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Find the Patients Who Fit Your Practice | CMT Community Marketing Planner
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CMT Community Marketing Planner

Find the patients who fit your practice.

Marketing to everyone reaches no one. Learn which of four patient segments fits your practice best, where they are in your community, and what to say to them. Then leave with a 90-day plan you can start this week, including the local physicians who can help you serve them.

Start the free assessment Take the 2-minute Archetype Test first

About 8 to 10 minutes. Free, no email required. Your answers stay in your browser and are not sent to CMT.

CMT patient compass Horizontal axis: how patients feel about their current doctor. Vertical axis: how important it is that insurance or Medicare keeps working. Level-Uppers 29 percent, happy and independent, paired with Optimizer. Coverage Keepers 27 percent, happy and covered, paired with Guardian. Fresh-Starters 27 percent, ready for something new and independent, paired with Disruptor. Careful Movers 16 percent, ready for something new but covered, paired with Pragmatist. Insurance or Medicare must keep working Insurance matters less Unhappy with current doctor Happy with current doctor 16% Pragmatist Careful Movers 27% Guardian Coverage Keepers 27% Disruptor Fresh-Starters 29% Optimizer Level-Uppers

Shares are of 561 CMT Patient Study respondents (2018 to 2024), not of the general population or your market.[3] Physician pairings are a CMT hypothesis.[4] Select a circle to open its playbook.

You are the hero of this story. CMT is your guide.

This planner follows Donald Miller’s StoryBrand structure: a hero who wants something, a problem in the way, a guide with a plan, a clear call to action, and a picture of what is at stake and what success looks like.[2]

What you want

A full, sustainable practice of patients who value the kind of care you give, and trusted colleagues around you.

What stands in the way

Externally, generic marketing that speaks to everyone and reaches no one in particular. Internally, the uncertainty of not knowing who is looking for you or what to say. Philosophically, good physicians should not have to become full-time marketers to be found by the patients they serve best.

Your guide

We understand that most physicians were trained to care for patients, not to market a practice. Our experience: CMT has covered concierge and membership medicine since 2007, and the CMT Patient Study draws on patient inquiries collected from 2013 to 2024.[3] CMT’s long-running patient survey found that 64% of respondents most wanted a doctor they know, like, and trust, compared with 11% who put cost first.[19]

1

Assess

Answer questions about your model, your leadership style, your local market, and your readiness.

2

Map

See which segments and physician archetypes to prioritize, where to find them, and when they are most likely to be looking.

3

Market

Print a 90-day plan that says who does what, then measure results by segment so your own data can confirm or correct the model.

Our promise to you. The tool is free and asks for no email. Your answers never leave your browser. Every statement is labeled as study data, CMT editorial judgment, or inference, and every outside fact links to its source. Nothing here is a sales pitch.

What is at stake

Time and money spent on messages that do not match the patients most likely to choose you, and referral relationships left to chance.

What success looks like

You can name your two priority segments, where they are in your town, the one-liner you will use, the five physicians you will meet this quarter, and how you will know it worked. Over time, you become known locally as a trusted guide for patient-centered care.

Start the free assessmentBrowse the playbooks

The assessment

Four short parts. Results update as you answer. Where you do not know an answer yet, choose “Unknown” or 0 and use the research notes to fill it in later.

Part 1. Your practice

DataQuestion 1 draws on how each segment rated insurance importance in the Patient Study.[3] EditorialQuestions 2 to 4 are CMT judgment.

1. How does your practice relate to insurance or Medicare?
2. Your physician archetype

Not sure? Take the free Patient Archetype Test (two minutes), then come back.

3. A year from now, what would you most like a new patient to say about you?
4. Where is your practice today?

Part 2. Your local market

InferenceThese signals are CMT’s reasoning about where each segment is more likely to show up. They are not measured by the Patient Study. Rate each for the area within roughly 20 to 30 minutes of your office.

0 = none or unknown · 1 = some · 2 = notable · 3 = strong

Part 3. Your readiness

EditorialOperational basics that decide whether marketing turns into relationships.

No · Partly · Yes

Part 4. Your capacity

How many new patients can you responsibly welcome in the next 12 months?
Who will own marketing week to week?

Nothing you enter here leaves your browser. Refreshing the page clears it. Privacy Policy

Four patient playbooks: who, why, where, when, how, and what to say

In each playbook the patient is the hero and your practice is the guide. Every message follows the StoryBrand pattern of what they want, the problem at three levels, a clear plan, and a direct and transitional call to action.[2]

DataScores and shares come from the CMT Patient Study (ratings out of 5).[3] InferenceLocations, timing, channels and messages are CMT’s editorial guidance built from those scores. Test them against your own intake data.

Three rules from CMT’s own field guides that apply to every segment. Lead with trust, not price: in CMT’s patient survey (2009 to 2025, online, not a scientific sample), 64% prioritized a doctor they know, like, and trust, 18% convenience, and 11% cost.[19] Speak plainly: if someone has to learn insider terms to join your practice, few will join, so describe what patients get instead of model labels.[19] And build community rather than competing on price, because without community a practice becomes a commodity.[19]

Level-Uppers

Happy with their current doctor (trust 4.23, like 4.19) and not tied to insurance (2.21). Not fleeing anything. Reaching for more time, access, and a plan before something breaks. The youngest-skewing of the four groups, mostly Baby Boomer and Gen X with a meaningful Millennial share.

29%
of study respondents
Paired: Optimizer
What they want
More time, faster access, and a long-term plan for their health.
The problem
  • External: short visits and slow access make real planning hard, even with a doctor they like.
  • Internal: they feel they are leaving their health to chance while planning everything else carefully.
  • Philosophical: a person who wants to invest in their health should have a clear way to do it.
One-liner
Many people like their doctor but still cannot get the time or planning they want. [Practice] offers [longer visits and direct access], so you can stay ahead of your health instead of reacting to it.Problem, solution, result. Edit the bracketed parts so every word is true of your practice.[16]
Why they move
Aspiration, not frustration. They want proactive planning, faster access, and a doctor who treats their health like a long-term project.
Where to find them
  • Business and professional communities: chamber of commerce, Rotary, peer CEO and owner groups, professional associations.
  • Performance settings: private gyms, running and cycling clubs, golf and tennis clubs, youth sports parents.
  • Trusted advisors they already use: financial planners, CPAs, estate attorneys, benefits brokers (education partnerships only; never pay or give anything of value for referrals, since state fee-splitting and anti-kickback laws can apply regardless of payer)[9].
  • Online: LinkedIn, local business podcasts and newsletters, and AI or web search for specific terms like “preventive physician near me.”
  • Research: Census ACS tables on income, education and occupation by ZIP code.[12]
When to reach them
  • January and early Q1 when goals and budgets reset.
  • Late Q3 and Q4 when employers and owners review benefits.
  • Milestone birthdays (40, 50, 60) and after a peer’s health scare. Research associates life status changes with changes in consumer preferences.[13]
How to reach them
Physician-authored articles and short videos, small-group breakfasts, a clear online page describing what membership includes and costs, and a same-day reply to every inquiry.
What to say
You like your doctor. You want more time, and a plan.Theme: aspiration and planning
Health strategy for people who plan everything else.Theme: proactive, long-horizon care
Who delivers it
The physician, directly. An Optimizer’s natural energy may fit best. Other archetypes can borrow the tone: specific, forward-looking, measurable.
Avoid
Criticizing their current doctor (they rate that doctor highly), outcome guarantees, and luxury language that signals exclusivity over care. Also avoid building everything around executives: in CMT’s earlier physician-search data (early 2010s), business owners and top executives made up about 4% of searches, while individuals (49%), couples (23%), and families (21%) made up most of the rest.[22]
Measure
Inquiries tagged Level-Upper, inquiry-to-consult rate, source of inquiry, and 12-month renewal.
Calls to action
  • Direct: “Book a consultation.”
  • Transitional: “Get the one-page Plan Your Health Year checklist.”
Stakes and success
  • What they risk: care that stays reactive, and planning that keeps getting postponed.
  • What success looks like: a doctor who knows them well and a plan they understand and own.

Four physician playbooks: finding the archetypes in your community

You will look for physicians for three reasons: coordination and referral partners who share your patients’ interests, colleagues who complement your own style, and future associates or successors. EditorialThe four archetypes are CMT’s proprietary adaptation of archetype thinking and have not been statistically validated.[4] The short descriptions below are summaries; the Patient Archetype Test page is the full definition. In each conversation, the other physician is the hero of their own story. Lead with what they want, not with what you need.[2]

Optimizer

Energized by improvement, systems, and measurable progress. Pairs with Level-Uppers.

What they want
Better systems and measurable results for their patients, with less wasted effort.
Where they are
  • Hospital quality, informatics, and performance improvement committees.
  • Preventive cardiology, sports and performance medicine, executive health, and specialty clinics with strong data habits.
  • Physician entrepreneur and innovation meetups, CME on prevention and longevity, and LinkedIn.
  • Research: search the CMS NPI Registry by specialty and ZIP to build your local list.[10]
Why connect
Co-teach community education for Level-Uppers, align on proactive care pathways, and share operational ideas.
When
Annual planning season and before quality improvement cycles start. Ask for 20 minutes, not a lunch.
How and what to say
I would like to compare how we each coordinate preventive care, and see where a shared handoff could save our patients time.Lead with a specific, measurable problem.
Watch for
Outcome claims in joint materials. Everything published together should be substantiated and reviewed.
Why physician relationships matter, but are not the whole plan. In a 2019 CMT online poll of concierge physicians, 42% said word of mouth and referrals drove 76% to 100% of new enrollments, while 16% said under 10%.[22] Relationships matter a great deal for many practices, but the spread is wide. Do not stake your whole practice on any single channel.
The compliance line for every physician relationship. The federal Anti-Kickback Statute makes it a crime to knowingly offer, pay, solicit, or receive anything of value to induce referrals of federal health care program business, and the Stark law limits referrals where a financial relationship exists.[9] Many states have their own anti-kickback, fee-splitting, and self-referral rules that apply regardless of payer, including to membership fees. Build relationships on shared patient care and education. Have counsel review any arrangement that involves money, space, services, or staff.

The marketing plan: Learn, Build, Lead

This is the full plan every practice can follow. It is a StoryBrand-style process plan: a few simple steps that make the next move obvious.[2] The assessment above produces a personalized version with your priority segments and readiness gaps filled in.

Days 1 to 30

Learn

  1. Take the Patient Archetype Test and this assessment. Record your top two segments.
  2. Add the two intake questions below to every phone and web inquiry.
  3. Tag your last 20 inquiries by segment, as best you can, to set a baseline.
  4. Pull Census ACS age (S0101) and mobility (S0701) data for your ZIP codes.[12]
  5. Build a list of 25 nearby physicians by specialty from the CMS NPI Registry and your hospital directory.[10] Note a likely archetype for each after you meet.
  6. Map community venues for your top segments: clubs, faith groups, employers, newcomer groups.
  7. Walk the 13 scenes of a patient visit, from the drive in to picking up a prescription, and note every point of friction.[20]
  8. Complete a marketing compliance review (see the checklist below).

Days 31 to 60

Build

  1. Write one web page per priority segment in that segment’s language, using the StoryBrand structure: patient as hero, practice as guide, a clear plan.[2]
  2. Publish a plain-language page on price, what is included, and how your model relates to insurance.
  3. Train staff on a 3-minute call script per segment, the phrase swaps below, and how to route coverage questions.[21]
  4. Create a one-page physician handoff sheet with your direct line and response standard.
  5. Update search and map listings so they are complete, consistent, and specific.
  6. Schedule two community events for the next 60 days.

Days 61 to 90

Lead

  1. Host your first community education event. Teach, do not pitch.
  2. Meet five local physicians, one per week, with a specific coordination idea for each.
  3. Publish two physician-authored pieces answering real questions your priority segments ask.
  4. Send handwritten notes for milestones, bereavement, and referrals from colleagues. Keep them personal, not promotional.[21]
  5. Review results by segment: inquiries, consults, enrollments, sources, and response time.
  6. Ask your marketing owner to report using Dan Martell’s 1-3-1 approach: one problem, three options, one recommendation.[17]
  7. Keep what worked, cut one thing that did not, and set the next 90 days.

Field-tested principles from CMT’s books

CMT guidanceDrawn from nearly two decades of CMT reporting, polling, and physician interviews. CMT’s polls are online and self-selected, not scientific samples, so treat the figures as directional.

Be seen everywhere in your own backyard

You do not have to be seen everywhere online. You need to be seen everywhere in your community and your niche.[19]

Lead with trust, not price

In CMT’s patient survey, 64% most wanted a doctor they know, like, and trust; 11% put cost first.[19] Competing on price alone risks turning your practice into a commodity.

Speak like you would at lunch

Model labels and insider terms create a barrier. Describe the time, access, and relationship patients get.[19]

Service and staff decide who stays

Rude or ill-tempered front-office interactions and over-promised access have ranked among the top reasons patients left a concierge practice in CMT’s 2010 to 2013 patient feedback.[22]

Know your numbers

In a CMT physician poll, 43.55% said they had no idea what it cost to acquire one new patient.[19] The measurement section below closes that gap.

Grow slow and steady

Physicians interviewed by CMT describe steady growth as what lets staff keep the experience personal as the panel grows.[19] Match outreach to your capacity.

Curiosity beats criticism

Respond to critics and the media with curiosity, keep the focus on the patient experience, and keep it classy.[19]

Progress, not perfection

Patients do not expect perfection, but they do expect progress. Small, thoughtful actions add up.[21]

Phrase swaps for your front desk

Words set the tone before the physician says anything. A few swaps from No More Waiting Rooms:[21]

Instead ofTry
“Do you have an appointment?”“Let’s get you on the calendar!”
“I don’t know.”“Great question. I will find the answer for you.”
“That’s not my job.”“Let me connect you with [name], who can help.”
“No, I can’t do that.”“While we’re unable to do that, here’s what we can do.”
“We will call you.”“May I look into this and follow up by [time]?”
“I’m sorry you feel that way.”“I understand how frustrating that must be.”

Buy back your marketing time

Dan Martell’s Buyback Principle says to hire to buy back your time, not simply to grow.[17] For a physician, that means doing only the marketing work no one else can do, and handing the rest to a team member with a written playbook. Run his Buyback Loop every quarter: audit your marketing tasks, transfer the ones that drain you, and fill the time with the relationships that matter most. EditorialThe task placements below are CMT’s adaptation of his DRIP Matrix, not his.

DRIP quadrantWhat it meansMarketing tasks that usually belong hereWho
ProduceHigh value, and gives you energySpeaking at community events, physician-authored articles and videos, meeting other physicians, the first call with a prospective patient if you enjoy itPhysician
InvestLower immediate value, but it grows youLearning your archetype, choosing priority segments, reviewing segment data each quarterPhysician
ReplaceValuable, but drains youWebsite pages, search listings, email newsletters, event logistics, compliance coordinationSkilled staff member or firm, with a written playbook
DelegateLow value, and drains youScheduling, printing, inquiry logging, sending reminders, updating the tracking sheetAdministrative team

A 12-month timing calendar

DataMedicare dates come from CMS.[11] InferenceOther timing reflects common business and life cycles; your local calendar may differ.

MonthWhat is happeningFocusAction
JanuaryGoals and plans resetLevel-Uppers Fresh-Starters“Plan your health year” article and small-group session
FebruaryQ1 prevention and planning seasonLevel-UppersCo-host a prevention talk with a local specialist
MarchQ1 review for businessesLevel-UppersChamber or owner-group lunch-and-learn
AprilSpring moves beginFresh-StartersNewcomer welcome guide; refresh search listings
MaySpring community and civic calendarsCoverage Keepers Careful MoversSenior center or faith community education visit
JunePeak moving seasonFresh-Starters“New in town” meet-the-doctor calls
JulyMid-year planningAll90-day review; physician outreach round two
AugustBack to school, family schedulesLevel-UppersCaregiver and family health planning content
SeptemberEmployer benefits review beginsLevel-Uppers Fresh-StartersEmployer and benefits-broker education sessions
OctoberMedicare annual enrollment opens Oct 15Coverage Keepers Careful Movers“How membership works with your coverage” town hall (no plan advice)
NovemberEnrollment continues to Dec 7Coverage Keepers Careful MoversPhone line for questions; printed explainer
DecemberYear-end reflectionAllThank referring physicians (non-monetary); plan next year
Every monthResidents turning 65Both covered segmentsQuarterly “Turning 65” education evening

New ideas worth testing

EditorialUntested concepts. Run each as a small experiment, measure it by segment, and keep only what works in your community.

The two-question intake

Ask every inquiry how they feel about their current doctor and whether insurance or Medicare needs to keep working. The answers place them on the same two axes as the Patient Study, so your own data can test the model.

For: every segment

Continuity letter kit

When a nearby doctor retires or converts, offer that doctor a respectful, patient-first letter template that lists several local options, including yours. The departing physician sends it from their own records. You never receive their patient list, nothing of value changes hands, and counsel reviews it against HIPAA and your state’s patient-notification rules.[7][9]

For: Careful Movers, Coverage Keepers

Health strategy breakfasts

Eight guests, one topic, one physician, no slides. Invite through business groups. The format itself shows the time and attention you offer. Keep it educational: general health information, not individual medical advice.

For: Level-Uppers

Turning 65 education evenings

A quarterly session on staying with a trusted doctor through the Medicare transition. Invite your local State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP), which offers free, unbiased Medicare counseling, to answer plan questions so you do not have to.[18]

For: Coverage Keepers, Careful Movers

Meet-the-doctor in 15

A free, bookable 15-minute call with no obligation. Track which segment books, and what they ask.

For: Fresh-Starters

Search and AI clarity audit

Ask several AI assistants and search engines who the best doctor is for each segment’s situation in your town. If you do not appear, write the specific page that answers the question.

For: Fresh-Starters, Level-Uppers

Physician round-robin

Four breakfasts a year with one local physician of each archetype. Ask each what their patients struggle with. You learn the community faster than any survey.

For: physician relationships

Walk the 13 scenes

Have someone new to your office experience a visit end to end: the drive, parking, front door, lobby, intake, exam room, the handoff from doctor to staff, billing, and the drive home. Fix the three roughest scenes first.[20]

For: every segment

Gratitude on repeat

Keep a short list of moments that deserve a handwritten note: a milestone, a loss, a graduation, a kind word, a colleague’s referral. Personal, never promotional.[21]

For: Coverage Keepers, physician relationships

Caregiver concierge hour

A monthly open phone hour for adult children coordinating a parent’s care. Answer general questions about your model and share community resources. Do not discuss a specific patient’s care without that patient’s written authorization.[7]

For: Coverage Keepers, Careful Movers

Measure it, and let your data correct the model

The segments come from a national, self-selected CMT audience. Your community may look different. Tag every inquiry so you can find out.

Ask these two questions at intake

  1. “On a scale of 1 to 5, how much do you trust and feel connected to your current doctor?”
  2. “On a scale of 1 to 5, how important is it that your insurance or Medicare keeps working with your doctor?”
Careful MoverConnection 1 to 3, insurance 4 to 5
Coverage KeeperConnection 4 to 5, insurance 4 to 5
Fresh-StarterConnection 1 to 3, insurance 1 to 3
Level-UpperConnection 4 to 5, insurance 1 to 3

EditorialThe cut points are a simplification of the study’s axes, not the study’s own method. For a data-weighted estimate, see the Patient Match Score.[5]

MeasureWhy it matters
Inquiries by segmentShows who is actually finding you
Source by segmentShows where each segment really is
Consult rateTests whether your message fits
Enrollment rateTests whether your model fits
Response timeOften the first proof of access
12-month renewalTests whether the relationship lasted
Physician contactsRelationships started, by archetype
Cost per enrollmentKeeps the plan sustainable; many physicians do not track it[19]
Known-for matchCompare what you want to be known for with what patients actually say about you[19]

Methodology, compliance, disclaimers, and sources

What is data, what is judgment, and what the law expects. Open any section.

Methodology: how the scores are calculated

DataWhere the segments come from

The CMT Patient Study is a four-segment model built from patients who searched for a concierge doctor through CMT between 2013 and 2024. The segments sit on two axes: how a patient feels about their current doctor, and whether they want insurance or Medicare to keep working. Segment shares (29%, 27%, 27%, 16%) are shares of the 561 respondents who answered all four rating questions, added in 2018. Respondents were a self-selected CMT audience, not a sample of the general population, and CMT states that the Patient Study has not been reviewed by outside researchers.[3]

EditorialPractice fit (0 to 100 per segment)

  • Insurance relationship, up to 25 points. Membership only: Level-Uppers and Fresh-Starters 25, the covered segments 5. Hybrid: Coverage Keepers and Careful Movers 25, the independent segments 10. Still deciding: 15 each. This follows the study data: Level-Uppers and Fresh-Starters rated insurance importance low (2.21 and 2.34), Coverage Keepers and Careful Movers high (4.67 and 4.64).
  • Archetype, up to 25 points. The paired segment gets 25 (Optimizer and Level-Uppers, Guardian and Coverage Keepers, Disruptor and Fresh-Starters, Pragmatist and Careful Movers). Not taken yet: 10 each.
  • Desired patient statement, 30 points to the matching segment.
  • Practice stage, up to 20 points. Converting an insured panel: Coverage Keepers 20, Careful Movers 10. Opening new: Fresh-Starters 20, Level-Uppers 10. Growing: Level-Uppers 15, Fresh-Starters 10, the covered segments 5.

InferenceLocal presence (0 to 100 per segment)

Each market signal (0 to 3) is weighted toward the segments CMT reasons it most likely indicates, then scaled so every segment has the same maximum:

  • Level-Uppers: business and professional concentration x3, employer interest in direct contracting or HSAs x2, population growth x1.
  • Coverage Keepers: share of residents 65 and older x3, nearby senior and faith communities x2, local physician departures x1.
  • Fresh-Starters: population growth x2, long new-patient waits x2, local physician departures x1, system consolidation x1.
  • Careful Movers: local physician departures x2, system consolidation x2, share of residents 65 and older x1, nearby senior and faith communities x1.

Opportunity is the simple average of fit and presence. Readiness is the share of possible points across ten operational items (Yes 2, Partly 1, No 0). All weights are CMT editorial judgment. They were not fitted to outcome data and have not been statistically validated.

CMT guidanceHow CMT’s books are used

Practical guidance on this page also draws on four CMT books: Marketing Your Brand of Membership Medicine (2025), Remark-ology (2025), No More Waiting Rooms (2024), and The Doctor’s Expanded Guide to Concierge Medicine (2022 edition).[19][20][21][22] Figures quoted from them come from CMT online polls and from requests to CMT’s physician-search service. The books themselves describe these polls as not scientific and not free of error. Respondents chose to participate, collection periods vary (some date to the early 2010s), and results have not been independently reviewed. Each figure is shown with its period so you can judge how current it is. Where the books cite outside research, this page cites that research directly and only after verifying it.

Readiness items added from CMT’s books

Two readiness items, front-desk phrase training and a recent walk-through of the patient visit, come from No More Waiting Rooms and Remark-ology. Readiness is now scored across ten items (Yes 2, Partly 1, No 0, out of 20).

What the numbers mean, and do not mean

An opportunity score of 70 does not mean 70% of your patients will come from that segment or that you will enroll any particular number of patients. It is a way to decide where to start. Your own intake tags are the real test.

Frameworks behind the approach

Segmentation rests on the idea that markets are made of groups with different needs, first set out for marketers by Wendell Smith in 1956.[1] That is a reason to know who you are designed for, not evidence that any segment is better to serve. The story structure follows Donald Miller’s StoryBrand framework, which casts the customer as the hero and the brand as the guide.[2] Timing guidance draws on consumer research associating life status changes with changes in preferences.[13] Each segment’s one-liner follows the problem, solution, result format from Miller and Peterson.[16] The time plan adapts Dan Martell’s Buyback Principle, Buyback Loop, DRIP Matrix, and 1-3-1 reporting habit.[17] These are marketing and management frameworks drawn from practitioner books, not peer-reviewed research, and CMT’s application of them to medical practices is editorial.

Compliance checklist for practice marketing

This is a general orientation, not legal advice. Laws change and vary by state. Review your plan with qualified healthcare counsel.

  • HIPAA marketing. With limited exceptions, HIPAA requires a patient’s written authorization before protected health information is used or disclosed for marketing. Face-to-face communications and promotional gifts of nominal value are exceptions.[7] Do not upload patient lists to advertising platforms without counsel’s review.
  • Website tracking. In June 2024 a federal court vacated part of HHS’s guidance on online tracking technologies for unauthenticated pages, and HHS withdrew its appeal in August 2024; the rest of the guidance remains.[8] Treat pixels and analytics on patient portals, forms, and scheduling pages with care, and confirm business associate agreements where needed. State privacy laws may add requirements.
  • Referral relationships. Never offer or accept anything of value in exchange for referrals. The Anti-Kickback Statute and Stark law carry criminal, civil, and exclusion penalties.[9] This includes gifts, free services, and marketing support for referral sources.
  • Testimonials and reviews. The FTC’s Endorsement Guides, revised in 2023, expect endorsements to be truthful and material connections to be disclosed.[14] Do not offer incentives for positive reviews, and never confirm someone is a patient when responding to a review.
  • Email and text. Commercial email must follow CAN-SPAM, including a working opt-out.[15] Marketing texts and automated calls carry separate consent requirements under the TCPA; get counsel’s sign-off before any texting campaign.
  • Medicare and insurance statements. Describe your own membership terms accurately. Do not give Medicare plan advice. Hybrid, opt-out, and non-participating arrangements have specific CMS and state rules; confirm your model with counsel before describing it publicly.
  • State law. Many states have their own anti-kickback, fee-splitting, patient-solicitation, and medical advertising rules that apply regardless of payer, including to cash-pay and membership practices. Check your state medical board and counsel.
  • Patients of other physicians. Do not obtain or use another practice’s patient list. Let departing physicians notify their own patients.[7]
  • Competitors. Do not discuss or coordinate membership fees with other practices. Keep collaboration educational.
  • Claims. Avoid outcome guarantees and superlatives you cannot substantiate. Follow your state medical board’s advertising rules.
Disclaimers

Educational use only. This planner is an educational self-assessment for communication and marketing planning. It is not medical, legal, financial, accounting, tax, or regulatory advice, and using it does not create any professional, advisory, or attorney-client relationship with Concierge Medicine Today, LLC. Consult qualified professionals licensed in your state before acting.

No guarantee of results. Scores are planning estimates based partly on CMT editorial judgment. They are not predictions of patient volume, revenue, or outcomes. Results depend on your market, model, execution, and many factors this tool does not measure.

Provided as is. The planner and its content are provided as is, without warranties of any kind, express or implied, including accuracy, completeness, or fitness for a particular purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law, Concierge Medicine Today, LLC is not liable for any decision made or action taken in reliance on it. Laws and guidance cited may change after publication; verify current requirements. Use of this page is also subject to CMT’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

Your responsibility for your marketing. Sample messages and one-liners are templates. You are responsible for making every published statement true of your practice, substantiated, and compliant with federal, state, and medical board rules.

About the research. The CMT Patient Study reflects a self-selected CMT audience and has not been reviewed by outside researchers. The physician archetypes and their pairings with patient segments are a CMT hypothesis that the Patient Study does not test and that has not been statistically validated.

Third-party names and frameworks. Organizations, platforms, and venue types are mentioned for illustration only and are not endorsements. StoryBrand, Building a StoryBrand, Marketing Made Simple, and Buy Back Your Time are the works and marks of their respective owners. The four CMT books cited are publications of Concierge Medicine Today, LLC. Concierge Medicine Today is not affiliated with, sponsored by, or endorsed by Donald Miller, StoryBrand, Dan Martell, or their companies. Their frameworks are referenced with attribution for commentary and education.

Privacy. Your answers are processed in your browser and are not sent to or stored by CMT. The page loads fonts from Google Fonts, which receives standard web request data such as your IP address, but not your answers. See CMT’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

Sources
  1. Smith, W. R. (1956). Product differentiation and market segmentation as alternative marketing strategies. Journal of Marketing, 21(1), 3 to 8. doi.org/10.1177/002224295602100102
  2. Miller, D. (2017). Building a StoryBrand: Clarify Your Message So Customers Will Listen. HarperCollins Leadership.
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  22. Concierge Medicine Today, LLC. (2019 to 2022). The Doctor’s Expanded Guide to Concierge Medicine (hardcover edition, 2022). Concierge Medicine Today, LLC. (CMT publication; includes CMT polls and physician-search data from 2010 to 2019.)
  23. Taber, J. M., Leyva, B., and Persoskie, A. (2015). Why do people avoid medical care? A qualitative study using national data. Journal of General Internal Medicine, 30(3), 290 to 297. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4351276

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