The Nuances of Integrating Mind/Body Medicine into Your

Practice

Tami Quinn and Beth HellerCo-Founders

Pulling Down the Moon, Inc.

Explore why many practices are adding

holistic services What are the logistics required for an effective

program How to measure return-on-investment

Objectives

What is your practice’s mission and brand

essence? How important is it that your patients perceive

your practice as supporting them:

Medically? Financially Emotionally

Fishing: Patient Attraction

Fishing = strategy of new patient

generation Farming = strategy wherein one farms,

nurtures and grows relationships with existing patient

A dedicated holistic program can provide “bait” for both

Patients: Farming and Fishing

When would you like a patient to hear about

your Fertility Center?

When she starts “trying?”

When she realizes there’s a problem?

When she is ready for IVF?

Fishing: In an ideal world…

Why Fishing Isn’t EnoughFarming and The Weeding Out

Process

FailedWhere Do They

Go?

Individuals Who Do Treatment

Individuals Who Attend Consultation

Individuals Reached by Marketing Message

Think of holistics as a way to cast a wider

fishing net and nourish existing crops If nearly 50% of new patients don’t do

treatment, revenue losses are substantial

Opportunity

Providing Patients Sanctioned Access to CAM may help Attract, Grow and

Retain Patients

Data in a recent study conducted with PDtM

and Fertility Centers of Illinois, anxiety levels in women who opted to participate in a yoga class were significantly higher than control subjects.

If emotional distress puts patients at risk for drop-out, yoga serves a two-fold purpose Identifying at-risk patients Providing community and support

Example: Help Identify Drop-Out Risks

32% of fertility patients who responded to a

recent survey conducted by Shady Grove Fertility stated that CAM enabled them to stay in treatment longer.*

15% said CAM helped them initiate treatment.

And the Survey Said…

Opportunity

Stull, Patricia. “Cam Patient Attitudes and Usage Survey.” Survey. 2012

Objections We’ve Heard in the Hallway I don’t know

what the holistic practitioner is telling my patients (What’s the message?).

That whole holistic process is a complete mystery to me and could potentially be like selling snake oil to my patients.

They don’t offer services in my local office and my patients won’t travel.

I think their services are too expensive and I’d rather they save their money for IVF.

I’m afraid once my patients move to CAM, I may never see them again.

I tell my patients to go, but I

never know if they

listen or not.

I don’t know what the practitioner is telling my patients…

One of the biggest benefits of in-house CAM programs is control over the message

If uncomfortable with lack of science, shift focus on how patients feel

“Pulling Down the Moon is dedicated to enhancing fertility, conception, and healthy pregnancy by taking a comprehensive, whole-body approach toward the improvement of a woman's physical, emotional and psychological well-being. Stress, poor nutrition, inadequate sleep, isolation and sedentary lifestyle have been proven to affect the biology of the body's internal environment impacting ones overall level of health and ability to heal, in varying degrees. Pulling Down the Moon programs are focused on bringing the mind-body-spirit connections back into balance through a variety of natural therapies such as acupuncture, yoga, massage, nutrition, fitness and counselling. Our programs have been created specifically for women who are attempting to conceive naturally as well as those who are currently undergoing fertility treatment. Pulling Down the Moon clinicians are trained experts in the field of fertility and work collaboratively with the physicians at Shady Grove Fertility to provide patients with a seamless integration of traditional medicine and alternative therapies, with the intention of providing comprehensive support in the journey toward parenthood.”

That whole holistic process is a complete mystery to me and could potentially be

like selling snake oil to my patients.

64% of the patients surveyed self-refer to CAM services*.

Google and web searches are number one referral source for patients.

The world of infertility online is filled with opportunism, inaccurate information and mixed messages…

I think their services are too expensive…

INTRODUCTORY PACKAGE Acupuncture Initial Consultation

($150) 1 Fertility Massage ($105) 6-Week Yoga Class, Nutrition

Session and Follow-Up or Product Credit ($210)

Total = $465

BASIC PACKAGE 5-pack of Acupuncture Follow-Ups

($425) 6-Week Yoga Class, Nutrition

Session and Follow-Up or Product Credit ($210)

5-pack of 60-minute Fertility Massages ($210)

Initial Acupuncture Consultation ($75)

Total = $920

EXTENDED PACKAGE 10-pack of Acupuncture Follow-Ups

($800) 6-Week Yoga Class, Nutrition

Session and Follow-Up or Product Credit ($210)

4-pack of 60-minute Fertility Massages ($380)

Initial Acupuncture Consultation ($75)

Total = $1465

COMPREHENSIVE PACKAGE 20-pack of Acupuncture Follow-Ups

($1440) 6-Week Yoga Class, Nutrition

Session and Follow-Up or Product Credit ($210)

4-pack of 60-minute Fertility Massages ($380)

Initial Acupuncture Consultation ($75)

Total = $2105

Solution: Use in-house program to integrate holistic treatment in a way that is patient-centered and physician-approved. Goal is to increase retention across the board

and loop back into treatment 69% of patients believe CAM helps them reduce

stress and relax. 49% say CAM give them a sense of control.

I’m afraid once my patients move to CAM, I’ll never see them again

Step One: Identify At Risk Patients

High BMI, stressed, failed cycle, PCOS, proactive patients, patients considering dropping out, patients not ready for third-party, SHARED RISK…

“Integrative Care Specialist” forms link between SGFC and PDtM Clinical type person: PA, NP, RN or RD

Could possibly bill for appointments Better management of patient flow Better tracking of “at risk” patients Sees patients both from SGF and PDtM

Step 2: Assessment

Integrative Care Specialist provides intake and assessment Trained by SGF and PDtM Makes recommendations on potential treatment

types Approved messaging Credentialed holistic providers

Insures accountability and tracking

Step 3: Treatment

After 3-6 months of holistic treatment patients

will be looped back in to their ICS for next steps.

Next steps include: Fertility work-up Another cycle Third Party Pregnant and discharge to OB

Step Four: Discharge/Retain

The Model In Action

• Patients use acupuncture, lose weight,

explore yoga for stress

management • All protocols appropriate for

ART

• Patients meet with ICS and

their specific

issues are addresse

d

• Identify at risk patients and refer to Integrative Care Specialist (ICS) .

Step One:Identify

Step Two: Assessme

nt

Step Three:

Treatment

Discharge or Retain

Patient can enter or start at any stage in their

journey but there is value in starting early Prevents cumulative stress Value added to OB relationships Introduces patients to SGF earlier on

Points of Entry

Pre-ART Patients:

Just beginning to supplement natural conception with complementary care, not yet ready for ART.

Current SGF Patients Who are Beginning an Initial ART Cycle: May be referred due to special considerations or wanting to do “everything they can”

 

 

SGF Patients Who Have Failed Multiple Cycles: These patients will want to be able to say that they “tried everything”. In addition to helping them with their current cycle, complementary care can provide them with stress relief should their options be limited to a surrogate or donor egg cycle.

92% of PDtM’s patients have RE’s from SGF

PDtM Patient Location Analysis Rockville = 46% DC = 16% Leesburg, Fair Oaks, Woodbridge and Annandale =

14% Frederick = 6% Columbia = 6% Annapolis = 4%

There are No Services in My Local Office

Short Term Goals: Establish two, full-service centers in Rockville

& DC Create “Acupuncture Outposts” in other SGF

locations by using exam rooms during off peak times

Long Term Goals: Expand full-service centers to Baltimore,

Annapolis, Philadelphia and possibly Northern VA.

Coming to an Office Near You

The top four markets for the consumption of organic food in the United States:

1. San Francisco2. Seattle3. Portland4. WASHINGTON DC

Source: http://scarborough.com/press_releases/Scarborough-Organic-Foods-Consumer-Insights.pdf

DC Metro Is Green

Challenge: Little to no scientific results to identify

effectiveness of treatments. Solution: Focus on how treatments make patients

feel. For Example: “69% of patients believe holistic

therapies help them reduce stress.”

Challenge: No standard for licensure Solution: Acupuncturists and massage therapists

must be state-licensed and receive PDtM fertility-specific training.

Threats to Success

Challenge: Practitioners may not be 100% focused

on fertility. Solution: By allowing practitioners some latitude in

who they will treat, we open the door for those who may not have fertility issues but could become patients down the road.

Challenge: Difficult scaling business across multiple locations during off-peak times.

Solution: Begin where there seems to be the most demand

Threats to Success

Challenge: Difficult to keep CAM top of mind Solution: Make better effort in attending clinical

and marketing meetings. Communicate more often with clinical staff about patients. Service Specialist helps bridge gaps.

Challenge: Skeptics can derail program Solution: Work with clinical staff to develop and

implement programs they are comfortable with and keep dialogue open.

Threats to Success

E-newsletter to MDs Promotion on homepage of website A dedicated blog Brochures in doctor’s office Joint PR efforts Webcasts An e-news feature for specials

SGF Marketing Initiatives

Monthly newsletter sent out to X,XXX patients Regular Facebook/Twitter presence Reach Local SEM Ngage live chat forum Direct mail/sampling Brochures, new patient packets, flyers Blogging Online Patient feedback surveys Online store Updated website reflecting SGFIntegration Involvement in local events Flyers at front desk Continued communication of promos/specials

PDtM Marketing Initiatives

All patients, regardless of point of entry, would be

invited to meet the Specialists every 3-6 months. Prevents endless cycle of holistics Identifies those at risk with depression or psych issues Controlled mutually approved messaging Encourages second solutions Discourages drop-out Flags and gives path for high BMI patients Provides opportunity to further distinguish SGF in

marketplace Think happy, healthy, whole patient/family

Benefits of this Model