Using a patient survey for marketing a professional health care practice.

Small, private, professional health care practices are at a disadvantage when conducting market survey research because they cannot afford to employ or purchase the expensive specialized marketing skills of their larger competitors. The author describes a method that small private practices can use to conduct patient marketing surveys. Survey findings are reported and examples are provided of how the results influenced subsequent marketing decisions. Suggestions are offered to help ensure the success of similar studies in other practices.