Category Archives: Chiropractors

Your Chiropractic Office Dream Team

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No one succeeds by themselves.

Your success will be no better than the team you make to help you get there.

On Thursday, December 13, 12:30 C.T., we will be hosting a 55 minute webinar on how to make your own chiropractic dream team.

We will be interviewing – live – the doctor and staff of a true chiropractic dream team.

Find out what they do to achieve high numbers, profit, and fun.  You’ll hear from the doctor, the billing coordinator and office manager, the front desk coordinator, and maybe others.

Not only will you learn, but you will come away smiling – that’s how much fun they have!  But don’t be mistaken by their good spirits: they are all very productive and see lots of people every day.

We can learn from successes.

Register here:  How to Make Your Dream Team

PS This webinar is for your entire team! Come on over and join us!

PSS Oh, and there is no charge for this webinar. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

 

Life Chiropractic College West “Call Me Maybe” – Cover

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This is a cover (copy) of a popular song from a young Canadian singer by students at Life Chiropractic College in California. It is a little rough, and judging from at least on of the comments, one person found it embarrassing.

I loved it.  Great spirit.

What do you think of it?

Add your comments below. I would be interested to read what you think.

Thanks,

Ed

Link: http://youtu.be/28ZrcYj-VLI

Chiropractic Spinal Screenings as an Educational Process

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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”

  1. Find Out More – about the condition.
  2. Find Out the Affects – of the condition.
  3. Look at the Future – of the condition.
  4. Do something  — about the condition.
  5. Offer a something to do – about the condition
  6. 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.

Chiropractic Promotions for the New Year

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Seems like every office we talk to or visit these days is busy – crazy busy – with patients and computers and Christmas.

But the New Year is approaching – fast. 2012 only has 12 months and the first one starts in just about two weeks. And then, before you know it, it’s February and you are wondering what you should be doing for marketing and getting the word out about your services.

 

So as not to be left behind, you should begin the New Year with a strong marketing strategy.

 

Below are some fast tips to help get you started:

 

But first… PROJECT X-3. We are finishing adding the final components into our new 2012 program, temporarily called the Project X-3. This is just the working title and we will be announcing the new program soon with all the details. It is designed to help lift you and your practice onto and into a whole new level of prosperity and fulfillment in the New Year.

 

**Schedule Patients Now. Health Never Takes a Holiday. Poster. If you are active with PM&A, you can also find a customizable version on our Members site, along with other promotions under “monthly promotions.”

 

**External Referral Sources and Event Locations. Make a list of every location where you participated in a promotional type of event. Include any business or professional that sent you a referral or helped you in some way. Then, make sure you send each a card or a gift, or just stop by and wish them well and that you look forward to continued relationship with them in the New Year.

 

**Marketing Meeting. Schedule a thorough marketing meeting soon, maybe right after Christmas. Spend a couple of hours making a list of what has worked and what you want to do and then schedule these things over the next several months. One example we recommend is:

 

**Be an Authority and Educate. People want health care information.  This is proven by the fact that 80% of Internet users search for health information on line, according to PEW Research.  8 out of every 10 people at some time are looking for health information when they go to the Internet. That is significant.

…2 ways to do this is to schedule workshops and health “awareness weeks” for the New Year. People want to know the latest. This gives you an opportunity to teach. Yes, you do have to do your homework and it takes time. But it is time well spent because as you study and prepare, you will find that you will become motivated about your subject. Besides, at least 1/3 of your presentation can be your spinal care class, so this saves you time. These types of community education programs or services not only help you generate direct new patients, but give you an excuse to promote your office and services. Sample Poster Clients can find many more customizable posters and fliers on the Members site under: Marketing Materials/ Community Education.

You can find more ideas about upcoming promotions to start your New Year here. Link

 

Best wishes for a high volume 2012!

 

Ed

“Thank You” to All of You Who Work in the Chiropractic Profession

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It is that time of year when we take a moment to give thanks and in so doing, we want to say “Thank You” to you.

Thank You Very “Doggone” Much as a matter of fact. Thank you for all you do to care for and help your patients.

You all are part of a great profession that helps millions of people each day. And because of you, chiropractic and the chiropractic way of life has persisted and grown and is now more accepted than ever before.

You are braver than most, work harder than most and genuinely care more for your patients than perhaps other care professionals are allowed to. It could be said that you are the best defense against a drugged zombied society, but it is definitely true that your loving care helps much more than you have been recognized for.

So, just a note to say that we are grateful for all you do.

“THANKS”

Your Chiropractic Root System and Patient Retention, Referrals, and ROI

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Updated: April 2016

When people go to the grocery store for produce they are mostly just interested in their plump cucumbers, zucchinis, or other vegetables.  They don’t much care about the garden that actually produced these nutritious wonders of nature.

But a lot of work goes into a well managed garden. If you don’t take good care of your garden, you won’t have its fruits and vegetables.  It’s that simple. And a good part of a garden takes place underground in a network of roots.  Roots provide water and minerals to the plant, and keep it in place when the wind blows.  The top part of the plant, its stem, can get mowed under by a lawn mower (I have done this) and the plant comes back to life – because of its strong root structure.

Your office is kind of like a garden.

It produces healthier people. You take care of your team, polish up your systems, do some training, and you will continue to have a productive “health garden” that produces healthier people.

And the roots? 

In this analogy, the root system is the loyalty and good will of your patients. Here’s how:

Many offices struggle to get new patients.  Even offices that have been in business for years and years.

Why?  No roots.

If some doctors spent the same time and attention – and money, on giving extra care and service to their existing patients as they did on trying to hustle up new patients, they would have more patient visits than they would know what to do with.

Why?  First, because the service and care was SO extraordinary, patients would refer their family and acquaintances because they would want them to receive similar treatment as they had.

But more obviously, existing patients would never drop out of care. (Some would, of course.) They would continue to come back for wellness visits. How busy would your office be now if all the new patients you ever started still came in for services? You couldn’t handle…there would just be too many patients!

Over the years, there have been many studies to support the fact that it is more expensive to chase after new patients than it is to keep the ones you have.

 “A common rule of thumb is that the marketing costs of landing a new customer runs three to five times the costs of retaining an old one.” (Total Customer Service, Davidow)

Some articles talk about it costing 10 times the amount to get a new customer as to keep the ones you have.

I am all for getting new patients, but do you also keep your existing patients? And do they refer family and friends and work associates? And why do your patients leave? An interesting survey pointed out that most companies believed it was because of price, or that the needs of the customer changed. However, from the point of view of the customer, they left because of poor service. (The Loyalty Connection: Secrets To Customer Retention And Increased Profits By Bob Thompson, CEO, CustomerThink Corporation Founder, CRMGuru.com, March 2005)

 

There are a number of procedures to improve your services to patients – to help generate stronger and more productive “roots”, or healthy patient relationships. Let’s focus on the most fundamental: Communication.  To put it more accurately, let’s call it “conversation.”

BEGINNING THE CONVERSATION

A conversation is a dialogue, a giving and receiving of communication back and forth. It is an interactive exchange of thoughts. It shows that you respect the other person and that you are interested in them and what they have to say.

Many patient conversations are one-way, from the staff and doctor to the patient. They are also rote, robotic, and too scripted to be genuine.  Do an audio recording of how the front desk answers the phone or how you do a consultation and you might be able to see room for improvement.

The conversation usually starts with the first phone call. Does the prospective patient feel that the front desk is listening – really? Is she interested, or just reading her script and trying to get to her next task and hang up the phone?  Does she introduce herself and show interest and even gratitude for the call?

It is these little things that make such a big difference.  Think about how you like to be treated when you contact a business…

In the consultation, do you really listen and seek to understand the patient, even though it is like the 5 millionth time you heard about someone’s low back pain?

In your report, do you have a conversation with the patient, or do you just rehearse your script to the patient while they are nodding in appeasement?

You see so many patients… and have so many tasks… that real conversations are too often sidelined.  You don’t have much time, usually. But in the time that you do have, you have to be present. You have to be THERE, with all of your attention on the patient, and not on your next task.  That moment with that one patient will never happen again. It is its own time that just you and that person share.  The Japanese have a saying for this: “Ichego Iche.”  One time, one moment. This is a plaque that is often found in tea rooms in Japan.

You have started to create a relationship.  Now, you have to continue to nurture it. This is done by continuing the conversation – and of course, great clinical and administrative service and care.

With each patient encounter, you have to be interested, attempting to understand and then get understood. Improve this and you are well on your way to better patient retention and referrals.

CONTINUING THE CONVERSATION

But when your patients are not with you, you have to find ways to continue the conversation.

How?

Your Newsletter.
You can easily set up an email newsletter with an a provider such as Constant Contact or Mailchimp. Send these out monthly or even twice per month. The most important aspect of these letters is to keep them real, personal, as if you were writing to a friend.  It could simply be a few paragraphs from the doctor relating a recent case success, or a home health tip. You can also include patient testimonials and a review of a recipe.

But we are inundated each day with hundreds of emails so keep in mind that old fashion snail mail still works, and in fact, works better.  It does cost, of course, but the return on investment makes it worth it.  A hard copy newsletter will have “shelf life,” and can be read and reread.  Most emails are overlooked -there are just too many of them.  Send out a hard copy newsletter every 4-6 months.  It can even just be a one page foldover, self-mailer.

Other Mail.
Cards are very considerate. Just think about the few you receive. You may still have them! A system can be set up to send out birthday cards, welcome cards, humorous reactivation cards, bereavement cards, and congratulation on starting your “wellness program” cards, as well as other cards each month.  These all help keep the conversation going.

Social Media.
Facebook is your primary social media with your patients. This can be similar to your newsletter.  Like email, it has become glutted with ads and “content” information.   Ask your patients to “LIKE” your page so that they can stay in touch with the office and receive new information about health and upcoming office events.  Some offices even hold special contests only for their Facebook “friends.”  Then, post regularly fun and education information. For example:

 “Our patient, Burt, just got accepted back into his hockey league thanks to chiropractic. Here is a photo of Burt and Dr. Smith and his new puppy eating apple pie made by Rose, a long time patient who can’t stop bringing us apple pies!” (Of course always get patient approval to post their picture.)

 

Upload patient testimonials, in writing or even videos. If they are interesting, other patients can comment, or even share.  And if anyone does comment, make sure that you comment back.

Delegate these types of communication to your team, but you have to be the one to ensure that the conversation continues.

If you have good roots, there is nothing to fear.  Insurance reimbursement can decrease even more, the economy can decline, staff changes can occur, but if you have taken good care of your patients, they will take good care of you.  Conversations with your patients will help nurture a strong “root system” that will keep your office productive, no matter the storms that may come.

SUMMARY – TAKE AWAY:

 When the patient is on the phone or in the office:

  • Be present and attentive.  (Present Time Consciousness “PTC” as Jimmy Parker would say.) Be genuinely interested.
  • Seek to understand the patient.
  • Get your point understood and have a conversation.

When the patient is out of the office – continue the conversation:

  • Snail mail real newsletters and cards mailed.
  • Emailed newsletters.
  • Get Facebook “fans” and post local/personal news.

Billy DeMoss Shakes Up Appleton Wisconsin at Petty Michel Seminar

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Billy DeMoss, ChiropracTOR

Dr. Billy DeMoss gave a heated and edgy presentation for 3 hours to chiropractors and their staff in Appleton, Wisconsin, Friday night, Aug. 19th. Full of anecdotes from his own practice, along with statistics, slides and videos, “Billy D” reminded everyone what chiropractic and natural health care is all about.

He talked about how providing chiropractic care is actually fun and how you should have fun in your office. He stated that patients want to come to a place that is enjoyable, where staff and doctors are having a good time in a positive atmosphere.

But he also explained that it takes a great deal of work to have a successful office. He recounted the days that he had to do manual odd jobs just to make it through school. He works hard at his office but keeps it fun.  “If you want a more successful and profitable practice you are going to have to work for it.”

“The days of the $200 dollar office visit are fading,” he said.  Workers Compensation reimbursement in California has been cut back and some money motivated chiropractors have abused the system. But money is not the goal, and never has been, he said.  Serving people will always be rewarded financially, but that is not our primary objective.

He emphasized that our main goal should be to teach and adjust. Some doctors complain about doing screenings or lectures, but Billy asks the audience: who do we do it for?  Are we worried about inconviencing ourselves or do we want to help people get healthier?

He discussed issues such as vaccinations, diet, United States health statistics relative to other countries, and said that the chiropractors were the ones best poised to take a leadership role in the health care of the U.S.

After 3 hours of Billy’s high energy, the mesmerized and energized crowd gave him two standing ovations.

One member of the audience who owns a small farm and who was not a doctor or staff member, said he wished there were more people speaking out like Dr. Billy DeMoss. He said it was one of the best presentations he had ever seen.

The next morning,  Phyllis Frase spoke to staff and doctors about how to be a “Rock Star” C.A.  Phyllis also gave a dynamic talk and will be speaking at the Cal Jam in California, February 24-26.

PM&A encourages all who can make it to Cal Jam to do so.  I attended 2 years ago and it was absolutely the most unique and refreshing chiropractic seminars I’ve attended in 20 plus years. Well worth the time and money.  More info about CAL JAM.

Dave Michel, Billy DeMoss, Dana Pittner, Phyllis Frase, Ed Petty

 

CATCH DR. BILLY DeMOSS SPEAKING MONDAY NIGHT, AUGUST 22 AT LAKE GENEVA, WI.  FOR MORE INFO, CALL: 262-275-5005

Video here

Photos here

Wisconsin Chiropractic Board of Examiners Can’t Decide On What to Test Doctors On

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Dateline: March 17, 2011

Happy St. Patrick’s Day and another Wisconsin Chiropractic Board of Examiner’s meeting in Madison.

The WCEB is moving forward on their plans for a live patient, six-hour state practical exam to “improve the quality of chiropractors in the State” (or to limit the number of chiropractors in the State, depending on whom you talk to).

The Department of Regulation and Licensing (DRL) is still concerned that the exam will lack validity and that the financial aspects of administering such an exam have not been adequately confronted.  Since the exam must be “budget-neutral”, the State exam should run in the thousands of dollars for each applicant.

The public in attendance seemed frustrated, especially one DC who broke down as she has moved to Wisconsin but can’t take the board. There is still no exam scheduled for this year, but a promise that there will be one …

Just no promise on what it will be or when it will happen.

Chiropractor: Are You a D.C. or a D. S.?

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Whether you are a D.C. or a D.S. makes a big difference in your patient retention and patient referrals.

Many years ago we were working with a chiropractor who, while he had a great practice, couldn’t manage it worth a damn.  Even so, because his patient retention and patient referrals were exceptional, he had a high volume practice.

As we worked with him to improve and expand his business structure, his volume continued to increase. This was a while back; when note taking was very simple, but I think he got up to seeing around 500 visits a week, with peak weeks over 600. We helped with marketing and associate doctors, and he continued to grow. He had all kinds of marketing programs, plenty of associates, and made a great name for chiropractic.  But at the heart of his growth was a special secret he often related.

What was his secret?

Well, one of them was the way he started each case.  On his initial consultation with each patient he would say:

“Before I tell you what chiropractic does, let me tell you what it doesn’t do. As doctors of chiropractic, we do not prescribe drugs.  (Pause.) We also do not perform surgery. (Pause.) Lastly, we do not treat symptoms.” (Long pause.)

He would let that sink in for a few moments. He would then briefly explain what chiropractors were really after.  Namely, subluxations. And while there may be other terms for this condition, from a marketing point of view, this has worked. It fixes in the mind of the patient that there is an underlying cause or a basic contributing factor that resulted in, or at least affected their current complaint(s).

Over the years of consulting, we routinely see doctors “going shallow”, treating only the superficial symptoms that patients come in with. “Hey doc., I must got a crick in my back. Can you just give me a crack here (points) and fix it?”  Horror of horrors!

It is easy to focus only on the symptoms.  First, it is the reason why the majority of your patients come to see you.  They have pain, stiffness, or discomfort and want it fixed.  Second, it is what your insurance company requires in your documentation.  Third, it is the path of least resistance. Give the patient some relief and then move on.  Fourth, chiropractic is usually SO effective with symptoms relatively quickly, that we often are just happy with that.

I am certainly not advocating any particularly type of treatment guideline.  I am just pointing out that many successful chiropractors look for earlier traumas in their consultation and history and maybe spend just a bit more time on the general diagnostic process, if only a minute more.

This is from a marketing point of view, not from a clinical perspective. In these times of higher deductibles, you have to put the value into your service.  If a patient comes to you for a pain in the “keister”, and you only address that, not only is the patient being the doctor, but also you are relegated to “therapist.”

Another doctor David and I worked with had a practice “melt down” one winter day. (By the way, we see these “melt-downs” every now and then! Too much insurance B.S., mid-life burnout, staff problems, etc. Please call us if you feel one coming on!)  He was mostly a “straight” doctor, but had purchased a very inexpensive, used EMS (muscle stim.) unit for patients.  One day, one of his patients came for his adjustment. He told the doctor that he didn’t want adjustments anymore, just wanted some of that electronic muscle stimulation.   Our doctor blew a fuse. “Fine”, he said. “Here, take the dang machine and go home. You can have it.” And he actually gave it to him.

A bit extreme, but it was probably good to get it out of his system. The doctor was feeling that he had become only a band-aid therapist for his patients because of the therapy unit. It took a while, but we got him to see that it was not the patient’s fault. The patient simply did not understand the purpose of the doctor’s treatment program.

D.C. could be called Doctor of “Chronicity.” I was reminded of this recently by one of our clients.  D.S. could be “Doctor of Symptoms.”

We suggest the following:

1.    Be a D.C. Doctors who emphasize the chronic nature of the patient’s symptoms seem to have busier practices.  We suggest that you should do both:  definitely help patients get what they want – pain relief.  But, as appropriate, work with them to get what they really need.

As a side note, some doctors can become so philosophical that they loose touch with the fact that “the Customer is King.” (In Japan, I have read they say that the “Customer is God.”) Philosophy, principles, and emphasizing the chronic nature, as indicated, is fine.  So is “Wellness.” Just remember that you have to also give the patients what they want and keep them happy.

2.    Integrity. Needless to say, in all things you have to call it like you see it and maintain your integrity. If there are no chronic conditions, then so be it. But at least, take the time to look.  Be curious, investigate, and don’t let the insurance company or the patient’s desire for fast results compromise your clinical integrity.

3.    Interest. Traumas may have occurred many years earlier, or accumulated over the years.  Be genuinely interested and focused on their case. Even intense about what you discover in their exam and x-ray and how you explain it. “Would you look at this, Mrs. Jones”, pointing to a spot on the x-ray as if this was the first x-ray you had seen of this kind before. (And it is.)  This will increase the patient’s confidence in you and acceptance of your treatment plan.

4.    Time, Repetition, Effort. It may take time to correct the condition. It may take repetitive visits (like an orthodontist), and it will take effort on the patient’s part as well as yours.

Go over the factors of time, repetition, and effort with the patient. You can also ask the patient how long do they think it will take to correct the condition.   If you have educated them on the true nature of the condition, you might be surprised to hear that they often offer a longer period of time than you were ready to present to them in your treatment program. (A very successful doctor recently reminded me of this.)

5.    You Are, And Have Been, A Leader. And finally, don’t sell yourself short. As a chiropractor, you are an active member in a profession that, no doubt, has led the way in real health care over the last 100 years.  Certainly, it will continue to do so in the future, provided that you stick to your guns, while always adapting to the ever-changing market.

By looking for and working to correct the long term causes of spinal related symptoms, you will inspire trust and confidence in your patients as their doctor of chiropractic, coach, and friend. As such, your patients will be loyal and refer their friends because of your care. And, as such, you will be a D.C.

Ed Petty

Chiropractic Staff ROI and Motivation

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Staff Management: An Essential Component To Practice Success

A big reason for your chiropractic practice is doing well is because of your staff.  And,  a big reason your chiropractic practice is not doing well is because of your staff.  Either way, your staff plays a major role in the success of your business.

How much can a good staff member contribute to the office? What is the Return On Investment for staff expenses?  There does not seem to be any good research on this for chiropractic offices. (If you know of any, we would appreciate the references.) We have seen some studies and based upon these and our experience it would be safe to say that a staff member should contribute at least double what you pay them.

This means that if you pay a Chiropractic Assistant, for example, $2,500 (including taxes, FICA , etc.) a month, you should at least be able to generate $5,000 because of her.  On the other hand, when a staff member is not performing well, their contributions can go to zero, or even lower.  If they are alienated from the doctor and the practice, they can actually become a liability.  An unhappy or defiant staff can turn away patient referrals, discourage patient phone appointments, create disharmony with other staff, and many other costly problems.

Staff Turnover
The cost of staff turnover can be very high, as much as three times their monthly pay.  This would include recruiting cost, training cost, extra time on your part, lost patient and lost new patients. For example, if your senior front desk C.A. leaves and she is paid $2,500 per month, it could take a couple of months before you find another CA that has the qualifications you need, and at least a couple of more months before they are trained.

By the way, this is why it is so important to have your practice systematized with all of your procedures written up for fast training and evaluation. (This is what our PM&A Practice Development Programs help you with!)

Conversely, as mentioned above, you can save money by letting an under performer go.
Staff Motivation
Once you have personnel, you have to keep them motivated. Frankly, this can be a problem for many doctors. There is a basic reason for this which I will explain later on. First, let’s look at some interesting information on employee motivation.

A recent article from the Harvard Business School reports on a study that showed that most employees start out relatively motivated, but things change after about 6 months.

“The great majority of employees are quite enthusiastic when they start a new job. But in about 85 percent of companies, our research finds, employees’ morale sharply declines after their first six months—and continues to deteriorate for years afterward.”

One of the biggest causes for this goes straight to the relationship they have with their managers.

“Many companies treat employees as disposable. At the first sign of business difficulty, employees—who are usually routinely referred to as “our greatest asset”—become expendable.

“Employees generally receive inadequate recognition and reward: About half of the workers in our surveys report receiving little or no credit, and almost two-thirds say management is much more likely to criticize them for poor performance than praise them for good work.

“Management inadvertently makes it difficult for employees to do their jobs. Excessive levels of required approvals, endless paperwork, insufficient training, failure to communicate, infrequent delegation of authority, and a lack of a credible vision contribute to employees’ frustration.” (You can read the entire article here.)

We have seen versions of these problems in every office. Even our own!! It happens. One of the most common habits of doctors that can impede staff performance and motivation is micro managing.  For example, fretting over the office volume, doctors can hover around the front desk causing the staff to be more concerned about the doctor’s constant evaluation than engaging with the patients.

To solve these de-motivation factors,  the authors suggest the following:

1. Instill an inspiring purpose.
2. Provide recognition.
3. Be an expediter for your employees.
4. Coach your employees for improvement.
5. Communicate fully.
6. Face up to poor performance.
7. Promote teamwork.
8. Listen and involve.

We would add two more factors. First:

9. Clear policies and procedures consistently applied. You need to coach your team on the same procedures today that you applied yesterday, and will use tomorrow. These procedures should be written down in some form for easy reference. This gives an objective reference for staff coaching (#4) and regular staff evaluations (#6).

And the most important, and most overlooked in a doctor’ office:

10. Separate your roles of doctor and clinic director so that you can be a part time manager.

The Most Common De-motivator
Most chiropractors are either too busy and/or too focused on doctoring to have much attention left for caring for staff.  After all, the staff is there for the doctor and to help him or her with the patients. The doctor is not there for the staff. And, the staff is paid to do their job.

So, what’s the problem?

The problem is that employees are people and not machines.  And, like all living things, they need a certain amount of nurturing. Growing a business is like growing an orchard. It needs tending. Doctors do not feel they should have to do this, and as doctors, they shouldn’t.

However, as the C.E.O. their business, they have too. Larger offices have office managers or practice administrators that can help do much of the staff management. We usually recommend that the doctor assign a staff member to take the role, if only for a few hours per week, of senior C.A., office coordinator, or office manager.

Most doctors can be managers and coach their staff, but don’t. The reason, and the solution are relatively simple: just separate the roles of doctor and clinic director. As the doctor, everyone works for you and the patient. As clinic director and a part of management, you work for everyone else.

With good business systems in place, a well organized office should require little time of the doctor to be a clinic director.  And in the role of business owner and investor, the doctor should see a very good return on his efforts if his staff is motivated.

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