous growth, the oral and maxillofacial surgeon must recognize the enormous potential of this technology and develop methodologies for utilizing all of its capabilities.

Will the Internet truly impact your life or the health of your practice in the near future? I can guarantee that it will. Although you won’t be placing implants or pulling teeth online anytime soon, it is difficult to find a doctor who doesn’t have an email address or an AOL account. As a matter of fact, one out of every six surgeons we provide web services for has a dedicated high speed Internet connection. These fast changes can appear overwhelming, but don’t let it! The rewards will become apparent when you embrace these technologies instead of avoid them.

Demographic statistics state that Internet users are expected to increase 7 fold from 1998 levels of 40 million user per week to over 282 million in 2002. Women comprise 46% of online users and will mirror their 51% share of the U.S. population by the end of this year. The Internet is no longer a place for socially challenged men under the age of 21! The fastest growing demographic group online is mature adults 55 years and older. Take heed! This group accounts for 50 percent of consumer demand and controls 77 percent of all U.S. financial assets. 1

So what does this mean for the oral and maxillofacial surgeon? By utilizing Internet technologies – such as the World Wide Web, you are positioned to market effectively to your target demographic groups. Are the practice management gurus correct? Does this mean you will "mine" the Internet for prospective patients and open up new lucrative marketing channels? Not exactly. Will you receive a steady stream of new patients from the Internet? Not yet – but you will. Don’t be surprised when the occasional patient finds you online. Then why should you use the World Wide Web, Email or any other Internet application today to help market your practice? | next >

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Jay Levine is Vice President of Marketing for PBHS Inc.

^{1,2 Juniper Communications, eMarketer}