MedForward

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I have the pleasure of serving as the Director of Marketing & Community Outreach at Dr. J. J. Wendel Plastic Surgery. Dr. Wendel and his providers have over 60 years of combined experience in cosmetic and reconstructive surgery, medical aesthetics, laser treatments and dermatology. This award-winning plastic surgery practice in Nashville has been growing exponentially over the past year, thanks to our incredible staff, amazing results, happy patients, and strategic marketing initiatives.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with MedForward?

When I came on board in the spring of 2016, Dr. Wendel desperately needed a new website. The website he had was very outdated. He was getting plenty of leads from it, but the branding needed to be revamped and the website needed an overhaul. My priority was overseeing the creation of the new website.

He had a list of features that he wanted to see on the new site, but the original company that he contracted with was not able to deliver them. After trying for several months to make it work, we scrapped that contract and found another local agency to redo the website. We had some challenges with them and it still wasn’t what we were hoping it would be, but we saw the website to completion. The new branding looked much better, but the features were still lacking, primarily with the photo gallery.

Before and after pictures are critical for a plastic surgeon’s business for potential patients to see the kind of work that they provide. We were having a lot of trouble getting our website gallery to perform the way we needed it to.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They developed our WordPress site. The photo gallery and the page speed were the highest priorities. They continue to do maintenance on the site.

What is the team composition?

Their founder, Michael, was my main point of contact. I couldn’t believe it because I’d never worked with an agency where the CEO was my main point of contact. There were fewer than 10 people on the team.

How did you come to work with MedForward?

Dr. Wendel and I were at a local conference for professionals in the industry where Michael gave a lecture on the benefits of using WordPress. That was what Dr. Wendel had originally wanted. He appreciated everything that Michael had to say. We talked to him about redoing our website. This was a month after we had launched the new site.

We met with Michael and he couldn’t have been more accommodating. He was so kind and patient. He met with me several times before we signed the contract to make sure that he understood everything that we wanted to see on this new version of the site. He showed me examples of other websites that they had made for other plastic surgeons and we loved what we saw. We were happy and confident going into our contract with them.

How much have you invested with them?

The initial investment was less than $10,000, but it climbed up with additional requests.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in June 2017 and the website launched in February 2018.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

They built it exactly how we wanted it. The gallery is so much better and easier to use than it was. The page speed improved by 259%. We were in the 18th percentile for load time and when the new site launched; we are now in the 84th percentile. Our mobile optimization score is 259% what it was before. We have a 30% increase in leads. In 2017, our revenue increased by 96%. In 2018, we’ve had 173% increase in revenue. The website is serving its purpose and we’re really happy with it.

When we were getting ready to publish the new site, I realized that we had miscommunicated. There were many before and after pictures that were missed somehow, and they needed to be uploaded for when we launched. I pointed that out to Michael and his team knocked it out in less than a day.

How did MedForward perform from a project management standpoint?

Michael was extremely attentive. He always answered my questions as promptly as he could. If he was out of the office, he’d let me know. He was always willing to meet with me in-person or to take a phone call. I appreciated that. He’s very efficient.

Once they really got into building out the site, I started seeing Nick’s (Web Developer, MedForward) name copied on emails. Nick then became more of the day-to-day problem solver. He’s very fast to respond.

For example, our phones were down a couple of weeks ago. I sent out an email and posted it on social media. I emailed them to post something on the website and they did. Within 15 minutes, the phones were back, and they took it down. They were on top of it.

Michael is an excellent project manager. He wants to deliver exactly what every client asks for. I respect and admire that. We communicated mostly through email. If it was something complicated, we scheduled a call.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their response time was excellent. They totally exceeded my expectations. I’ve never worked with an agency who was so happy and so quick to solve problems. It sets them apart. They have competitive pricing.

It’s a customized solution. It helps that Michael has really stuck with this niche. He can use some of the features that he’s built for other clients and incorporate them. It’s not a cookie cutter website either. He’s very resourceful.

Are there any areas they could improve?

The only thing that comes to mind is graphic design. Some of the artistic choices could be more modern. Then again, it’s up to the client, and they’ll work as hard as they can to deliver what the client wants.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

The more specific examples you can give them, the better. Do your research and find features and websites that you like. Be prepared to give them a list and stick to it. We got exactly what we asked for.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am a co-founder and practicing doctor of a small-to-mid-size specialty medical practice. I have a keen interest in applying technology to make medical practices more efficient.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire MedForward?

We were looking to create online intake form.

What were your goals for this project?

We needed the form to comply with HIPPA medical regulations; have a boolean structure for digital pre-appointment; be able insurance verification; record medical history. We also wanted it to be easy to use, incorporate editable questionnaires, have low on-going cost, and be mobile-friendly.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor?

I interviewed several companies and there were plenty of competitors. However, none of them offered HIPPA compliance features (or even knew what that meant) in 2010. MedForward knew what we were asking for and offered fantastic affordability and customer service—uncomparable to their competitors.

Describe the scope of their work in detail.

MedForward is developing multiple forms for patient questionnaire intake that comply with HIPPA medical regulations. They are currently working on on-going edits and additional questions.

What was the team composition?

I work closely with their billing department, coders, and even their president. 

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

The system they developed so far makes It easy to track changes. Our patient intake process is more efficient and thus, increases the productivity of our company by 40%. The boolean questions allow for specific recommendations for certain patient groups which have translated into more productive visits for patients.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

They are very easily accessible via email or phone. Their team takes all suggestions and enhancement requests seriously and are always looking to improve our product.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

We are impressed by the stable retention of their staff, high-level/responsive service,  and staunch privacy regulation.