Go to McDonald’s. Order an extra value meal. Eat it and leave.How many times do you think you were exposed to the golden arches?Think about this typical experience:You drive into the parking lot, look at the building, walk in the door, order some food, talk with an employee, go to the bathroom, look at the kids toys, get your cup, fill your cup, get some napkins, get some ketchup, pick up your food, sit down, unwrap your burger, look at your tray, eat some fries, drink some soda, threw away your trash, walk out the door and drive out of the parking lot.If you are anything like me, chances are you thoroughly enjoyed your #2 extra value meal. And perhaps you didn’t realize it, but everything you did while you were at McDonald’s, constantly reminded you of where you were.Not that seeing all those arches, changed whether you had a good or bad experience, but next time you are driving down the freeway looking for a place to eat, you’ll have some associated feelings with the golden arches based on what your last few visits were like.How does this apply to healthcare?If you create a positive experience for patients and their friends and family, don’t you want them to remember where they were?Think about your patient’s experience in your clinic – from the time they set up an appointment, drive in the parking lot, walk in the door, visit the front desk, talk to the scheduler, pick up a pen, fill out the health history form, read a magazine, watch television, talk to a nurse, sit in the exam room, talk to a physician, take with them a patient education piece and care plan, walk out the door, get better – how many times were your patients reminded where they were?With approximately 50 percent of patients utilizing the recommendations of friends or family members to select a primary care physician and 20 percent of patients utilizing the recommendations of friends or family members to select a specialist physician, branding your practice should be a major part of your marketing plan.