'Reciprocal referral relationships': Why this term raises red flags

Every so often I will see a LinkedIn post from a treatment marketer seeking to build “reciprocal referral relationships.” Such language, although usually well meaning, makes me cringe.

Treatment marketing is a business—but it is a business involving health, wellness, and matters of life and death. “Reciprocal” has an “I’ll scratch your back if you’ll scratch mine” undertone, which might be fine in other industries but is jarringly out of place in a discipline that prides itself on individualized care. Of course, treatment marketers will develop referral relationships with professionals and centers they trust, which have demonstrated an outstanding level of care and impressive outcomes. Yet at the end of the day, the decision to refer should be based on a client’s individual needs, not on fulfilling a “reciprocal referral relationship.” 

Imagine the uproar, and subsequent investigations, if a primary care provider shared on social media that he was looking for “reciprocal referral relationships” with hospitals or specialists.

Similarly, if I were a family member investigating treatment options, claims of “reciprocal referral relationships” would likely give me pause. And if I were in South Florida, where government officials are increasing their scrutiny of treatment operators, I definitely would remove it from my vocabulary.

Some might argue that there is no inherent problem with seeking such "reciprocal" relationships if no money is exchanged, but from a public relations perspective announcing an intention to form such alliances could likely create headaches--legal and otherwise--down the road.

Treatment marketing involves relationship building, as an ethical organization recognizes it cannot serve the needs of all clients and refers those who are inappropriate to others. Yet the decision needs to be based on the client’s own needs, not “reciprocal” relationships. Treatment marketers definitely should build networks of trusted professionals for clients, but announcing the intention to build “reciprocal” relationships immediately raises red flags.