What I have Learned about the Canadian Private Health Landscape

www.cyberpresse.ca/article/20070322/CPACTUALITES/703220630/5358/CPPRESSE

Please note that the above link is in French.

We've been at it since January and the feedback and results are mixed.

I don't think physicians and private clinics (such as MRI and diagnostic Imaging, Dermatology etc.) are quite grasping the powerful tool that is www.findprivateclinics.ca. It's one giant one-stop referral depot. It's a place where they can be found instantly. The cost is ridiculously affordable relative to the services rendered.

Of course, we've recognized a couple of things. One, you can't rely on a good idea and enthusiasm alone. It takes persistent and savvy sales techniques - which we're pretty good at. Time is money and we've also come to terms with the fact that there's a whole lot of education needed to present to doctors as the majority simply do not understand Internet marketing.

So you fear what you don't know. Strike one.

The second strike against us is that the private clinic landscape in Canada is murky at best. Navigating through its rough waters has been both enlightening and frustrating. I have had the privilege of speaking to several physicians in Ontario who were kind enough to describe what is going on here. They themselves remain uncertain. Though one influential physician told me that he thinks the idea is brilliant and that we should stick with it. He fully comprehended its value. We all agree that private clinics are on the rise but we are operating in a vacuum at this moment.

Findprivateclinics is ahead of the curve when it comes to the changing reality of the medical landscape in this country. The buzz around it continues. Not too long ago we launched the French version of our site called www.santeprivee.ca. Soon after, we were approached by one of Quebec's most respected French-language newspapers. We've already been featured in the Montreal Gazette. There is a clear demand - and interest -for our services.

The citizens (clients) are not far behind as the traffic to the site continues to grow. Let me rephrase this. We merely reflect the demand set by the market. The Internet is just another way to monitor people's needs and wants. For their par, doctors and clinics - though not all - remain aloof to this. It's unfortunate - it's not smart business. Some, to cite one example, simply fail to act in good faith. For instance, potential clients have the option to send inquiries to a clinic. What we do is follow up to make sure the clinic received the inquiry - after all, it would be wrong to not service the patient. Yet, many of the people making the decisions at the management level of these clinics do not respond or care to read the inquiry. This is disheartening and unfortunate.

The government is not blind to all this. Obviously, for political reasons they are not prepared to admit that Canada is on a path towards a two-tiered health system. They are in a state of denial it seems. Until they come out and either legislate or clearly say that private system is here, the landscape will continue to develop under the radar screen. Of course, this makes things harder for entrepreneurs, citizens and physicians alike.

FPC is a work in progress. I'm confident we will avoid a third strike. We have a sharp eye. The count is 1 and 2. Patience will lead to us getting the right pitch.