April saw a 27% referral decline, attributed to surgery schedule pressures and staffing challenges that limited full production capacity. With two new team members now onboarded, schedules have been revamped and performance is expected to improve. May is already showing early signs of recovery. Jayme noted that outreach activities typically take four to six weeks to reflect in referral numbers, and ongoing monitoring remains a priority to prevent further softening.
Despite the April decline, average case value and case acceptance rates remain well above benchmarks. Dr. Toms continues to average 69 referrals per month, reflecting the underlying strength of the referral network even during this transitional period.
In April, Teresa visited four offices, delivering breakfasts and sending flowers to a provider celebrating a new office and a new baby. Deliveries were coordinated across multiple days to manage logistics effectively.
May outreach includes scheduling office lunches for four practices, with some flexibility built in around Dr. Toms' vacation schedule. Target offices include Bateman in Milford, among others. Visits will continue to be tracked in Referral Lab as the month progresses.
All monthly outreach efforts should be logged in Referral Lab as a marketing event (e.g., "May Marketing Outreach"), with each practice visited listed individually. When a practice has multiple providers, each doctor should be added as a separate entry, as each counts as an individual touch point. Teresa will retroactively update April's entry and continue building out May's event as visits occur.
Preparations for the upcoming Seattle Study Club event are underway, with RSVP tracking and event logistics being managed by Teresa. Coordination has required careful attention due to overlapping invitations with other upcoming events.
A fireworks party is being planned in conjunction with study club activities. Teresa will follow up with study club members after Thursday's meeting to confirm attendance and send any remaining invitations needed to finalize the guest list.
When a referring provider retires or leaves a practice, their Referral Lab profile should be updated by adding "(RETIRED)" in caps next to their name. This distinguishes them clearly in reports while preserving their historical referral data — which remains valuable for trend analysis even as their activity naturally decreases over time.
Teresa and Dr. Toms have discussed the PRD role with Heidy. The current arrangement is working well — Teresa is comfortable continuing in the role, noting it is cost-effective, manageable with proper scheduling, and supported by strong rapport with referring office managers. No significant changes are anticipated unless a clear need arises.