One of the most frequently asked question I get is, "How do I find doctors who could use my services?"

I usually answer with a question, "Could you please describe the doctor most likely to benefit from your services that would be a good match for you?"

Maybe the answer is "Orthopedic surgeons in private practice." Or "Academic employed physicians." Or, "Woman cardiologists."

Then I usually say, "Your goal is to be the go-to-guy or go-to-gal for that group of physicians."

Then advisors usually ask, "But how do I get my FIRST doctor lead, prospects and client?"

One tool that you can use is Zocdoc.  This is an online scheduling platform that you can use "off label." You simply describe what kind of doctor you want to see and your zip code. Zocdoc then offers you the names of such doctors within a radius you define. This is prospecting list for you. You can hire a virtual assistant who can create a list for you.

Most of the doctors on the platform are in private practice; however this is not always true.
 
When you reach out for the first time, don't start selling. Instead, get curious. What is their life like now? 

Jim Fratello has had great success engaging doctors by distributing copies of the book The 9 Money Mistakes Doctors Make. He hands a copy of the book to doctors and says, "Could you please take a look at this book and tell me what you think." Jim says that doctors often say something like, "Where were you 20 years ago?" He says that he also solicits opinions/insight /experiences with their own life experiences or those of their colleagues.  Jim created a custom bookmaker with a picture of the book on one side and his contact information on the other.
 
So, now you have a way of generating a list of doctor leads and taking a fun and easy action step. 
 
How many conversations with new doctors would you like to have each week?

Give it a try. Let me know how it works for you!


My best,
Dr. Vicki

Selling to medical practices requires a unique approach that goes beyond traditional sales tactics. Healthcare professionals prioritize patient care and are highly selective when it comes to purchasing decisions. Therefore, adopting a consultative selling strategy can be the key to building lasting relationships and successfully selling your products or services to medical practices.

Understanding their Needs
To effectively sell to a medical practice, it is crucial to understand their specific needs and challenges. Conduct thorough research to gain insights into their patient demographics, operational processes, and technological requirements. This knowledge will enable you to tailor your sales approach and offer targeted solutions that address their pain points.

Establish Trust and Credibility
Medical professionals rely heavily on trust and expertise. Position yourself as a trusted advisor by demonstrating your knowledge of the healthcare industry, relevant regulations, and emerging trends. Share success stories or case studies showcasing how your offerings have positively impacted similar practices. Building credibility through testimonials and references can significantly influence their decision-making process.
  
Listen and Ask the Right Questions
Consultative selling hinges on effective communication and active listening. During your interactions with medical practitioners, listen attentively to understand their challenges, goals, and expectations. Ask open- ended questions that encourage them to share their insights and concerns. This approach allows you to uncover underlying issues and offer tailored solutions that meet their unique requirements.

Offer Value and Education
Instead of focusing solely on the features of your product or service, emphasize the value it brings to their practice. Medical professionals want to understand how your offering can improve patient outcomes, streamline workflow, or enhance efficiency. Provide educational resources, such as whitepapers, webinars, or workshops, that empower them with valuable knowledge and insights.

Long-Term Relationship Building
Selling to medical practices is not just about closing a deal; it's about building long-term relationships. Stay engaged with your customers beyond the initial sale. Offer ongoing support, training, and updates to ensure they maximize the benefits of your offering. Proactively address any concerns or issues that may arise, demonstrating your commitment to their success.

Summary
Consultative selling is a powerful approach when targeting medical practices. By understanding their needs, establishing trust, actively listening, offering value, and focusing on long-term relationship building, you can differentiate yourself from competitors and become a trusted partner in their healthcare journey. Remember, selling to medical practices is not a transaction, but a collaborative effort to improve patient care and practice efficiency.

Hello!

​Today the financial advisors enrolled in the 1% Club gathered for a live coaching call. Today’s agenda: getting past the doctor’s gatekeeper. 

I am frequently asked, “How do I get past the gatekeeper?” My answer is usually, “If your strategy for reaching doctors involves getting past their gatekeepers, you’re already on the wrong path. This is a losing game."

In an ironic twist, an hour before the coaching call, my door-dashing kitten escaped as I was bringing in the kitty litter the Amazon driver left on the front porch. Of course I tried catching my kitten. He would let me get almost within reaching distance and then he ran away. I must be a slow learner, because I persisted for about 15 minutes and kept on getting the same results.

Chasing my kitten is like trying to get past the doctor’s gatekeeper. It’s usually an investment of lots of time and lots of effort for rare results.

Instead of chasing my kitten, I went inside and got his favorite treat. I sat down, called him over and showed him the treat tube. Then he approached me.

Even if you get past the gatekeeper, doctors don't respond well when you chase them

However, I remind you that every doctor has a back door entrance. Instead of trying to barge through the doctor's front door, get invited through doctor’s back door. 
Jim Fratello described exactly how he does this, and granted permission to share it with you.
Jim first identifies a doctor he wants to meet. He asks his existing network if anyone knows the new doctor. When he runs into someone who has a connection, Jim asks what’s happening in the new doctor’s life.

Then Jim wraps a copy of the 9 Money Mistakes Doctors Make book so it looks very pretty. He includes a hand-written note mentioning the doctor they mutually know.

Then Jim hires an uber driver to deliver the wrapped gift to the receptionist with the request to put the gift on the doctor's desk. Jim asks the driver to take down the name of receptionist.

Jim waits a few days, then calls the office. He says, “I sent the doctor a gift a few days ago. May I please speak with the doctor.”

I asked Jim, “How well does this work?” He said, “Very well.” But I wanted the numbers.

I asked, “How many books have you sent?” He told me 23. Then I asked, “How many meetings did you schedule?” He said 19. I grabbed by calculator, and said, “Jim, that’s an 82% conversion rate. Well done!”

Many congratulations to Jim for his success. And many thanks for his permission to share this with you!


Do you have a campaign that works very well for you? I would love to hear about it!

To your success,
Dr. Vicki


PS Click here to learn more about The 1% Club. You already know about the magic of compounding. In a similar way, small regular improvements translate to big results over time! In the 1% Club, you will get something every Thursday to achieve higher levels of performance in the medical market. 

Billing claims for Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) can present several challenges due to their unique nature and requirements. FQHCs are community-based organizations that provide comprehensive healthcare services to underserved populations, typically with a focus on low-income individuals and those without health insurance. Here are some key challenges in billing claims for FQHCs:

1. Complex reimbursement structure: FQHCs operate under a complex reimbursement system that includes a combination of prospective payment rates, cost-based reimbursement, and encounter-based payments. Navigating these different payment mechanisms can be challenging and requires a thorough understanding of the guidelines and regulations.
2. Slower reimbursement timelines: FQHCs often experience delays in receiving reimbursements due to the need for cost reporting and reconciliation processes. This can create cash flow challenges and strain the financial stability of the organization.
3. Encounter data reporting: FQHCs are required to report encounter data for each patient visit to receive reimbursement. Accurate and timely submission of this data can be demanding, especially for centers with high patient volumes, leading to potential errors and billing delays.
4. Compliance with documentation requirements: FQHCs must comply with specific documentation standards to support their claims. Meeting these requirements, such as documenting the appropriate level of service and medical necessity, can be time-consuming and necessitates thorough training for providers and staff.
5. Limited resources and expertise: FQHCs often operate with limited resources and may lack specialized billing expertise. This can make it challenging to stay up to date with evolving billing and coding guidelines, leading to potential errors, claim denials, and reduced reimbursements.

Overcoming these challenges requires FQHCs to invest in comprehensive training, employ knowledgeable billing staff, and leverage technology solutions to streamline billing processes, improve accuracy, and maximize reimbursements while ensuring compliance with regulations.

​Written by: Tim W. Warren, CEO, CMRM

​

I once had a mentor who could perform true marketing magic.

Give him ANY objection and his answer was “That’s EXACTLY why you need me.” 

Then—right there on the spot—he would formulate what sounded like a water-tight courtroom closing argument. Objection dismantled.

He didn’t go on defense when it came to objections. He went on offense.

Every doctor has a wealth-building plan. It’s the one they’re using right now. And the statue quo is a formidable foe.

In order for your doctor prospects to say YES to you, must do two things. 

First you must help prospects tap into their desire for the outcome you deliver.

Second, you must overcome their resistance to change. 

The sources of your prospects' resistance take the form of objections.

Would you like some help identifying and overcoming objections —without feeling pushy or sales-y?


I invite you to the upcoming training about clearing away prospects’ objections. You will take away

• Ways to identify your prospects’ objections--including a powerful AI prompt
• Classes of objections
• Timing for objection conversations—and it’s not at the end of the discovery call when the prospect says, “I’ll have to think about this.”
• How to include the objection conversation in your marketing materials.
• The objection-busting framework. 

You serve your clients the most effectively when you clear the path for them to take the next steps with you.  That means becoming more skilled and confident in your ability to clear objections.

Join us Thursday, March 20th at 9 AM Pacific for a live webinar about how financial advisors can successfully identify and overcome doctors’ objections. You'll discover what to say and when to say it to inspire doctors to take the next steps with you. 

Think about the value of replacing uncertainty about the uncomfortable conversations around objections with certainty that you know what to say and do--in any situation.  And do this without sounding pushy or “salesy”.

Compare the investment of $97 to the value of getting more doctor prospects to your educational events, and converting more of them more quickly to clients.


Click here to register for this live training.

If you’re registered in the 1% Club, participation in this training is included in your membership. Plus each week of the month you get tips to improve your performance by 1%.

Can't make the live presentation? We've got you. You will have access to the replay.  




To your success,
Dr. Vicki




PS Join us for live training about how to successfully manage doctor prospects’ objections. Click here to register. 


Click here to register for the 1% Club. 

While physicians are increasingly opting for employed models, some are unhappy with employment and are pivoting back to private practice. 

According to a survey from consulting firm Bain & Co., nearly 25% of physicians in health system-led organizations are contemplating a change in employers, compared to just 14% in physician-led practices. Notably, of those considering a switch, 37% are looking to move to physician-owned settings.

“We’ve seen this trend empirically,” Jeremy Shiner, founder and CEO of Myriad Systems, a provider of AI-driven healthcare practice management solutions, told Becker’s. “This shift is evident not only in direct primary care and physician-led concierge practices but also among providers who might not appear in the statistics — those working in hospitals while also running concierge practices on the side. The common assumption that private healthcare is disappearing in favor of hospital systems isn’t as clear-cut when we observe what’s happening in the field with our clients.”
​
Mr. Shiner has observed several factors driving this trend: autonomy, quality of care and physician burnout...

READ MORE

If you’re running a medical practice, you’ve likely felt the sting of rising insurance denials and
payment delays. It’s not your imagination. Rejection rates are climbing, hitting 10-15% or more
nationwide, and some claims are languishing past 90 days, especially with Medicare Advantage
and state-managed plans. As a Certified Medical Revenue Manager, I’ve seen this trend drain
cash flow and frustrate patients across practices of all sizes. The good news? You can fight back,
and it starts with a sharper focus on your front desk. Here’s how practice owners like you can
take control and keep revenue on track.

Why Denials Are Surging & Why It Hurts

The data paints a grim picture. A 2024 survey found 75% of healthcare leaders reporting more
denials than just two years ago, driven by tighter payer policies—think prior authorizations,
coding audits, and “medical necessity” disputes. Nationally, unresolved claims cost billions
annually, with hospitals alone losing an estimated $20 billion to write-offs and rework. For
smaller practices, even a handful of rejections can tie up thousands in revenue. Worse, up to
25% of these denials stem from avoidable front-end errors—outdated insurance info, missing
pre-approvals, or data glitches. That’s not just a billing hiccup; it’s a delay in patient care and a hit
to your bottom line.

Payers argue it’s about cost control, but when a claim sits unpaid or a patient faces an
unexpected bill, the burden lands on you. The fix isn’t waiting for insurers to ease up—it’s
building a process that stops denials before they start.

Your DIY Playbook: Strengthen the Front End

The front desk isn’t just a check-in point. The front desk is your first defense against revenue
leaks. With a few tweaks and the right tools, you can turn it into a denial-fighting machine. Here’s
what works:

Pre-Visit Prep: Most practice management systems, (like NextGen Office, Tebra, eClinical Works,
Athenahealth, etc.), offer real-time eligibility checks. Run a report 24-48 hours before
appointments to pull payer data: active coverage, co-pays, deductibles, and service-specific
benefits. It flags gaps early such as lapsed plans or pre-auth needs so you’re not blindsided.

Card Check Every Time: Ask for the patient’s insurance card at every visit, no exceptions. People
switch jobs, plans renew, or patient coverage lapses. Relying on last month’s eligibility info is a
gamble. Scan it, compare it to your system’s data, and re-verify if anything seems off. It’s a quick
step that catches errors that payers love to exploit.

Benefits Breakdown: Before services kick off, confirm coverage for that day’s procedures. Does
the plan need prior authorization for high-ticket items? Are there exclusions? A minute spent
here can save weeks of appeals.

Patient Clarity: Train staff to level with patients: “Your co-pay’s $25, but this might need
approval... do you want to go ahead?” Get waivers signed if coverage is shaky because it’s your
shield against post-visit disputes.

This isn’t rocket science; it’s simple discipline. Practices that tighten front-end verification see
denial rates drop by 20-30%, keeping cash flow steady and administrative headaches down.

Why It Pays Off

A solid front-end process isn’t just about dodging denials, it's more about control. When your
staff nails eligibility, claims go out clean, and payers have fewer excuses to push back. If a denial
does slip through, you’ve got documentation with dates, payer responses, and patient sign-offs
to fuel an appeal. Data shows over 50% of appealed claims can flip with the right evidence, and
that starts with what’s captured at check-in.

So, take it a step further: track your denials by payer and reason. Spot a pattern... like one
insurer rejecting 15% of claims on technicalities? Use it to renegotiate contracts or flag staff
training gaps. It’s not flashy, but it’s how you turn a losing battle into a winnable one.

The Bigger Challenge and Your Power To Overcome It

This isn’t a blip; it’s a shift. Payers are getting tougher, and patients feel the squeeze. One in five
appeals succeeds when you fight, but you shouldn’t have to. You can’t fix the system, but you
can protect your practice. A quarter of denials are preventable, and that’s where your leverage
lies. Every clean claim is revenue secured, every patient informed is trust earned.

So, private practice owners, here’s your next move: peek at your front desk tomorrow. Are cards
checked religiously? Is your software pulling its weight? Are staff empowered to catch mistakes?
Small changes here can create a big ripple effect resulting in less rework, faster payments, and
happier patients. You’ve got the tools, so tweak them, test them, and watch the numbers turn in
your favor. The denial surge is real, but it doesn’t have to sink you.

​Written by: Tim W. Warren, CEO, CMRM

Do your doctor clients express concerns that they will lose their wealth?

What do you say?

Insights into what's happening in your clients' brains form the foundation for your most effective response.

People who fear losing it all are in their fight-or-flight reptile brains. They have the experience that their survival is on the line.

When your client's reptile brain is activated, they don't think; their options are fight, flee or freeze. 

The best way to respond is to remind your clients that they are safe right now. This helps calm the nervous system so that your client can ascend from the reptile brain to the thinking brain.

Spending time in the reptile brain places your clients at risk for burnout.

This is one of the topics I will address in the upcoming Masterclass "The Doctor Burnout Breakthrough."

You will take away:

My take on what doctor burnout is, and what causes it.

What I advise physicians whom I coach about how to break through burnout--and it's NOT what they think!

Show YOU how to break through doctors' attention bubbles with the burnout message.


My best,
Dr. Vicki

Imagine spending every day working with your ideal clients—the ones who bring you joy, energy, and satisfaction. Now imagine never having to deal with the headaches of a bad-fit client.
 
Sometimes, saying “No” to the wrong clients is the key to saying “Yes” to the right ones. It’s not just about filling your practice; it’s about filling it with people who belong in your sweet spot.
 
You already know from experience that there’s a high cost to accepting bad-fit clients. They often turn into time-sucking, energy-draining vampires. Worse, they’re more likely to file complaints, dispute fees, or even sue.
 
So, how do you spot these problem prospects before they become problem clients?

Click here to see the list of red flags to look out for. As you look at the list, consider, "Which of these 14 represent hot buttons for me?"

Believe people when they show you who they are! 

To your success,
Dr. Vicki

PS They say every woman should have a little black dress. I say that every financial advisor should have a "little signature talk" that helps prospects shift their perspective and make different choices.

My presentation about how to attract, engage and serve doctor clients is my signature training event. To reach more financial advisors, I will be delivering this webinar LIVE every Tuesday at 9 AM Pacific for the next few months. (Click here to register for the live presentation Tuesday, January 28th at 9 AM Pacific.) 

Would you like to go behind the scenes and see how I created this training, and why it works so well? Let me share what I've learned to help YOU build your signature talk. And here's the key. Your signature talk is not a "brain dump" of everything you know about building wealth. Click here to register for a training that will help you attract and engage more doctors on Thursday, January 30th at 9 AM Pacific. 

Pleased note: there are two links in this email for two different training offerings.

1. How to Acquire Doctor Clients Click here to register for the live presentation of my signature training Tuesday, January 28th at 9 AM Pacific.

2. Lessons Learned: How You Create Your Signature Training that WORKS  Click here to register for a training about how I constructed my signature training on Thursday, January 30th at 9 AM Pacific.

I travel in circles of entrepreneurs, and every day I’m learning about new sales and marketing applications of AI.

Have you put your toe in the AI water?

This is a very powerful tool. 

You can begin by opening a free Chat GPT account. 

Last week I was at a meeting absorbing a terror-inducing presentation about cybersecurity. Just for fun, I signed into Chat GPT and began this chat, “Please assume the identity of a financial advisor and write an article to clients about cybersecurity.”

Chat GPT generated a wonderful piece good enough to copy and paste and send to clients! 

As with any tool, AI needs to be managed in order to not do harm.

I got a cold text from a medical revenue manager who wanted my business. It was clearly generated by AI.

After a long rambling pitch it ended with, “Let me know your thoughts.”

I wrote back with this message: “This is spam. Please remove me from your list."

They replied (word for word), “Hello, Sir. We feel sorry if you are not comfortable with it. But [can] visit our pages/sites for more updates. We will ensure you everything would be according to HIPPA compliance.

Yes, there is no subject in the third sentence, HIPAA is misspelled and the language is stilted. 

I wrote back: “Great example of AI gone wrong.”


AI was going to have the last word. They shot back, “Sir, we are only doing marketing to expand out services. So that we may help physicians focus on patient treatment.”

Yikes!

I believe that AI will transform the way we attract, engage and serve our clients. 

Still, we need to use this tool with discernment. Spam is still spam. The message must still resonate. The call to action must still align with the level of trust built. 

What do you think?
 

To your success,
Dr. Vicki