If you want to attract and retain customers, you need a solid marketing plan in place—no matter what industry you are in. That doesn’t necessarily mean spending a lot of money on scattershot advertising. In fact, with so many new and relatively inexpensive channels, marketing can be easier, and more varied and focused than ever before. Specialty practices, in particular, need to market themselves well, as many times they receive their clients based on referrals.

Mobile devices permeate the healthcare setting. They’re not just in the hands of patients, either. Roughly eight in 10 doctors use them in their practice. Many providers have turned to mobile devices for their ease of use, portability and help with many key aspects of their day-to-day work, particularly with respect to managing the patient-provider relationship.

Results from Medscape Education’s two-year study on generational factors and their impact on patient engagement reveals that providers need to help equip patients across generations with the skill set for shared decision-making concerning their health. Each generation has its own set of values, communication style and expectations about their approach to health and relationships with their providers. Therefore, specialty providers must first understand the different expectations and unique needs of their multigenerational patients in order to deliver the right information and support needed to fully participate in their care.

For specialty providers, especially those practices who rely on referrals from other doctors, maintaining an online presence may not be at the top of the priority list. But just like any other business, it is imperative that specialty medical practices make an effort to be online. Naturally, the next question is how do you go about solidifying our practice's online presence? Here are three ways to accomplish just that.

Virtual health care - or telemedicine - seems to be a natural step in the expansion of the Healthcare IT industry. The growth of technology in medicine has evolved into a greater interest in healthcare by text, phone or even video. With a growth rate between 18-30 percent per year, telehealth is expected to be much more common resource for providers and patients over the next few years as the benefits extend to both parties.

If you're a plastic surgeon or work in a plastic surgery office, the importance of implementing the right practice management software is crucial to the success of the clinic. With a proper practice management system, plastic surgeons can quickly access pertinent data and information as well as maintain schedules and keep track of inventory all in one place. That kind of efficiency not only saves the practice a lot of time on various administrative workflows but it helps reduce stress as well.

In a study conducted by REACH Health, nearly 400 healthcare executives, physicians, nurses and other professionals gave their feedback regarding the impact of telemedicine in their own practices. The REACH Health 2016 U.S. Telemedicine Industry Benchmark Survey found that 62 percent of practices currently utilizing telemedicine believed it was highly successful in improving patient convenience. An additional 36 percent regarded it as "moderately successful."

Advancements in healthcare technology have fostered an environment more encouraging for greater patient engagement between patients and providers.