Women may outnumber men when it comes to diagnosis of mental and physical conditions, but they are also more likely to seek treatment or take preventative measures than their male counterparts. For several reasons, men will wait until the last possible minute (or avoid altogether) before going to a doctor or specialists to discuss their concerns or get treatment. Though many of these factors are beyond the control of medical professionals, many experts have found that with strategic marketing and attention to detail, there are several ways to encourage more men to visit your practice.
Create a “Male-Friendly” Waiting Area
When trying to get more male patients, it is essential for medical experts to create a safe space for them to visit. From the moment they walk through your doors they should feel comfortable. In realizing this, some medical facilities have gone to great lengths to update the design of their waiting areas. By creating a more inclusive waiting area (or making a separate area for men), male patients feel a stronger sense of belonging. This might include changing wall colours to greys, tans, and blues, incorporating masculine furniture like plush leather seating, or adding things like men’s magazines (i.e. sports, cars, finance, health), and putting sports on the flatscreen television.
Use Male Images on Social Media
Sometimes men don’t visit the doctor or other specialists simply because they feel it’s not “manly” to do so. For example, a man might be interested in getting male rhinoplasty to improve their self-esteem. Yet, they won’t visit a plastic surgeon to go over their options simply because they feel as if this is something only women get done.
Though more women report getting plastic and cosmetic surgeries to enhance their looks and improve their self-esteem, there are plenty of men that do the same. You can debunk the myth of such services being “too feminine” by providing examples for your male audience. When posting images to social media, try to find photos and videos of men getting various procedures done in your office. This allows your target audience to identify with other patients and feel less insecure about coming in for service.
Advertise on Popular Male Platforms
When thinking of places to put your advertisements or post relevant articles about your practice, the services you provide, or the industry you work in, try targeting platforms that are known to have a high male audience. Advertising on men’s health and fitness blogs, or on videos about subjects like cars, money, and home improvement, will increase the number of men reading information that is pertinent to their health.
Hire More Men
Another way to make male patients feel more comfortable about coming into your practice is to have a strong presence of men on your staff. While having a gender-neutral workplace is strongly advised, having a few male doctors and nurses working in your practice can increase your male patio percentages. Just like women often prefer female doctors and nurses when talking about or receiving treatment on things that are personal, men feel the same way. Having someone that looks like them (and have maybe even gone through the same experiences) makes them more inclined to speak up and get the help they need.
Create a Healthy Doctor-Patient Relationship
The relationships you have with your patients has a great impact on whether or not they will continue to visit for treatment and advice. Cultivating a positive doctor-patient relationship is, therefore, necessary to increasing male patients in your practice. This means making time to talk to your patients, having strong communication skills, being able to both listen and provide sound advice, getting to know your patients on a personal level (within reason), being empathetic towards their circumstances, having a strong understanding of their cultural differences, providing accurate diagnosis and treatment options, and following up.
If you’re going to get and keep male patients in your practice, you’ll need to invest time, energy, and resources into solutions like those described above. By creating a more inviting environment, debunking myths, advertising on male-dominant platforms, and cultivating positive relationships with your male patients, you can encourage them not only to visit your practice but to be more proactive about their own health and wellbeing.