Are You Pushing Your Patients Away?

We get so set in the way we do things that we sometimes don’t examine them to see if they are working. We just keep doing things the way we know how to.  That is a sure-fire way to lose your purpose and passion for Chiropractic.  Let’s discuss some of the major areas in your practice and see which ones need work.

New Patients

Many DCs buy into the outdated concept of getting new patients, use them until they leave, then get some more.  Not only is this inefficient and expensive with your time as well as your money but it creates huge amounts of stress for both the doctor and staff.  If your patients really understood what you do and you were able to skillfully form relationships with them, you would KEEP your patients.

Do your patients listen to your recommendations or do they give you theirs?

Ouchh!  This is a touchy subject because nobody wants to admit to patient dropout, especially within the first few visits.  It’s a biological reality, nobody likes to be rejected.  Truth be told, many DCs end up seeing their patients only a handful of times and then they leave.   If your patients really understood what you do and you were able to skillfully form relationships with them, they would follow your recommendations to the tee.

Do you receive referrals or do your patients take the results and run?

Many DCs point to their results, their technique or their particular mixture of treatments like vitamins, modalities, laser, and spa treatments.  If your office is based on results only, your patients will predictably leave your office when the insurance runs dry or they feel better.  They don’t think about anything except themselves.  If you establish a relationship with them and your patients really understood what you do, referral would become automatic and much more plentiful.

Do you see people other than adult, musculoskeletal patients?

Many DCs would love to see kids, but their practices are heavily skewed toward adult, musculoskeletal pain relief only.  After all, VSC happens in children as well as adults, but because of society beliefs Chiropractic is limited to adults only.  Other DCs are uncomfortable seeing kids because of inexperience or lack of training.  Imagine a dentist only able to see adults!  As DCs, if we only understood that kids are the most recession proof part of any practice.  Instead of swimming upstream trying to please adult musculoskeletal patients only…why not include the next generation and educate them to adopt the Chiropractic lifestyle for a lifetime.

Do you get paid full fees inside or outside of insurance?

Many DCs love helping people to their own financial detriment.  Forgetting about co-pays and deductibles may seem like a good idea at the time, however it’s actually pushing people out your door.  You made a deal to acquire a patient.  It’s like not keeping score at an athletic event.  You think you are doing the ‘little darlings’ a favor by not keeping score.  Instead you cripple them and sell them a fairy tale about a life that doesn’t require their best effort and responsibility.