Large Fees and How to Get Them: A book for the private use of physicians. Albert V. Harmon
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Albert V. Harmon
Large Fees and How to Get Them: A book for the private use of physicians
Published by Good Press, 2019
EAN 4057664151605
Table of Contents
CHAPTER I MEDICINE AS A BUSINESS
CHAPTER II THE PHYSICIAN WHO SUCCEEDS
CHAPTER III THE BUGBEAR OF ETHICS
CHAPTER IV LAWFUL TO ADVERTISE
CHAPTER V GETTING COUNTRY PATIENTS
CHAPTER VI RECEPTION OF OFFICE PATIENTS
CHAPTER VII THE CORRESPONDENCE FILE
CHAPTER VIII GETTING AT FINANCIAL STATUS
CHAPTER IX DECIDING UPON THE FEE
CHAPTER X GETTING FEES IN ADVANCE
CHAPTER XI GETTING ADDITIONAL FEES
CHAPTER XII PROPER HANDLING OF NOTES
CHAPTER XIII PRESCRIBING OF REMEDIES
CHAPTER XIV CORPORATION DOCTORS
CHAPTER XV MEDICAL “STEERERS” AND THEIR WORK
CHAPTER XVI WHAT SHOULD THE PHYSICIAN DO?
CHAPTER I.
Medicine as a Business. Why Medicine as Ordinarily Followed Is a Failure From the Business Standpoint—Physicians Themselves Mainly Responsible—Queer Ideas About Philanthropy—Poor Business Methods—Tactics that Pauperize One-half the Patients—Doctors Easy Prey for Sharpers—Evils of Medical Colleges—“Charitable” Hospitals Injure Regular Practitioners—Free Clinics and Dispensaries—The Medical “Tin God”—Absurdities of Ethics—How Some Physicians Get Notoriety—Freaks of the Profession—Things the Young Practitioner Should Avoid | 11 |
CHAPTER II.
The Physician Who Succeeds. Qualifications for a Big Fee-Getting Practitioner—The Kind of Men Who Make Money in the Practice of Medicine—Business Mistakes in the Profession—Why Many Doctors Fail—Old-Fashioned Ideas as to Set Fees—No Reason Why Physicians Should Not Use Judgment in Placing a Monetary Value on Their Services—Prompt Collection of Bills an Important Item—Attorneys, Architects, and Other Professional Men Afford Good Examples of Business Sense—The Beard and Its Dangers—Necessity for Scrupulous Cleanliness—An Experience in Iowa—Reasons Why Many Physicians Fail—Psychological Factor an Important One | 31 |
CHAPTER III.
The Bugbear of Ethics. Intimidation of Young Physicians—Overdoing the Ethical Proposition—Spying on the Beginners Illogical Advice—How Some Men Become Wealthy and Famous by Doing the Very Things They Denounce in Others—Clever Evasions of the Code—Schemes by Which Valuable Publicity Is Obtained—Actual Incidents Illustrating Methods Prevalent Among Physicians Who Keep Themselves Constantly Before the Public—Working the Newspapers—Employment of Press Agents—How They Get Free Write-ups for Their Principals—Fine Work by a Chicago Man in Popularizing a New Treatment—The Making of a Sensation—Newspaper Story that Made Certain Ethical Gentlemen Wealthy—Administration of Unknown Preparations by High Apostles of Ethics | 43 |
CHAPTER IV.
Lawful to Advertise. Publicity Within Certain Lines Necessary and Legitimate—Progressive Physicians Ignore Old Rule—Courts Uphold Right of Doctors to Make Their Qualifications Known in the Public Press—Time Brings Radical Changes—Numerous Reasons Why a Competent Practitioner Should Advertise—Futility of “Ethical” Opposition—Severe Judicial Rebuke for Medical Society Leaders Who Attempt to Debar and Discredit Men Who Advertise—Finding in the Celebrated Dr. McCoy Case—Indecent and Obnoxious Advertising—The Proper Kind—How to Obtain Valuable Publicity in a Dignified Manner | 61 |
CHAPTER V.
Getting Country Patients. Making Connection With Prospective Patients—Again, the Intelligent Use of Newspapers—First Steps to Be Taken in the Location of Good Cases—Correspondence an Important Feature—The Kind of Letters that Inspire Confidence and Bring Patients to the Doctor’s Office—What a Physician Should and Should Not Say in His Correspondence—Specimen Letters—The Danger Line in Correspondence—Effect of the Right Kind of Letters—Humoring the Family Physician—Getting in Touch With the Latter—How to Make Him a Friendly Co-operator—Arranging for Country Trips—Proper Method of Procedure—Working on a Business Basis—Schedule for Receiving Callers—Reception of Stranger Doctors—Division of Fees to Secure Their Support—Treatment of Country Patients—How Big Fees Are Obtained | 73 |
CHAPTER VI.
Reception of Office Patients. Attractive Quarters the First Essential—How to Select and Furnish Rooms—Reception of Strangers on Arrival—Separation of Callers—Reception Room Attendant an Important Factor—The Kind that Wins—Hints on Treatment of Callers—Recourse to Correspondence File Vitally Essential—How Letters Should Be Kept in Order to Get the Necessary Information Speedily—Letters Frequently Give Clues as to the Writer’s Business Calling and Financial Responsibility—Object in Making Callers Wait Before Physician Receives Them—How the Reception Room Attendant May Become a Valuable Ally—Stenographers Should Be Kept Out of Sight | 93 |
CHAPTER VII.
The Correspondence File. Proper Handling of Correspondence One of the Vital Essentials to Success—Life Blood of the Specialist’s Practice—Right Kind of Correspondence Clerk an Indispensable Ally—Method of Keeping Letters on File So as to Secure Best Results—Sample Letters that Bring Large Financial Returns—Methods of a Competent Correspondence Clerk—How He Makes Money for His Employer—Tracing the Financial Rating of Strangers—Securing Names and Addresses of Prospective Patients—Utilization of Newspaper Clippings—“Follow-up” Systems—Advantage of Using Plain Envelopes in Writing to Strangers—Obtaining Testimonial Letters from Patients—Use of These Letters in |