Karen Appold

Telemedicine offers a lot of flexibility. “You can practice it from anywhere-in the office, at home, and even at the beach,” says Jaime Hatcher-Martin, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor of Neurology at Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta, who uses telemedicine. “It also allows you to see patients for quick issues that don’t warrant a visit to the office.

This also allows you to bill for a visit that might not have occurred otherwise or that you would have only discussed over the phone. It can expand your catchment area for patients who would not have otherwise traveled to see you.” Telemedicine also eliminates some of the time constraints that traditional in-person visits require (

While telemedicine can be helpful in certain situations, it's important to understand what aspects of an exam can or cannot be adequately assessed via telemedicine. Dr. Martin often uses video to look at patients’ movements to determine if she needs to increase or decrease medications.

However, there’s no way to test reflexes without a telepresence (ie, a provider who is with the patient). In addition, you can only evaluate strength in limited ways and sensation is not possible without a telepresenter, so you can’t perform a detailed neuromuscular exam.

Another potential downside is that some providers feel that they will lose a personal connection if they don’t see patients face-to-face. “This was a concern for me in the beginning, as I’m very touchy-feely and affectionate with my patients,” she says. “I was pleasantly surprised that the connection was still there.

Within seconds of starting a visit, I forget that I’m even on camera. I still ask about families, recent vacations, work, and so forth. Patients still ask about my children and about other personal matters we discussed. If you are personable in person, that will still shine through in telemedicine.”

Billing issues can also be a potential problem. Currently, most insurance companies will only reimburse for visits if patients are in a subset of rural locations. Also, for insurance reimbursement, patients may need to be in an approved medical facility during a visit. “This can be circumvented in some instances when patients either pay out-of-pocket for direct-to-consumer telemedicine and forego insurance involvement or for patients whose insurance companies offer their own or contracted telemedicine service directly,” Dr. Martin says.  

Some states do not reimburse for tele-visits at the same rate they do for in-person visits. Other states have parity laws that require equivalent reimbursement for in-person versus telemedicine visits as long as an equivalent level of care is provided.

Many states require you to examine the patient for the first time in-person; you have to see the patient in-person at least once a year; or you cannot prescribe controlled substances if you only see a patient via telemedicine. “This can make things complicated if you’re seeing patients who live a distance away,” she says.

"You can practice telemedicine from anywhere-in the office, at home, and even at the beach.”
-Jaime Hatcher-Martin, MD, PhD.

Also, just like in-person, you have to be credentialed in each state in which you are seeing patients and you must be knowledgeable about the laws and regulations for practice in that state.

“The best thing neurologists can do right now is to advocate for increased coverage of various types of telemedicine services, dissolution of rural requirements, and the need for the patient to be in a medical facility for insurance coverage,” Dr. Martin says.

Healthcare providers, caregivers, and patients alike can advocate at the local, state, and federal levels for expanded coverage of 

. “Many professional societies and patient advocacy groups make it easy to write a letter to your representatives,” she says. The American Academy of Neurology offers fellowships that provide training on various aspects of the legislative process and how to effectively advocate.

“Many physicians want it, many patients are asking for it-we just need to ease the burden of regulations on where telemedicine can be practiced and how it is reimbursed,” she concludes.

 discusses things to consider before adding telemedicine to your neurology practice.

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Many physicians want it, many patients are asking for it. Here’s a look at the pros and cons-and the case for expanded coverage of telemedicine.

Telemedicine: Benefits and Challenges for Neurologists

As people grow more accustomed to having access to almost everything at their fingertips, virtual medical care (ie, telemedicine) will be an increasingly sought-after service. In neurology, the most common use of telemedicine is in acute settings-such as evaluation for stroke in the emergency department, monitoring in the ICU, or consultations in other inpatient settings.

“Telemedicine is also being used to evaluate patients in nursing homes or remote sites, including rural areas in the United States and in remote locations in other countries to determine which patients need to be transferred to higher level care,” says Jaime Hatcher-Martin, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor of Neurology at Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta, who uses telemedicine. “More recently, there has been a push to incorporate telemedicine into the care of patients with chronic neurologic conditions, such as dementia, Parkinson’s disease, and multiple sclerosis.”

If you are looking to incorporate telemedicine into your practice, what you’ll need depends on the types of patients you see and who will use the equipment. If you’re just starting out in practice and will only be doing telemedicine minimally, you don’t need a lot of expensive equipment. Dr. Martin started out with a laptop, basic webcam, and an Internet connection.

Many fancy telemedicine carts that offer all kinds of bells and whistles exist. “These are great if either a lot of providers will use the equipment or if the set-up needs to be mobile,” she says. “However, for most of us doing chronic outpatient care, the setup stays in one room so limited tools are adequate.”

Telemedicine improves access to care for patients by reducing the need to travel for those who live remotely or have limited mobility. Thus it offers both convenience and cost savings.

You will also need conferencing software. “Obviously, you want something that is secure and HIPAA-compliant,” she says. “Some use freely available software. Others use software that is either inexpensive, or-as in my case-they use something their institution already had a license to use.”

Dr. Martin says no specific training is required, although various medical organizations offer training courses. “I started out testing the software with family members and then with some patients that I trusted,” she says. “You can even try comparing a telemedicine exam with an in-person exam (ie, have the patient in another room and do the virtual exam first, then verify your findings with an in-person exam).

Telemedicine improves access to care for patients by reducing the need to travel for those who live remotely or have mobility limitations. Thus it offers both convenience and cost savings. “This allows patients access to the best specialized care,” Dr. Martin says.

Patients who pay out-of-pocket or who have insurance that pays for direct-to-consumer telemedicine may not even need to leave their home for a visit.

Recently, Dr. Martin was out of town when a patient needed to be seen urgently. “We were able to schedule a quick telemedicine visit, which allowed him to avoid going to an emergency room,” she says.

Besides living in an area where telemedicine is covered by insurance, patients also need to have some basic computer or smartphone knowledge and competency. “Patients who are seen at home need to have an Internet connection fast enough for an adequate audio/video feed. It’s hard to evaluate tremor or fine motor movements if the video feed is jumpy and delayed,” Dr. Martin says.

Editor’s note: Part 2 of this article will discuss the pros and cons of telemedicine in specific settings.

If you are thinking of adding telemedicine to your practice, here are the benefits-and things to consider.

Telemedicine in Your Neurology Practice?

Throughout her career, Amy W. Amara, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor of Neurology at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, has benefitted from having many mentors. Most often, she searched for a mentor because she recognized that she needed guidance in a certain area, such as in career development or clinical research. “It’s rare for one single person to be able to provide guidance on every aspect of your career trajectory,” she says.

Other reasons to seek out a mentor might be to gain self-confidence, increase motivation, avoid pitfalls, or resolve a problem.

When considering whether to pursue a mentorship, make sure you are willing to commit the time to it. Be willing to listen and seriously consider a mentor’s advice.

To find a mentor, Dr. Amara recommends seeking out someone with whom you have a good rapport so that you’re comfortable seeking advice from them. This might be a former Professor, a colleague, or someone you’ve met while networking at an event in your field. Sometimes a mentoring relationship may evolve where you least expect it.

Find out if potential mentors have successfully mentored others by speaking to some previous mentees to learn about their experiences, Dr. Amara suggests. Be cautious about choosing a mentor who has many adversarial relationships with others in the department or field.

To narrow down the candidate pool, meet with a potential mentor to learn about his or her availability and discuss mutual expectations of the mentoring relationship, Dr. Amara recommends. Have clear goals for what you desire from the partnership, so you and the potential mentor can determine if you can meet those needs.

For mentors in the area of research, look for similar research interests, but also ask about the prospects of carving out your own niche so that you can separate your work from that of your mentor.

Mentors can provide a point of view gained through experience. They provide advice for making career-related decisions and can help you identify good opportunities and decline those that might not be useful at your career stage.

Research mentors can teach you how to approach research questions or design experiments, teach techniques, and recommend a direction for your research ideas. They can provide you with insightful feedback and make suggestions to improve your skills.

Mentors can also serve as sounding boards for you to test ideas and discuss your viewpoints confidentially. In addition, they can introduce you to influential people and promote your work.

Dr. Amara’s mentors have recommended her for leadership programs, clinical research design courses, and other opportunities that advanced her career. “Mentors have advised me against participating in certain endeavors that would not have helped my career, and that would have taken valuable time away from my other goals,” she says. “My mentors have helped me to identify other mentors to help in areas in which they were not experts.”

Finally, remember that having a mentor is not all about you-it’s a two-way street. The mentor should also grow and learn from you, glean satisfaction from the relationship, and share in your successes.

Here are a number of compelling reasons to consider seeking out a mentor to help you with your neurology career.

Tips on Finding and Choosing a Mentor

For Cynthia L. Comella, MD, FAAN, professor, Rush University Medical Center Department of Neurological Sciences, Chicago, Illinois, being a mentor ensures the future of her subspecialty in movement disorders as well as the field of neurology in general. “Unless you bring new physicians forward and upward, an area of expertise may not be sustainable,” she says.

Dr. Comella, who has served as a mentor and is a proponent of these relationships, also finds mentoring very satisfying: “When you mentor someone and they are successful, you share in that success.” Moreover, mentors can gain insight from mentees: “Mentees have some great ideas; you actually thrive on each other.”

Mentees might have more than one mentor. “Always keep in mind that at any level of your career, there may be someone else from whom you can learn. This can be a formal or informal relationship. It is important that you are always open to seeking advice,” Dr. Comella says. “Mentors can help you to succeed without taking the painful wrong turns of trial and error that you would most likely make on your own.”

Mentors might be older or younger than their mentees-it’s their experience that matters. “As a mentor, you’re providing your knowledge in navigating situations to someone who hasn’t had that experience yet,” Dr. Comella says.

As a mentor, you must allot time for the mentee and maintain communication with him or her. “That’s where many relationships go astray,” Dr. Comella says. “You also need to be a good listener. Mentors not only provides advice, direction, and guidance, but they also need to understand the mentee’s goals for the relationship.”

A mentor may have different roles. He or she may provide advice related to science, grantsmanship, or leadership. Or, a mentor plays the role of champion, or someone who provides opportunities for the mentee to succeed, such as a speaking engagement or being a principle investigator of a study. “As a champion mentor, you must have the humility to share opportunities that could be yours with your mentee,” Comella says. And, a mentor can be a coach, “It’s important to provide clear and thoughtful suggestions for problems a mentee may encounter.”

As the relationship forms, both parties need to determine what role the mentor will play. Does the mentee need advice regarding handling a difficult situation, getting a promotion or leadership role, obtaining a research grant, or participating in a research project?

A mentee might be intimidated by a mentor and not feel comfortable reaching out. “Try to work with a mentee to overcome such barriers,” Dr. Comella says. “Make it clear that you are there to provide guidance-not to instruct or criticize. The mentee will need to be willing to discuss your insights, but should not feel obligated to take your advice. When you develop that degree of trust, it will take your relationship to a new level.”

It might also be challenging for the mentee to understand that the purpose of your relationship is not to be a best friend-rather, it’s to have a professional relationship where the mentee’s goals are met. The relationship may change as the mentee advances, but with good mentorship, attaining goals may prove to be less daunting.

Mentors might be older or younger than their mentees-it’s their experience that matters

Insights on Being a Mentor: What It Takes and What It Entails

Be prepared, carefully consider adding humor, and learn how to overcome jitters

In addition to carefully scripting a talk, a presenter should do some preparations beforehand-beginning with spending time practicing it. “Rehearse your talk enough times that you have it memorized, so you are comfortable being a storyteller and not as much a presenter,” says Salman Azhar, MD, regional director, Stroke Services, Lenox Hill Hospital, Northwell Health, New York, NY. “Try to not read your slides. Practice placing inflexion and emphasis on key points that you want to stand out. Rehearse with projecting your voice with and without a microphone. Do not mumble or shout.”

If possible, check out where you will be speaking ahead of time and make sure videos and images play properly. Get comfortable with the microphone’s height and the room’s layout, Dr. Azhar continues.

Engage your audience with short sentences. “Be aware of never-ending sentences and speaking monotonously,” Dr. Azhar says. “Smile and connect with the audience at the beginning and end by making and holding eye contact with up to five people in different areas of the audience, as it will make them feel as if you’re speaking directly to them as well as those around them. Do not scan the crowd.”

Humor is a way to connect with your audience. “Remember that the hardest line to land is a joke, so practice and check its effectiveness on a group of friends or colleagues before rolling it out as a speaker,” Dr. Azhar advises. “And make sure that it helps to tell your story. Don’t tell a joke just because you like it.”

But Erika Garms, PhD, consultant, speaker, and author of “The Brain-Friendly Workplace,” CEO, WorkingSmarts, Minneapolis, MN, cautions against planned humor-as it can be risky. “Some topics resonate with some audiences and not with others,” she says. “Some days something is funny and some days it’s not.”

If you want to insert a funny picture or cartoon in your slides, be sensitive to whether it could offend anyone, and whether you need permission or a license to use it (most likely you do).

Dr. Garms’ favorite humor in presentations is unplanned and natural. “When this occurs, it tends to be more personal and helps to build relationships and community among the group,” she says.  

To help prevent jitters before beginning a talk, stretch privately and spend a few moments breathing deeply. “This fully oxygenates your brain and body, and can help to calm you,” Dr. Garms says. “Your mind takes cues from your body, so the more relaxed and loose you can keep your physical body, the better state you’ll be in to launch your session.”

But being nervous can actually be good because it keeps you from being flat in your delivery, Dr. Azhar says. However, it can lead to speaking rapidly, so make a point to speak slowly.

Nervousness can also cause a presenter to look at their slides and pause, making a talk become disjointed. “Therefore, it’s a good idea to memorize your talk and practice it without slides,” he says.

Also consider sharing with the audience that you’re a little nervous being at the podium. “Many people in the audience can relate, and will immediately empathize,” Dr. Azhar says.

When feeling some jitters, Dr. Garms suggests consciously shifting your focus from yourself to your talk’s purpose. “Remaining solidly grounded in your purpose pulls your attention from unhelpful internal chatter about what you might do wrong, what you might forget, or what you might say, to the job of getting your big ideas across to your listeners,” she says.

Unplanned and natural humor during your presentation tends to be more personal and helps to build relationships and community among the group.

Be Prepared: How to Give your Presentation

Keep these tips in mind when writing a script and adding imagery.

An engaged audience is a captive audience. For Salman Azhar, MD, regional director, Stroke Services, Lenox Hill Hospital, Northwell Health, New York, NY, the key to keeping neurologists engaged during a presentation is to tell a story from beginning to end. He also recommends starting a talk by stating why it matters to the audience, their patients, and the neurology field.

When planning a talk, it’s also important to consider your audience and contemplate what they prefer or appreciate in a learning session (e.g., an opportunity to challenge their thinking or a chance to hear highlights of new research), says Erika Garms, PhD, consultant, speaker, and author of “The Brain-Friendly Workplace,” and CEO of WorkingSmarts, Minneapolis, MN.

She also advises distilling content down to three or four key big ideas. “Your goal is to inspire, spark, teach, persuade, convince, and be memorable,” Dr. Garms says. “You will not be memorable if you are the stand-up equivalent of a textbook.”

Once you finalized the key big ideas, you can develop visual aids. These might include PowerPoint slides, a flip chart, index cards, handouts, or other tools. If you use slides, Dr. Azhar recommends these tips:

• When you have finished preparing the slides, delete a lot of them and then delete more.

• When possible, use graphics instead of words.

• Don’t use a graphic if it requires more than a few seconds of explanation.

• Use the same format and color layout for all slides.

During a presentation, connect data-rich slides with takeaways that continue the storyline, Dr. Azhar says. For example, if you’re giving a presentation on stroke thrombectomies, each slide about a study on stroke thrombectomies will add a layer to the audience’s knowledge about treatment efficacy or patient selection.

The key, Dr. Azhar says, is to provide enough detail and bring the presentation alive with specific examples. If presenting original research, treat the presentation like a mystery. “Describe the search method with clarity, without resorting to jargon,” he says. “Talk about the demographics. Compare placebo and treatment arms, but also explain incidence of disease in the study compared to the general population. Present results so that each one clarifies the mystery and holds the audience’s focus as the presentation concludes.”

Dr. Garms advises having a question and answer session before your closing. “While it’s a common practice to have this at the end, it is not what professional speakers do-and for good reason,” she says. “In order to make your final points clear, memorable, and sometimes to carefully recast an issue so it’s remembered the way you wanted it to be, the last word should be your own. Therefore, you should build in a question and answer time (if you’re doing one) a few minutes before your closing.”

End a presentation by rehashing the results; it’s fine if it’s anticlimactic. “Instead, try to take the audience to the conclusion that you as an expert think is the most significant idea that arises out of your talk,” Dr. Azhar says.

Treat your talk like a mystery. “Present results so that each one clarifies the mystery and holds the audience’s focus as the presentation concludes.”

Be Memorable: How to Craft your Presentation

An unwelcomed diagnosis or other bad news can devastate a patient and his or her loved ones. Is there anything a neurologist can do to help ease the difficulty of receiving such news?

Luis J. Mejico, MD, professor and chair of neurology; professor of ophthalmology, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY, believes it’s important to relay the truth in an empathic, yet scientific and evidence-based way. “Allow the patient to process the news and allow room for their questions and comments,” he says. “A common mistake providers make is to deliver a lecture on the subject, leaving a brief question and answer period at the end. Instead, after a succinct discussion on the matter, you should leave room for the patient to speak, ask questions, and comment freely.”

When diagnosing a patient with multiple sclerosis, Robert Charlson, MD, assistant professor of neurology and psychiatry, NYU Langone’s Multiple Sclerosis Comprehensive Care Center, New York, NY, has found that many patients have a thousand questions. “Neurologists should give patients clear directions about how to contact them with further questions,” he says. “I also convey that a serious new diagnosis is not something that someone accepts right away, but rather it’s a process. For many patients, it can take months or even longer before they feel comfortable with a diagnosis and how it affects them.”

Relaying a sense of empathy and understanding is not always easy, especially when the patient’s or family’s emotions are running high. “One of the most important messages to convey to any patient receiving bad news is that they will have an ongoing treatment relationship with their physician,” Dr. Charlson says. “Many patients report that as much as they may fear the symptoms of a diagnosis-especially for neurologic diseases without clear treatments-they are equally afraid of being abandoned by their doctors and caregivers. Reassuring patients that I will be there to help them manage their symptoms, even when an underlying diagnosis is not clearly treatable, can be a powerful counterweight to their fears.”

Referring patients to social workers for support is also a good idea. Dr. Charlson asks social workers to provide resources regarding advocacy groups, support groups, and other community programs to help a patient manage a new diagnosis.

Even for devastating diseases like amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Dr. Twydell thinks it is important to offer some hope that either an alternative diagnosis will emerge or that their progression may be slower than typical without avoiding the disease’s grim reality. “People need time to mourn their loss and accept the diagnosis,” he says. “When appropriate, start the process by focusing on the present and encouraging patients to find things in life that provide them with satisfaction and joy. Sometimes the focus is so much on the negative that they forget about the other positives in their lives that the disease does not affect.”

For amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, it is important to explain to patients that although no cure exists, many options are available to ease the burden of the disease. From adaptive equipment for daily living and ways to improve breathing and swallowing, there are means to minimize suffering.

It is also important to broach the topic of research. Dr. Twydell explains to patients that by participating in research, they help physicians and future patients understand the disease better and possibly find new treatments or a cure. “This has to be tempered with the reality that their participation in research trials is unlikely to affect their disease’s course,” he notes.

After answering all of a patient’s questions, Dr. Twydell tells them that sometimes it’s useful to hear a diagnosis from more than one physician-and that it won’t affect their relationship if they decide to get one. He also reassures the patient and his or her loved ones that they should never hesitate to call or e-mail with new questions or concerns or to clarify topics already discussed. “A hug or a gently placed hand on the arm or shoulder may also be comforting,” Dr. Twydell concludes.

One of the most important messages to give patients receiving bad news is that they will have an ongoing treatment relationship with their physician.

Conveying Difficult News to Patients: Part 2

When telling a patient that they have a debilitating chronic condition or other bad news, a neurologist should plan ahead for the difficult conversation. Robert Charlson, MD, assistant professor of neurology and psychiatry, NYU Langone’s Multiple Sclerosis Comprehensive Care Center, New York, NY, recommends that patients bring along a supporting individual to an appointment in which he will provide a diagnosis. “Patients have many questions about symptoms, workup, prognosis, and decision-making regarding treatment,” he says. “A parent, spouse, or friend who accompanies a patient can serve a critical role by recording information as well as acting as a source of further questions or history.”

Pay attention to the setting, as well. “Ensure that everyone is sitting comfortably in a private room and can focus on the discussion,” Dr. Charlson says. “Be sure to allot enough time to answer questions. Many patients report that when a physician appears rushed or impatient, it adds considerable stress and worry to an already incredibly difficult situation.”

Paul T. Twydell, DO, director of Neuromuscular Medicine & Electrodiagnostic Laboratory, Spectrum Health, Grand Rapids, MI, advises sitting across from the patient in a quiet room away from the computer, making eye contact, and speaking in terms that the patient will comprehend.

Luis J. Mejico, MD, professor and chair of neurology; professor of ophthalmology, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY, begins conveying a diagnosis by summarizing the clinical scenario and pertinent ancillary testing results. “From there, we move on to the actual or more likely diagnosis,” he says. “I find that putting a name to the condition whenever possible decreases anxiety and sets the stage for an open and frank conversation.” 

Early on, Dr. Charlson likes to ask what the patient understands about his or her condition. “It is critical to know the patient’s beliefs about their symptoms and what they know about the possible diagnosis,” he says. “This allows the physician to engage the patient where he or she is at, and will set the stage for a more productive discussion. Once I understand more about the patient’s expectations and beliefs, I am better equipped to deliver even very difficult news in a more supportive way.”

Conveying empathic understanding and support for the patient going forward is crucial, says Dr. Charlson. It is also critical to review the workup with the patient, and to discuss any further testing that needs to be done to confirm a diagnosis. Frequently pausing the discussion to ask if the patient understands, and even having the patient summarize what you have discussed, can be helpful as well.

Dr. Twydell has found that many patients are actually quite educated about common illnesses and therefore are more receptive to medical jargon. “Others just want to know directly what they are dealing with and what they need to do,” he says. “Still others rely heavily on family members to direct the conversation.” Regarding amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, most patients and family members are reeling from hearing the bad news, so you should probably save details about prognosis and treatment options for subsequent visits. “I will often set up a follow-up appointment soon after giving the diagnosis,” he says.

For Dr. Mejico, providing an overview of the diagnosis and focusing on management options, expected course, and prognosis are crucial. “Developing an action plan is important, as it directs the overall care and helps to manage anxiety provoked by the news,” he concludes.

Asking what the patient understands about his or her condition will set the stage for a more productive discussion.

Conveying Difficult News to Patients: Part 1

Setting career goals involves making decisions regarding what you want to accomplish in your profession a year from now and in decades from now. The more specific your goals are, the easier it will be to make decisions on what you’ll need to do in order to achieve them.

But in the busyness of life, it can be difficult to find the time to be forward thinking. William A. Schiemann, PhD, principal and CEO, Metrus Group, Inc., a business management consultant firm in Somerville, NJ, advises planning time in your schedule quarterly to assess your career. “Ask yourself what your ideal vision is-where do you want to be working at the end of your career?” he says. “Some very successful people take a personal retreat every year-a day or two away from everything to reset.”

When setting goals, find the middle ground between not aiming too high or too low. “Realism is important, but dreaming is needed as well,” Dr. Schiemann says. “Dreams stretch you beyond the normal path.”

It’s also important to take some risks along the way. “Even if you take a risk and it doesn’t work out, it can be a learning experience and enable you to be far more successful and fulfilled in the future,” Dr. Schiemann says. “So aim high, but also be grounded in the reality of where you are. Select a few paths that might be possible, with at least one shooting for the moon.”

Next, play out a few scenarios of the different paths you could take to achieve your career aspirations. Map out how your path might proceed from the here and now to the vision of tomorrow.

The importance of short-term and long-term goals

When setting goals, you’ll need to identify some for the short-term and some for the long-term. Long-term goals provide a vision for your life. In comparison, short-term goals help to provide intermediate stepping stones as you progress toward the long-term goals. For example, earning a medical degree was a step toward your larger goal of becoming a neurologist.

After you have set your goals, the next step is to establish a timetable for both short- and long-term milestones you’ll need to reach in order to achieve your goal. Write down actions you plan to take. Review your progress every quarter or so. If you didn’t meet a goal, figure out why you didn’t and if it’s achievable in the near future. If not, what alternative stepping-stone goals can you set to reach your ultimate goal?

Along with setting short-term and long-term goals, you’ll need to identify drivers that will enable you to reach the next steps. What additional credentials might you need? What networks of physicians or non-physicians should you expand? Should you have a mentor and if so, whom are some candidates that might fit the bill? Do you have a support system at home? What activities can help you reduce stress and enable you to be more productive? These and other drivers are all important as you work to achieve your goals.

Don’t let your career goals turn into forgotten New Year’s resolutions. We discuss mapping your path and staying on target.

Your Neurology Career: Setting Goals 

In today’s intergenerational world, people obtain and retain information differently. In order for a neurologist to reach his or her full potential patient population, a practice needs to be promoted in a variety of ways. “While social media may attract millennials, a face-to-face encounter is more apt to draw baby boomers,” says Katrina Slavey, network executive, Halley Consulting Group, Westerville, Ohio.

In today’s high-tech age, every neurologist’s practice should have a website. A successful website will both impress and educate, as well as be user friendly and interactive. “Your website promotes your brand and image,” says Slavey. “It should be consistent with all of your other practice materials.”

Include basic information regarding how to schedule an appointment, location, directions, services provided, insurance plans accepted, and physician bios. Patient testimonials can be a powerful tool, but be sure not to violate any HIPPA regulations. You can include these as simple quotes or as video statements.

Search engine optimization (SEO) is key. If necessary, hire an SEO company to increase the amount of visitors to your website by obtaining a high-ranking placement in the search results page of a search engine, Slavey says.

Social media is another way to promote your practice by building a following. Among the most common sites are Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. “Make sure that you speak to your following while attracting new followers,” Slavey says. “Be professional and share relevant content, but avoid sharing too much information. Above all, be careful that verbiage doesn’t offend anyone.”

Print, television and radio advertising, and billboards are other ways to engage customers and potential patients as well as provide educational opportunities. Above that, they can be successful in building and promoting your brand. “Healthcare consumers love to see the faces of doctors who treat them,” Slavey says. 

While technology affords lots of marketing opportunities, Slavey says word of mouth is by far the best referral tool. “Get involved-participate in health fairs and offer to give health talks to community organizations, primary care physicians, and local employers. Sponsor a local sporting event or a local team. Reach out to the media or your hospital’s public relations department to promote these events. You can also let the local media know that you’re available to do health segments or contribute to articles.

Slavey says mailings continue to be a worthwhile endeavor. Mail brochures-which should be consistent with the information on your website-to local primary care physicians and other referral sources. Take this effort one step further and send thank you cards to new patients as well as to referral sources.

Other marketing methods worth a try include hosting an open house and inviting potential referral sources and the public. “This gives people the opportunity to see your setting firsthand and gives you the chance to educate them on the services you provide,” Slavey says.

Once you have a patient in the door, it is imperative that you, your office, and your staff reflect the image that was presented in all of your promotional efforts. “Getting a patient to walk through your door is one thing, keeping them there is another matter entirely,” Slavey says. “Ensure the highest level of customer service and that patient will become your best advertisement.”

In today’s intergenerational world, people obtain and retain information differently, so it’s important to promote your practice in a variety of ways.