Thanks for the Referrral

Question: We would like to reward patients who send their family and friends to our practice. What are the ethical and legal implications of sending them, for example, a gift certificate to a local restaurant?

Answer: We put this question to Lonnie Hirsch, a marketing guru with Healthcare Success Strategies. He recommends two relatively conservative approaches:

1. Simply thank patients for referrals after the fact (versus actively soliciting their referrals in exchange for a gift).

2. If you choose to give a gift, make sure it has a value of less than $100 to be consistent with the rigorous standards the pharmaceutical industry has set for itself.

Indeed, Hirsch says a thank-you call from a physician can work wonders all by itself. You might not need a cash-value gift.