I (Jeanette Mini, Vice President of Business Development at Fusion Anesthesia Solutions) recently read an article published in the ASA Monitor that really got me thinking. In its simplest form, a brand is defined as an intangible marketing or business concept that helps identify a company, product or individual. Throughout my career I have encountered many anesthesia groups and it has always struck me as odd that so few of them have a “brand”.

Outside of the pre-operative evaluation, there are very few opportunities for anesthesia providers to establish who they are and what they do which is even more reason to develop a brand. It is essential to take advantage of the few face-to-face patient interactions that an anesthesia provider has in an effort to raise your brand awareness.

If you refer back to the Fusion Anesthesia Solutions eBook: Practice Independence: How to Remain Independent During Market Uncertainty, we explore the importance of establishing the group’s goals as well as the group’s Mission Statement. This should be the foundation of your brand. Once your group has established a Mission Statement you can follow these simple steps to develop your brand:

1) Create a custom logo. This will become a visual representation of your brand and should be a simple focused design.

2) Create a website. This could be a very simple one-page design but should clearly contain:
o The group name and your logo
o Mission Statement or Call to Action
o Contact information
o Physician Directory
o Anesthesia FAQ, i.e. what to expect, medical direction information and so on

3) Ensure your hospital or facility is prominently and proudly displaying the name of your group, listing your providers and linking your group’s website. If patients have a question or want to do some research prior to having surgery the hospitals’ website is the first place they will go to gather information.

There are many free online services available with step-by-step instructions to assist you in creating both a logo and a website or you could outsource to a company that will handle all of that for you. Whether you have 5 providers in your group or 50, establishing your brand is essential. Your brand will separate you from your competition (and you do have competition); provide an avenue for new potential opportunities for your group; give patients the opportunity to do some advanced research to put them at ease prior to surgery and more.

Interested in hearing more about Fusion Anesthesia Solutions and our services? Contact sales@fusionanesthesia.com.