Objective 4

How to build a robust Doctor Referral Programme

Piyush Chimankar
Future Leaders Programme
Management Intern
Objective:
How do we build a robust doctor referral programme?

Purpose:
Doctor referral can create a continuous source of hot leads for slimming services.

Data collected:
- Understood doctor referral program from AMM
- Visited some of the doctors for referral tie-up with AMM
- Spoke with doctor to understand doctor-doctor referral and incentive system

Current Doctor referral system:

How it works?
- AMM visits doctors (gynaecologist, physiotherapist, IVF centres)
- Tell about services which VLCC is offering and they could refer their patients to
VLCC for slimming
- Offer a gift voucher, so that doctor could visit the centre and experience the service.
- Second level of follow up to be done by centre head to reinforce the tie-up and build
trust
- Offer some goodie bag from VLCC personal care to reinforce tie-up after one or two
referrals
Benefit:
- For Doctor: 10% commission on the bill amount excluding taxes
- For VLCC: New clients for slimming services
Challenges for a successful doctor referral program:
- Doctor not trusting VLCC offerings or doctor referral programs
- No follow up with doctor regarding referrals
- Doctor are finding 10% incentives as less compared to doctor-doctor referral.
- Doctor unsatisfied from service after his first visit at the centre
- Doctor receiving negative feedback from patient who was referred to VLCC, leads to
dampening of relationship

Target Doctors:
Gynaecologist: They can refer patients post-pregnancy for weight loss or cases with
conceiving issue because of obesity. These would be hot leads for weight loss and would be
potential client.
Physiotherapist: They can refer patient who are troubled because of obesity and need
immediate options for weight loss.
List of doctors approached:
Sr.
no Doctor Name Speciality For centre Initiated by
1 Asha Khatri Gynaecologist Indiranagar AMM
Anoo General
2 Chenagappa Physician Indiranagar AMM
3 Amrita Rao Gynaecologist Indiranagar AMM
Lalitha
4 Bhaskar Gynaecologist WOC/Sadashivnagar AMM
5 Bingi's IVF Gynaecologist Jayanagar Self Initiated

Recommendation:
Flow for doctor referral:
- AMM approach doctors and explain the scheme with product offerings and gauge the
level of interest showed by doctor.
- Ask doctor to visit the centre to get a better understanding about the system from
experts. This would help building the trust.
- CH/ACH to follow up depending on the interest showed by doctor
- Create a unique ID for doctors willing to participate in the referral program and link
the referred client to the doctor in the system. This would help in building credibility.
- Offer gift hamper on first referral made

Incentive offering
- 10% commission on bill amount excluding taxes.
- Additional benefit like free services, products, etc after every 5 referral converts
- Increase in percentage commission on introducing a doctor to this program and
successful conversion of first referral. Incremental 1% commission on each successful
referred doctor. Upper limit to be 15%.