Guides
January 14, 2026
How to Get More Patients for Your Medical Practice in 2026
Table of Contents
Medical practices face a unique marketing challenge. You can't offer discounts like retail stores. You shouldn't make extravagant promises. Privacy regulations limit what you can say about results. Yet you still need a steady stream of new patients to sustain and grow your practice.
The good news: patients are actively searching for healthcare providers. Over 77% of patients use search engines before booking medical appointments. They research reviews, compare options, and choose providers based on trust signals that extend far beyond clinical credentials.
This guide covers patient acquisition strategies for medical practices in 2026 - from optimizing your online presence to building referral networks to television advertising.
Understanding patient acquisition in 2026
Patient behavior has shifted dramatically. Understanding how patients find and choose providers is essential for effective marketing.
How patients choose doctors today
Research reveals a multi-step decision process:
Discovery phase (how they find you):
Google search for "[specialty] near me" - 48%
Insurance provider directories - 22%
Personal referrals - 18%
Hospital/health system websites - 8%
Other (social media, advertising) - 4%
Evaluation phase (how they decide):
Online reviews - 84% read reviews before choosing
Practice website - 73% visit before booking
Insurance acceptance - mandatory filter for most
Convenience factors (location, hours, telehealth)
Personal recommendation validation
Conversion phase (how they book):
Online booking - 40% prefer digital scheduling
Phone calls - 55% still call to book
Patient portal - 5% use existing portal systems
Your marketing must address each phase to maximize patient acquisition.
The trust imperative
Healthcare decisions involve significant trust. Patients are choosing someone to care for their health - or their family's health. Trust-building must permeate every marketing touchpoint:
Credentials and affiliations prominently displayed
Consistent, professional brand presence
Social proof through reviews and testimonials
Community presence and recognition
Transparent communication about services
Compliance considerations
Medical marketing operates under regulatory constraints:
HIPAA limits patient information sharing
AMA guidelines govern physician advertising
State medical boards have specific rules
Specialty-specific restrictions may apply
Insurance/Medicare/Medicaid limitations
All marketing strategies must operate within these frameworks. When in doubt, consult compliance officers or healthcare marketing attorneys.
Building your online presence
Your online presence forms the foundation for all patient acquisition efforts.
Google Business Profile optimization
For most medical practices, Google Business Profile is the single most important online asset. When patients search for providers, Google's local pack appears prominently.
Complete optimization checklist:
Basic information:
Accurate practice name (matching signage)
Correct address and phone number
Precise service area definition
Complete business hours (including lunch closures)
Holiday hours updated
Enhanced elements:
High-quality photos (office, staff, equipment)
All relevant categories selected
Services/procedures listed
Appointment booking link
Insurance acceptance information
Telehealth availability noted
Ongoing maintenance:
Regular posts (weekly minimum)
Q&A section monitored and answered
Reviews responded to promptly
Photos updated seasonally
Practices with fully optimized profiles receive 7x more clicks than incomplete profiles.
Practice website essentials
Your website converts interested searchers into scheduled patients.
Must-have elements:
Trust builders:
Provider credentials and bios
Board certifications prominently displayed
Professional photos of providers and staff
Office photos showing modern, clean environment
Patient testimonials (HIPAA-compliant)
Practical information:
Services and conditions treated
Insurance accepted
Location with embedded map
Office hours
Parking/accessibility information
New patient information
Conversion optimization:
Click-to-call phone number
Online appointment booking
Patient portal access
Contact forms
Mobile-responsive design (60%+ visitors are on phones)
![online-presence.png: Medical Practice Online Presence Checklist showing Google Business Profile, website essentials, and reputation management components]
Local SEO fundamentals
Ranking in local search requires systematic effort:
On-page optimization:
Location + specialty keywords in titles and headers
Condition and procedure pages with educational content
Blog posts addressing patient questions
Schema markup for medical practices
Mobile optimization
Off-page factors:
Consistent NAP across all directories
Healthcare directory listings (Healthgrades, Zocdoc, WebMD)
Quality backlinks from local sources
Social profile consistency
Content strategy:
Educational content answering patient questions
Condition/treatment explanations
Provider expertise showcases
Community health resources
Reputation management
Online reviews now influence healthcare decisions almost as much as personal referrals. Systematic reputation management is essential.
Generating positive reviews
Systematic approach:
Ask patients after positive encounters
Send post-visit email/text requesting reviews
Make the process easy with direct links
Time requests appropriately (same day or next day)
Best practices:
Never incentivize reviews
Don't ask only happy patients (appears inauthentic)
Request reviews across platforms (Google, Healthgrades, Facebook)
Train staff to identify satisfied patients
Volume targets:
50+ reviews minimum for credibility
5+ new reviews monthly to maintain freshness
4.5+ star average as competitive threshold
Responding to reviews
Every review deserves a response:
Positive review response template: Thank you for sharing your experience. We're glad we could provide the care you needed. Our team appreciates you taking time to share feedback.
Negative review response approach:
Respond promptly (within 24-48 hours)
Acknowledge the concern without admitting fault
Move conversation offline ("Please contact our office...")
Never discuss specific medical information
Use as opportunity to demonstrate professionalism
Monitoring reputation
Track reviews across platforms:
Google Business Profile
Healthgrades
Vitals
RateMDs
Zocdoc
Facebook
Yelp
Use monitoring tools or set Google Alerts for practice name variations.
Referral network development
Physician referrals remain important, especially for specialists. Building systematic referral networks accelerates patient acquisition.
For specialists
Build relationships with:
Primary care physicians in your area
Complementary specialists (ortho and PT, cardio and vascular, etc.)
Hospital discharge planners
Urgent care centers
Employer health programs
Relationship-building tactics:
In-person visits to referring offices
Educational lunch-and-learns
Timely, detailed consultation reports
Easy referral processes
Availability for urgent consultations
Consistent communication on shared patients
For primary care
Build relationships with:
Specialists who refer patients back
Employers and HR departments
Schools and universities
Community organizations
Insurance brokers
Community integration:
Health fair participation
Free screening events
Educational seminars
Local organization memberships
School sports physicals
Referral tracking
Implement systems to:
Track referral sources for new patients
Measure referral volume by source
Identify declining referral relationships
Focus outreach on high-potential sources
Patient retention strategies
Acquiring new patients costs 5-7x more than retaining existing ones. Strong retention improves lifetime value and generates referrals.
Appointment optimization
Reduce no-shows:
Multiple reminder touchpoints (email, text, phone)
Online rescheduling options
Waitlist systems for last-minute openings
Cancellation policies communicated clearly
Improve convenience:
Online scheduling
Extended hours when feasible
Telehealth options
Multiple location options if applicable
Communication excellence
During visits:
Minimize wait times
Provider communication skills
Clear treatment explanations
Follow-up instructions
Between visits:
Appointment reminders
Health maintenance alerts
Seasonal health information
Practice updates and news
Patient experience
Office environment:
Clean, modern appearance
Comfortable waiting area
Efficient check-in process
Professional, friendly staff
Administrative experience:
Transparent billing practices
Insurance assistance
Easy prescription refills
Medical records access
TV advertising for medical practices
Television advertising builds awareness and trust for medical practices in ways digital channels cannot replicate.
Why TV works for healthcare
Trust building: Television conveys legitimacy. When patients see a practice advertising on the same platforms as major brands, it signals stability and credibility.
Reaching decision-makers: Healthcare decisions often involve family input. TV reaches household members together, facilitating discussion and consensus.
Emotional connection: Video storytelling creates emotional resonance. Patient testimonial ads showing improved quality of life connect powerfully with viewers facing similar challenges.
Community presence: Local TV advertising establishes community presence. Patients prefer providers who feel like part of their community.
Streaming TV advertising for practices
Connected TV advertising lets medical practices reach local audiences on platforms like Hulu, Peacock, and Tubi for budgets starting at $50.
Targeting capabilities:
Geographic targeting to your service area
Age-appropriate targeting for specialties
Interest-based targeting (health, fitness, wellness)
Household income targeting (for elective services)
Budget guidance:
Start with $500-1,000 monthly
Focus on your primary service area
Run during evening hours (when patients are home)
Test different creative approaches
Creative considerations:
Lead with patient outcomes, not credentials
Use real patients when possible (with consent)
Show your actual office and team
Keep messaging simple and clear
Include clear call to action
Medical practice TV ad approaches
Patient testimonial style: Real patient (with consent) shares their experience: diagnosis concern, finding your practice, treatment experience, positive outcome. Most powerful format when executed well.
Provider introduction style: Provider speaks directly to camera, introducing themselves and their approach. Builds personal connection with potential patients.
Service explanation style: Educational approach explaining a common condition and available treatments. Positions practice as expert resource.
Community trust style: Emphasis on years serving the community, local involvement, family-oriented approach. Builds trust through familiarity.
Compliance in TV advertising
General guidelines:
Avoid specific outcome guarantees
Don't disparage competitors
Ensure credentials stated are accurate
Include appropriate disclaimers
Use real patient testimonials only with proper consent
Testimonial requirements:
Written consent/release
Testimonials must be truthful
Cannot imply atypical results without disclosure
HIPAA considerations for any health information
Specialty-specific rules:
Some states have stricter requirements
Certain specialties (cosmetic surgery, addiction treatment) face additional scrutiny
Review state medical board guidelines
![marketing-channels.png: Medical Practice Marketing Channels Comparison showing digital, referral, and TV advertising approaches with relative effectiveness and cost]
Digital advertising strategies
Complement TV advertising with digital channels for full coverage.
Google Ads for medical practices
Search campaigns:
Target condition + treatment searches
Location + specialty searches
Near-me queries
Competitor/alternative searches
Restrictions:
Healthcare-specific policies limit targeting
Some conditions cannot be targeted directly
Remarketing has limitations
Certification may be required for certain services
Budget guidance:
$1,000-3,000 monthly minimum for competitive markets
Focus on highest-value services
Emphasize conversion tracking
Social media advertising
Facebook/Instagram:
Broader awareness campaigns
Community engagement
Patient education content
Practice updates and news
LinkedIn:
B2B healthcare marketing
Employer health programs
Professional networking
Content marketing
Educational content types:
Condition explainers
Treatment guides
Preventive health tips
FAQ pages
Distribution:
Practice blog
Social media sharing
Email newsletters
Video content
Measuring patient acquisition
Track metrics to understand what's working and optimize investment.
Essential metrics
New patient volume:
Total new patients monthly
New patients by source
New patient trend over time
Cost per patient acquisition: Marketing spend ÷ new patients = cost per acquired patient
Patient source tracking: Ask every new patient: "How did you hear about us?" Options: Online search, Referral, Insurance directory, TV advertisement, Social media, Other
Channel-specific metrics:
Website: Traffic, conversions, bounce rate
Google Ads: Click-through rate, conversion rate, cost per conversion
TV: Website traffic lift, branded search increase, attributed new patients
Attribution challenges
Patient acquisition often involves multiple touchpoints. A patient might see your TV ad, search online, read reviews, and then book. Perfect attribution is difficult.
Practical approach:
Ask patients directly (first source mentioned)
Track trends during campaign periods
Use dedicated phone numbers when possible
Monitor branded search volume
ROI calculation
Example calculation:
Monthly marketing spend: $3,000
New patients attributed: 15
Cost per patient: $200
Average patient lifetime value: $2,500
ROI: 1,150%
Healthcare typically shows strong marketing ROI due to high patient lifetime values.
Practice-specific strategies
Different practice types benefit from tailored approaches.
Primary care
Focus areas:
Convenient access (location, hours, telehealth)
Insurance network prominence
Family-friendly messaging
Preventive care emphasis
Key channels:
Local SEO
Community involvement
School partnerships
Employer programs
Specialty practices
Focus areas:
Expertise and credentials
Referral network development
Condition-specific content
Outcome showcases
Key channels:
Physician marketing
Condition-specific SEO
Targeted advertising
Hospital relationships
Elective/cosmetic
Focus areas:
Before/after showcases (with consent)
Financing options
Experience and expertise
Trust building
Key channels:
Social media (Instagram especially)
Video marketing
Targeted digital advertising
Influencer partnerships
Common questions
What's the most effective way to get new patients?
There's no single answer - effective patient acquisition requires multiple channels. Google Business Profile optimization and review management provide foundation. Adding targeted advertising (digital and TV) accelerates growth. Referral network development delivers high-quality patients. Most successful practices use all three approaches.
How much should medical practices spend on marketing?
Industry guidance suggests 2-5% of revenue for established practices, 7-10% for practices in growth mode. A practice generating $1 million annually might invest $20,000-50,000 in marketing. Within that budget, allocate across digital presence, reputation management, advertising, and community engagement.
Is TV advertising appropriate for medical practices?
Yes. TV advertising builds trust and awareness effectively for healthcare. Streaming TV allows practices to reach local audiences affordably - starting at $50 with platforms like Adwave. The key is compliant, professional creative that emphasizes patient care rather than making unrealistic claims.
How long does it take to see results from marketing?
Online presence optimization shows results in 2-4 months. Paid advertising generates inquiries within days to weeks. TV advertising brand-building effects emerge over 4-8 weeks. Reputation building is ongoing but shows meaningful impact after 3-6 months of systematic effort.
How can small practices compete with large healthcare systems?
Small practices have advantages: personalized care, shorter wait times, continuity with specific providers, community focus. Emphasize these differentiators. Compete on patient experience rather than trying to match large systems' marketing budgets. Target your specific service area precisely rather than spreading thin.
Building your patient acquisition system
Sustainable patient acquisition requires systems, not sporadic campaigns. Build your approach in phases:
Foundation (Months 1-2):
Optimize Google Business Profile completely
Implement review generation system
Ensure website converts visitors
Set up tracking for new patient sources
Growth (Months 3-6):
Launch targeted advertising (digital and/or TV)
Develop referral network systematically
Create ongoing content calendar
Test and optimize campaigns
Optimization (Ongoing):
Track all metrics consistently
Shift budget to best-performing channels
Continuously improve patient experience
Expand reach as ROI proves out
The practices that grow consistently don't rely on any single channel. They build patient acquisition systems that generate steady new patient flow regardless of algorithm changes or competitive shifts.
Ready to build your practice's visibility? Adwave helps medical practices reach patients in their community through streaming TV advertising, starting at just $50. Build the recognition that turns searches into scheduled appointments.