Finding your sweet spot with patients

You’re really enjoying your day at the office. So far it’s been fairly brisk, with a few new patients already on the books and people coming in are generally appreciative and responding well to your care…and then it happens.

You hear their voice all the way from the reception area. You can feel your jaw tighten, your blood pressure rise, and a pit form in your stomach. You actually have to psyche yourself up to face this person. They are always complaining about something; whether it’s the finances, the length of treatment, your hours, or their lack of results, it seems like no matter what you do, it’s never enough!

 

What if you only treated the patients you wanted to treat?

We all have patients that can range from slightly grouchy to down right nasty. Some we can tolerate (after all, they may be in some type of suffering) and others really leave a wake of destruction in their paths. The CAs don’t like them, the doctor gets irritated by them. and their negative influence seems to take up more than their fair share of office energy.

Instead of thinking you must serve whatever Tom, Dick, and Harry that walks in your door, consider sharing your unique identity with patients and then allow some of them to choose other options. Stop trying to be all things to all people. If you stand your ground, you will be rewarded, even if they choose to walk.

Here are some real life examples from our TNR members

We had a year one practitioner have this woman, a big mouth real estate agent proclaim to this young DC the way it’s going to be. No x-rays, no exam, just put me on the table and crack me. Oh and by the way sonny, I’ve been going to Chwiropractors since you were in diapers. Now this woman was intimidating, knew everybody in town, and boasted if the young DC did right by her, “I’ll refer in the whole town”. Can’t you just feel for this new, somewhat scared DC? What would you do?

This is what he did. He held out and didn’t cave. He explained she would have to get a complete examination before he adjusted her. To his amazement, she said OK and scheduled an exam. She is actually doing quite well in his office as a regular practice member. He stuck to his guns.

Here’s another

There was another young practitioner who was looking the other way as a practice member continued to seek care and owed a substantial amount of money. The bill was over $2500, and she could not bring herself to ask the patient for full payment. It was if she was paralyzed by this patient. When the young DC was advised she was being taken advantage of, she actually defended this patient and said how much they needed the care, never missed an appointment, etc etc.

When our hero eventually “cowboyed up” and asked for the money, the practice member got practicably angry and stormed out of her office.

You see, you don’t have to care for people who don’t follow your guidelines, who aren’t in fair exchange, continually miss appointments, and are chronically complaining about your office, your staff, and you. If you have the courage to allow that person to make other choices by enforcing boundaries, a whole new dimension to your practice will open up. Nature will fill their void with a person who loves you, your office, and gladly enters into fair exchange with you.