Stand Out
What makes you stand out as a referral partner?
Why refer to you?
GPs are often bombarded with letters and offers of referral. How will you stand out from the crowd? Defining your strengths as an optometrist referral partner and being able to communicate why the GP should choose you, will help them see the value in partnering with you as their go-to eye health expert.
Consistent, professional branding
A strong, consistent brand helps to build trust and loyalty. This becomes particularly important when establishing yourself as the trusted eye health expert and ideal referral partner. Ensuring that your brand is professional and consistent early on, means subsequent communications with potential GP partners will have greater impact and cut-through.
Developing a good connection with GPs, pharmacists and allied health practitioners is in the best interest of our patients, and crucial to the success of our practice
Action Steps
Develop Your “Why Refer to Us”
What are your points of difference?
> Why should a GP choose you as their optometrist referral partner? E.g. Continuity of care, thorough eye examinations, advanced diagnostic technologies, trained/skilled team, number of years of service to the community, freedom to put patient first
> Why is the co-management approach to patient care important to you?
> How can you add value and make life easier for the GP?
We have prepared a list of services as ideas for you to communicate your points of difference.
Download list of services ideas
Assess your branding
> Is your practice logo professional and reflective of your practice values?
> Do you have a responsive, modern practice website complete with current branding?
> Do you have an up-to-date practice Facebook page?
> Is your branding consistent across practice collateral, signage and fit out?
If you answered no to any of the above, reach out to the ProVision Marketing team for support in taking these steps.
Email Marketing Team
GPs may not know what your clinical skills are or what procedures you can perform.
Leverage this GP Engagement Framework component as an exercise and opportunity to communicate to GPs and Allied Health Practitioners what they may not know about you and your practice.
Communicate, that as an optometrist, you possess a range of clinical skills. Point out what the procedures are that you perform, and are not limited to.
Additionally, you can communicate that you are authorised to possess, use and prescribe scheduled medicines.
For example, in the form of topical eye drops – such as anti-inflammatory and corticosteroid eye drops to treat eye diseases such as conjunctivitis, keratitis, uveitis and glaucoma.
Advise them that as a general practitioner they can refer their patients to an optometrist for many aspects of primary eye care, including, but not limited to-
Effective collaboration between GPs and optometrists can enhance patient care and potentially better utilise ophthalmology time.
Get Connected
Be seen by your local community as a committed partner in holistic patient care.
Align with relevant health associations & groups
It is critical to demonstrate to your patients that the services you provide are comprehensive in their nature, and ultimately provide a high level of care. It is also important to align yourself with health network organisations and groups, as further evidence of your holistic approach to their overall health. By registering with the below associations and organisations, you will be supporting patients with their disease management, and equally important, your services will be promoted to millions of registrants. Essentially you will become part of a series of national directories, which will only enhance your exposure and presence in the community.
NDSS online services directory
As at 31 March 2019, 1.3 million people with diabetes are registered with NDSS. This service is a free and invaluable opportunity to promote your services to a growing database of Australians.
MD Foundation Professional Friends
Ensure you are listed on the Foundation’s online healthcare provider directory, including a highlighted listing in the Foundation’s service provider locator. You will be granted access to free resources that can be used for patient and community education, all of which are provided and posted to you at no charge. You will then be able to display the Professional Friend logo in your practice and communicate your “Professional Friendship” to the community. Annual fee of $200 +GST.
Glaucoma Australia: Find a Health Professional directory
Promote your practice to people searching for a health professional in your area. List your practice for only $50.00, with your fee contributing towards Glaucoma Australia’s continuous work to eliminate glaucoma blindness.
National Health Services Directory
The NHSD is a free and open national directory of health services and the practitioners that provide them. Ensure that you are registered as a service provider, so that patients can find you when searching for an optometrist in their area.
Primary Health Networks
With 31 Primary Health Networks across Australia, it is important to engage with your nearest PHN. Visit the PHN locator, search by state, to find your local PHN. You can also explore their website, subscribe to your local PHN’s newsletter, seek out information and most importantly register your interest in being a primary health care provider, so that you can be notified of tender opportunities.
Action Steps
Register with health services/associations
NDSS Online Services Directory
Glaucoma Australia Health Professional Directory
Macular Disease Foundation
National Health Services Directory
Find and contact your local Primary Health Network
Plan & Prepare
Having a clear plan and strategy in place before approaching GPs is critical.
Develop a database of GPs
The first thing you need to do is create a list/database of GPs in your local area that you want to align with. This list can be as big or as small as you want it to be.
You can make the list very targeted towards the bigger practices in your area, or as broad as all practices in the area. Think about who you want to align with. If your practice is already fully booked and / or you are not a bulk billing practice, look at aligning with GP practices who don’t bulk-bill.
Branded GP referral folder
Brand stickers
Referral letter
Action Steps
Prepare your GP referral folder
Now that you’ve identified your points of difference and got your branding in order in Step 1 (Stand out from the crowd), you’re ready to begin compiling your key communication tool: your GP referral folder.
To truly stand out from the crowd, you need to invest time and consideration into the right presentation, language and practice collateral for your referral folder. We have designed a series of resources to make this process easier for you – with the option of adjusting these to suit your individual needs at every stage.
Presentation Folder – with branded sticker
The presentation folder that houses your referral letter (and supporting pieces) impacts a GP’s first impression of your practice. A professional, branded folder will stand apart from the numerous mediocre referral letters GPs receive. Branded stickers are a great way to cost-effectively customise your presentation folder with your branding. It is these details that will set you apart.
We’ve provided 2 sticker purchase options and 1 presentation folder purchase option.
Purchase presentation folder - Officeworks
Purchase branded sticker - Vista print
Purchase branded sticker - Moo
Referral letter
Having done the ‘why refer to our practice’ exercise in the first framework component, you will now have a clear idea of what differentiates your practice as an ideal referral partner. Your referral letter is the optimal opportunity to reinforce your positioning as a leader and expert in eye health. It’s your opportunity to tell the GP how you can add value to their patient care with the intent of beginning a long lasting referral partnership.
We have developed a referral letter template in ProMarket that highlights your co-management approach and the reasons why you are an ideal referral partner for their patients. It is branded and professional to present your services, expertise, practice and team to the GPs you see as a good fit for yours.
Through ProMarket, choose to have your letters printed and sent direct to your practice so you can make up your folder or download a PDF file (up to 50 contacts) to print locally.
We have also developed a document to download in Microsoft Word (below) for your own full customisation.
Go to ProMarket GP Referral Letter
Download editable referral letter - Word format
Download 'why refer to you?' ideas
Referral pad (+ new digital version)
Providing GPs with a referral pad is all part of making it easier for them to refer to you. You can order a hard copy referral pad customised with your brand logo and details on ProMarket. It is $120 for 10 referral pads x 50 sheets each which is an average of $12 per referral pad.
You can find it in the GP Engagment category in ProMarket.
We also have a digital interactive PDF available that you can supply to GPs on a USB for those who prefer paperless referrals. The ProVision marketing team will customise it for your practice and send to you to provide as a digital alternative for the GPs you wish to have referring to you. You can include the USB in your GP referral folder and include on it information about your practice.
Purchase GP referral pad - ProMarket
Interactive referral pad in PDF - Example
Contact now to customise interactive referral PDF
Practice Brochure & Business card
Including a practice brochure further reinforces your commitment to providing a high level of optometric care to your patients (and by extension, the GP’s patients). Ensuring your brochure and business card are of high quality and consistently branded will give the GP another reason to trust in you.
High quality printed diagnostic images
To further reinforce your commitment to clinical excellence and diagnostic technologies, we recommend including diagnostic scans printed on quality gloss photo paper. You can print this in your practice or at your nearest Officeworks.
Action Steps
Create a spreadsheet of GP practices
Search for local GPs via Google or the National Health Services Directory.
Search NHSD now
Your spreadsheet list should include:
> Names of all GPs practicing in the clinic
> Full address
> Website link
> Facebook link
Run a current referrals report
> Identify which GPs are already referring to you
> Compare this list to the database of GPs you created to identify where your opportunities are.
Connect with GPs on Social Media
> Find GP clinics on Facebook/LinkedIn and like their pages/connect with them to keep up to date.
Connect now via Facebook and LinkedIn below – like / follow their pages, reach out on LinkedIn.
Connect now
Connect now
Initiate the Relationship
So you’ve registered with relevant health associations
and groups and you’ve found the GPs and practices that resonate with you. What next?
A new relationship
Remember, what we are seeking here is a real relationship, and relationships are based on attraction, faith and trust. You must be attracted to the way these practitioners operate and present themselves and they to you. That’s the way this will work long term.
So go see them! Meet them, either as a paying client or make an appointment for a quick chat.
Once you’ve found a good fit, explain your service and what it has to offer. Reinforce your enthusiasm for open communication. Have your cards and referral pads at hand to give to them or their practice manager directly. This is a relationship that works both ways.
Making initial phone contact
The first thing you need to do is create a list/database of GPs in your local area that you want to align with. This list can be as big or as small as you want it to be.
You can make the list very targeted towards the bigger practices in your area, or as broad as all practices in the area. Think about who you want to align with. If your practice is already fully booked, and / or you are not a bulk billing practice, look at aligning with GP practices who don’t bulk-bill.
Face to face practice visit
Now that you’ve identified your points of difference and got your branding in order in Step 1 (Create Your Profile), you’re ready to begin compiling your key communication tool: your GP referral folder.
To truly stand out from the crowd, you need to invest time and consideration into the right presentation, language and practice collateral for your referral folder. We have designed a series of resources to make this process easier for you – with the option of adjusting these to suit your individual needs at every stage.
Go to earlier Get Connected component to action.
GPs love an acuity chart.
Action Steps
Face-to-face Practice visit.
Why is this important?
GPs get dozens of referral requests. A face-to-face meeting is essential for developing rapport and standing out from the rest. The nature of the conversation should be about how you can assist them. This is about co-management and keeping the communication lines open and fluid. Ensure that you can clearly express the benefits of meeting with you and why you and the GP need this relationship. Your intention should be to nurture a collaborative working relationship for the benefits of your patients combined.
Initiate the relationship.
> Allocate a team member to make contact with the GP clinic
> Develop a phone script with the assistance of your BC
> Personalise your referral letter for your GP kit
> Put your GP kits together
> Prepare what you would like to bring to the face to face meeting
What are the key action items/steps?
> Define the purpose of the meeting
> Bring lunch / morning or afternoon tea and do an introduction about your practice
> Alternatively invite them to come and meet with you and your team
> Once more convey how you can assist them
Whether you’re a new practice or truly established, it is always a good idea to invest in relationships with your local GPs. These relationships can go a long way to establishing a good reputation within the general and medical community.
Visual Acuity Chart (Snellen Chart)
Consider including a 3 metre visual acuity chart to offer to GP’s, with your branding. By doing this, you are offering something of value and reminding them of your presence in the community.
Link to AMA Acuity Chart
Link to BOC instruments Acuity Chart
Nurture the Relationship
Nurture the collaboration for jointly positive outcomes for patients.
Hold bi-annual meetings with GPs and practice manager meetings.
This is an opportunity to exchange key information relevant for GPs about your services. Share the comprehensive range of primary eye care services you are equipped to provide. and what scheduled medicines you use.
Explain the specific experience you have as a practitioner.
Explain that a Medicare rebate is available for most optometry services.
Run through the range of equipment and technologies they have available to get a comprehensive view of a patient’s eye health.
Educational nights
Consider hosting an educational evening to meet your local GP’s and Pharmacists who can be great allies in the healthcare of your patients.
Campaign-related education
To foster awareness and understanding among your local GPs about the role of optometry and the need to strengthen referral pathways to optometrists, campaigns can be effective.
Run a targeted campaign, aimed at making GPs, pharmacists and pharmacy assistants more aware of eye symptoms which require referral to an optometrist.
Nurse training/education
This is another opportunity to that provides network opportunities to help increase referrals.
Action Steps
Ensuring that your Practice Manager maintains regular contact with the GP Practice Manager is paramount to continually developing your partnership and staying front of mind. These meetings should include communication regarding any practice training needed, marketing material that could be left at the practice, any feedback that they had received, a walk through or demonstration of the practice and general discussion of how they can support each other better. This meeting should take no longer than 30mins.
Key steps:
> Forward any relevant information to GPs
> Offer in-house training
> Send invitations to attend your events
> Send invitations for a tour of your practice
Larger clinics might have on site nursing support for their patients. In this case it is the nurse that will set up the referral letters for the GP to look at, so it is important that you establish a relationship with them as well. A great way of building this relationship is to offer training and phone support when required.
Key steps:
> Send letter to the nurse offering to come and meet with the nurse and provide one-on-one training/education.
> Make contact with nurse directly
Stay in Contact
All relationships require follow up contact.
Maintain regular communication.
Why is this important?
Part of developing a partnership is sharing valuable content to help reach each other’s respective databases. This could be in the form of digital or hard copy content.
Use a current ProMarket template for A3 waiting room posters to GPs or GP practice managers to place in practice waiting area.
Provide waiting room flyers that are also available on ProMarket.
Provide ProVision marketing campaign A3 posters & brochures e.g. presbyopia / myopia / digital eye strain.
Exchange written patient-facing content for each other’s blog/newsletter.
Engage in social media engagement with GP clinic (working alongside the practice manager), consider researching topics that are of interest to the GP and sharing the content.
Visit GP Engagement category in ProMarket for the latest GP posters.
Visit ProMarket GP Engagement category
Trust is vitally important. Trust is a reflection of yourself.
Action Steps
“Having a follow up a few months later is a good idea. At times people will come along and then never come back and they will be forgotten. For example, you may have 10 physio practices in the area, and a physio will visit and tell you what they do and then they walk out of the room, and the next day you’ve forgotten about them. I think there is more to a referral process than that. Having a follow up to ask, ‘have you been happy with the service of the people you have sent me?’ Or if you haven’t yet received any referrals you can ask them again, for the GP to bare this in mind. GPs are bombarded with a lot of input about various things and being creatures of habit you tend to keep doing what you always do.” Dr. John Dour
Patient Diagnostic Report
Each time you see a patient, you could ask them who their GP is and write to them in a diagnostic letter, the patient clinical findings and recommendations.
We learned from Optometrist and practice owner Susan Ang the value of nurturing the relationship with GPs by keeping them informed: “it has taken me 3 or 4 years to build close working relationships with the GPs in my area. I think it’s about reporting the findings. I always ask the patient, ‘would you like me to notify your doctor about this?’ Even if they weren’t referred by their doctor about headaches. And I say I would like to keep the doctor informed so I make that effort to write the letter to their doctor because I want to ensure the doctor knows I am here. I like writing reports!”
Remain front of mind
Get in front of more GPs and grow your allied health network for the ultimate benefit of your patient care. By GP’s seeing your practice logo and your name, you are more likely going to remain front of mind.
The GP case study interview below highlights the importance of follow up and makes suggestions that a GP believes have worked in their practice.
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