How to Generate New Patients from Chiropractic Health Screenings
For health and marketing purposes, a screening is a step by step process of first discovering if a person might have a problem or condition that may need further looking in to. If there any indication of a possible spinal related problem or condition, the screening is there to also help the person become more aware of their health condition so that they want to do something about it.
It can be done at any type of a venue, from a health fair to a casual meeting.
It is a sequence of actions that that ultimately ends in the “screenee” making an appointment to come in for no risk introductory service, such as further testing or a workshop.
The example below, taken from our PM&A webinar on screenings from 2012, shows the steps taken during a screening. It is important that each step is taken sufficiently in order for an appointment to be made.
Screening Steps
The actual screening itself is a process of enlightening a person so that they see that they might have a spinal related condition, if indicated, and if so, realize how it might affect them. Also, if left untreated, what the long term affects might be.
They are now ready to be encouraged that they really should do something to address the problem, no matter what! Offering them an introductory service as a no risk beginning solution now helps them “solve” their ethical dilemma of just what should they do about their condition. This could be a service at your office, or with another provider at another location. Your professional integrity should always be maintained.
There are three general types of “screenees”: roughly 80% or so are not ready to get help with any health conditions, 15% or so are almost ready, and about 5% are ready to do something. Your target is to work with the 5% that are ready. You may be able to influence some of the 15% that are almost ready, depending on your skill in screening. And with your professional and friendly presence, in the long term, you can also influence some of the 80% that are not and may never be ready to see you, but do have families and friends that they are now more likely to support seeing you because of their good experience with you at the screening.
Below are 6 simple steps that can be remembered and used. It is also a good idea to practice these to improve your skill and to train new Screening Technicians.
For more information, please watch or listen to the Fundamentals of Effective Screening Procedures on our PMA Members site from April 19, 2012.
The Art of the “Screen”
- Find Out More – about the condition.
- Find Out the Affects – of the condition.
- Look at the Future – of the condition.
- Do something — about the condition.
- Offer a something to do – about the condition
- Appointment for something to do – for the condition.
More
Affects
Future
Do
Offer
Appointment
*Screenings are always the responsibility of the doctor and conducted in accordance with local statutes and professional standards.