How to Make Your Chiropractic Marketing More Effective: Give a Reason

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A fundamental component to marketing your chiropractic services is communicating a reason, rationale, or a purpose for why you are marketing.

For example, if a store has a SALE each month with a discount on some of their items, you might think: “So what? Just another sale.”

So the department store thinks up some reason for the sale. It could be “Back-to-School” sale, a “Food Drive” sale, or a St. Patty’s Day party.

All of your marketing should have a topical theme. In our marketing materials, we have many, from Organic Health Care Week (in conjunction with Earth Day), Mother’s Day coupon with flowers, Fibromyalgia Awareness Week, etc.

But behind all of these themes should be a more dominate reason for your marketing. And here is a powerful truth: The better your staff, your patients, and your community understand this reason, the more responsive they will be in to your marketing efforts.

For example, we recommend that you write a letter to your patients explaining to them your real reasons for marketing your services. It could called: “Why We Promote – A Letter to Our Patients.”  To help you get started, we have a questionnaire here and a sample letter.

(For our clients, we have written a sample letter that has become popular which you may access on your Member’s web site under “New Stuff.” (need password.))

Why Do You Market Your Chiropractic Services?

Answer these questions thoughtfully.

Then, compose a few paragraphs for a letter, or for your web site.  You can also use this as a close on your patient lectures.

  • What do you experience when you see the family and friends of your patients get results from your care?
  • Do you ever see patients that have had unnecessary or failed back surgeries?
  • Do you ever see patients that take, or have taken, toxic drugs to alleviate their symptoms that you were able to alleviate naturally?
  • How would have the lives of these people been changed had you been able to adjust and treat them years earlier?
  • Since you are not supported by pharmaceutical companies or hospitals for your community education, how can you get the word out to your community?
  • This is why you have to rely on your staff and patients, and on occasional promotions and special events.

A Reason Behind Your Chiropractic Marketing

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A fundamental component to marketing your chiropractic services is communicating a reason, rationale, or a purpose for why you are marketing.

For example, if a store has a SALE each month with a discount on some of their items, you might think: “So what? Just another sale.”  So the department store thinks up some reason for the sale. It could be “Back-to-School” sale, a “Food Drive” sale, or a St. Patty’s Day party.

This is why many businesses over the last 15 years have used donation drives, or special causes, to help promote their services. Buy a bottle of water at Starbucks and a percentage of it goes to poor African children.

This works as long as the customer thinks it is a legitimate reason, but as soon as they find out that it is questionable, they stay away.  The Starbucks Ethos Water program, for example, has been discredited for a number of reasons. First, the retail bottle goes for $1.80 but only five cents goes to African kids.   The water bottles are manufactured by Pepsi and do not contain recycled materials. Plus, plastic bottles are ecological problems as they are reported not do decompose for a thousand years.

Over the Holidays, many businesses have sales and claim it is in conjunction with “Food for Families”, “Toys for Tots”, etc.   These are now so numerous that one can wonder about the genuine nature of such campaigns.

But donation drives are great. They can be effective, as can any promotion. But for any promotion to be effective, it helps if there is a reason behind it that is appealing and believable to your market. You should be genuine.

We recommend that all of your marketing have a topical theme. In our marketing materials, we have many, from Organic Health Care Week (in conjunction with Earth Day), Mother’s Day coupon with flowers, Neuralgia Awareness Week, etc.

But behind all of these themes should be a more dominate reason for your marketing. The better your staff, your patients, and your community understand this reason, the more active they will be in responding to your marketing efforts.

What is the underlying reason for your marketing?

Money, of course.  More new patients? Of course. But, as a doctor, what is your reason?  We suggest you work this out and communicate it to your patients and staff, and even your community.

(For our clients, we have written a sample letter (Why We Promote – A Letter to Our Patients) which you may access on your Member’s web site under “New Stuff.” (need password.))

Asking Permission, Gaining Respect

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By Dr. Tom Potisk

Doctors of chiropractic appreciate respect as do patients. When a doctor acknowledges and recognizes that the patient may have limited time and money, a mutual respect develops and the situation becomes win-win. For example, when making a recommendation to a patient, ask “May I explain the tests that need to be performed today?”, and then “These will take approximately ____ minutes. Do you have time today?”

After explaining the results, a good follow up is: “Are you ready to start treatment today?” Then explain the treatment.

Far too often doctors get into a routine and they begin to assume that the patient wants what you’re about to perform. Asking their permission to proceed not only relaxes the patient but lowers your liability because you’ve gotten their consent.

Never assume that permission has already been obtained by staff. Ask “Has the receptionist explained our procedures and policies?”

For gaining referrals, avoid the harsh “Bring in your spouse and child for a spinal exam.” Instead ask, “Many of my patients bring their family here for preventive check-ups. Would you be interested in how that works?” The best time to ask this is when the patient has praised your treatment. As Doctor Sid Williams says, “Breed them while they’re in heat!”

For building a wellness care practice, a great question is “If there were a way of preventing this problem from reoccurring and avoiding new problems would you be interested?”

At the end of your practice day, reflect upon it and take notice of how many times you asked questions versus issued advice and orders. The ratio should be about 50:50. Don’t be afraid to ask your staff for their perspective of your performance. They are your best source of input and will feel honored by your inquiry.

In this era of managed health care and busy lifestyles, asking for the patient’s permission goes a long way in gaining their respect and building a joy filled successful practice.

Dr. Tom Potisk has been a client of PM&A for nearly all of his 25 year multi-doctor practice. He now works with PM&A and is soon publishing a book titled Reclaim The Joy Of Practice.

Medicare and Wellness Pricing

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“A client recently asked us ‘What can I charge Medicare patients for wellness care?”  The answer, as is often the case with insurance, is ‘it depends’. There are several factors that must be considered and a few Medicare regulations that have to be reviewed”

Medicare has covered and non-covered services, as you know.

Non-covered services for chiropractic are easy. Exams, x-rays, extremity adjustments (98943), and therapies are all non-covered services and you may charge the patient whatever your fee is or whatever you have worked out. (WPS Medicare Fraud & Abuse Manual, pages 18-19; Sect 1862(a)(1), Waiver of Liability). Any of these services may be billed with a –GY modifier (indicating they are billed for denial purposes only), but they will be denied regardless (http://www.medicarenhic.com/providers/pubs/Chiropractic%20Billing%20Guide.pdf , page 21-22).

Non-covered services are never paid by Medicare. These services are not considered a benefit of the Medicare program. Because of this, there are no restrictions on what you may charge for these services or what a supplemental insurer may pay (ibid). You do not even need to bill them to Medicare except that you may want them to be denied or to be forwarded to a secondary.

Covered services for chiropractic included spinal adjustments (98940-2) when billed for a covered diagnosis (L30328, http://www.wpsmedicare.com/part_b/policy/active/local/_files/l30328_chiro001.pdf ). A covered service can be paid or can be denied as not medically necessary.

If you are a participating provider, and you bill an adjustment (98940-2) with the correct diagnosis and with the –AT modifier, it will generally be paid by Medicare at 80% of the par fee amount. The fee schedule is published annually (http://www.wpsmedicare.com/part_b/fees/physician_fee_schedule/) and is mailed to you on a disk near the end of every year.

If a covered service (98940-2 -AT) is paid, no problem.

If a covered service is denied as not medically necessary, AND you have notified the patient in advance that Medicare may deny the claim (with your ABN form), then you may collect from the patient.

If you have had the patient sign the ABN, and you are doing an adjustment for an acute or active problem as defined above, then you are billing with the 9894x – AT – GA code and modifiers to indicate it was acute care and that the patient signed the ABN (L30328),
(http://www.chirobase.org/19Insurance/CR3449.pdf page 3, http://www.cms.hhs.gov/MLNMattersArticles/downloads/MM3449.pdf ).

If you are doing a maintenance or wellness adjustment, and you have had the patient sign the ABN form, you are billing without the –AT modifier but with the –GA modifier (9894x – GA) indicating you are billing a covered service and notified the patient in advance that Medicare will deny the claim. You must still bill Medicare for the service, as it is a covered service (http://www.cms.hhs.gov/MLNMattersArticles/downloads/SE0749.pdf , page 4, point#6).

If you are doing a maintenance or wellness adjustment or if you are doing services that are not medically necessary (98940-2), and Medicare denies the claim, AND you did NOT have the patient sign the ABN form, the patient should not be billed for the claim, not even for the deductible or co-insurance (Sect 1862(a)(1), Waiver of Liability). The secondary may or may not pay the claim and Medicare does not have any problem or jurisdiction if the secondary or supplemental insurance pays the claim.

Now, hopefully that is all clear. If not, you can go to the references I hyperlinked for further clarification. I always suggest you go directly to the sources on these.

So the simple question is, IF you bill for the adjustment (98940-2) without the –AT modifier, but with the –GA modifier, indicating it is maintenance care and you notified the patient in advance, what can you charge?

Here is what Medicare states:

“The only situation in which non-opt-out physicians or practitioners, or other suppliers, are not required to submit claims to Medicare for covered services is where a beneficiary or the beneficiary’s legal representative refuses, of his/her own free will, to authorize the submission of a bill to Medicare. However, the limits on what the physician, practitioner, or other supplier may collect from the beneficiary continue to apply to charges for the covered service, notwithstanding the absence of a claim to Medicare.”

“If an item or service is one that Medicare may cover in some circumstances but not in others, a non-opt-out physician/practitioner, or other supplier, must still submit a claim to Medicare. However, the physician, practitioner or other supplier may choose to provide the beneficiary, prior to the rendering of the item or service, an Advance Beneficiary Notice (ABN) as described in the Medicare Claims Processing Manual Chapter 30. (Also see §40.24 for a description of the difference between an ABN and a private contract.) An ABN notifies the beneficiary that Medicare is likely to deny the claim and that if Medicare does deny the claim, the beneficiary will be liable for the full cost of the services. Where a valid ABN is given, subsequent denial of the claim relieves the non-opt-out physician/practitioner, or other supplier, of the limitations on charges that would apply if the services were covered.”

(http://www.cms.hhs.gov/manuals/Downloads/bp102c15.pdf , Medicare Benefits Policy Manual)

Read the whole section. I have underlined the key point. Medicare does not reprice your normal fees in this case and you are free to charge the patient accordingly.

I know that was a long way around to the answer, but this was not just a yes or no question, as you have to understand Medicare and the factors that are involved.

Dave

Meeting Family Deductibles

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This article was sent in to us by one of our clients. We felt it was a great suggestion and thought it might help your office when faced with the same situation.

“I just wanted to pass something on that may benefit your other offices.  If we have families that we treat where only two or three of them need to meet their deductibles, we choose the family members that are incurring the most charges and send those in right away.  The other family members we hold the charges until the family deductible is met.

“For instance, we have a family of about 8 people that we are treating that have to meet two deductibles to make their family deductible.  We are only sending CMS-1500 forms on two of those patients until the deductible is met, then we will submit all the bills from the other family members so that we don’t have bits and pieces being eaten out of everyone’s claims unnecessarily”

Filing in this manner, simplifies the collection of the patients out-of-pocket at the front desk, reduces the number of claims affected by the deductibles and overall increases the efficiency of the accounting for these patients.

Thanks Laura D from Family Chiropractic

Heat Up Winter With Chiropractic Health Promotions

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(Lucas County, Ohio)  2010 (it’s called twenty-ten, by the way) has started out pretty cold this side of the Rockies. Won’t get above freezing all week for many of the Midwestern states. Even Florida is below freezing in some parts.

But it is a New Year.  So, let’s heat it up!

Old Mongol saying: “Ride fast, move fast, stay warm.”

Here are some chiropractic ads and other action steps you can take in your chiropractic office to heat things up:

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Twas the day before Christmas – Chiropractic Version

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santa-claus-pics-0112

 

Not sure who wrote this,but would like to know.  Kind of cute!

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T`was the day before Christmas, but there was no cheer.

No jingle bells jingled, no sound of reindeer.
The word had got out that Santa was sick.
There`d be no friendly visit from jolly St. Nick.

The people were sad; no gaiety sounded.
For Christmas had come, but Santa was grounded.
He walked down the street, and what should he see?
On a small sign was printed, Chiropractor, D.C.

Now, Santa was not one to like a new tactic,
But all else had failed, so he`d try Chiropractic.
He entered the office and saw at a glance
In a place such as this illness hasn`t a chance.

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Snow Days and Chiropractic Care

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In this short article you will learn a new disease and how to prevent it, how to not lose money, and a special offer for a free drink in Las Vegas.

I love snow days.

As a kid, if you lived in the Northern climates, or mountains, or parts of the world where you can get a ton of snow dropped on you every now and then, you know what I mean. No school. Sleeping in, snow men, sledding, or just cuddling up with a game and watching the snow blow around.

But when you are in the business of providing chiropractic care, snow days can cause the opposite reaction. Snow days aren’t fun, they cost. Sometimes a few thousand dollars in one day and momentum can be lost for a week.

Have you ever known anyone who got really agitated and complained when they were delayed in their travels by a traffic jam?  I always wondered about this. WHY? Why complain? Do something constructive about it, and if you can’t,  then shut up. Why be negative?

Same with snow days. Or any natural work stoppage.  Snow days are a great time to “Sharpen the Saw.” It is a time to work on important things that are not urgent, as Dr. Covey talks about.

Jimmy Parker, D.C.,  always talked about turning your lemons into lemonade, another way of saying the same thing. (Speaking of Parker, come to Las Vegas and hang with us on January 15 & 16. Free drinks for all. Oops. Wait, I got carried away. First 10 that respond to this! See you there.)
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carpe annum

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2010

What does that mean to you?

More money?
More time off?
Better service and care for your chiropractic patients and community?

Does it mean a new opportunity to pursue your special projects: the song you meant to write, the trip you planned to take, project with your family, the good deed you hoped to do?

It’s out there.  A New Year, another package of 12 months, 52 weeks, 365 days. It is your playing field, your sand box, your canvass – it’s yours.

But it’s yours ONLY if you take it. Only if you grab it and get busy creating the life and practice and business you want. Otherwise, it will go by quickly while you aren’t looking.

It is a gift, really.  We take so much for granted, particularly us Americans. It is no wonder immigrants who start small businesses do better. They appreciate the gift of Opportunity.

If you don’t seize this year, guaranteed, the world will seize you… like it does to so many. Soon, you will be more concerned about the “economy”, “health care” “reform”, wars, and a million other distractions rather than on creating your own life. Or, you will just bury your head in work, and in a few years when you look up, you will be 55 years old, or 65, or 75, and wonder what the heck you did with your life.

So, our recommendation is to seize 2010, and each day it offers. Set goals and make plans to achieve them.

This is what we are doing. Our newsletters have been a little thin lately only because we have been putting together what we feel is the best program of chiropractic practice building services ever for 2010. All to help you achieve your goals faster.

We are grateful for this chance to help you and we appreciate your trust. We admire the service and care you provide as doctors of chiropractic and chiropractic professionals. But, to be honest, we don’t do it just for you. We do it so that you can help more people become healthy through chiropractic care. And perhaps even more, so that they can be healthy by adopting a chiropractic lifestyle and getting their family and friends to do likewise.

So, here it comes.                                                                        2010.

Go seize the year and make it your own.

Carpe Annum
Marketing through the Holidays and into the New Year
A number of doctors wanted to get the notes from our teleclass on marketing. Here is the link.

Chiropractic Marketing Tips for The Holidays And The Start of the New Year

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Due to popular demand,  I am posting notes from our October teleclass on marketing over the Holidays.

Teleclass Outline with Ed Petty  — Notes

All marketing is broken down to:

1.    Procedures. These are either special, one time events, or standard recurring. Some have the purpose of immediate results (direct marketing), some more long term (indirect marketing).

2.    Motivation. Desire. Wanting to implement these procedures. (Discipline.)

3.    Marketing management.  Review, Planning, Implementation.

Motivation: You are listening (or reading this) so you are motivated.  But you have to get others motivated as well. You have to get and stay inspired.  It is Ok to be a cheerleader.  What’s wrong with a little cheer? And the more you cheer.. the more you find to cheer about!

The  Marketing Manager System:

  • Meeting weekly: Review/make plans/Implement (assign steps/dates)
  • Who is responsible and responsible for what
  • Calendar Special Promotions/Events
  • Checklist of Recurring Procedures/Events

 

Procedures: Special events/promotions

NOVEMBER

  • Holiday Turkeys (Care to Share) (Ham for Christmas)
  • Donation Programs: Shelters, Toys for Tots, Coats for Kids, Food for Families
  • Scheduling Patients over the Holidays. (Plan ahead so they keep up with their care.)

DECEMBER

  • GNO (Girls Night Out/ Shop Before You Drop)
  • Gift coupons
  • Saturday with Santa
  • Poinsettias (with gift coupons)
  • Planning, training – sharpen the saw.
  • Do scheduling for new year: “Flexibility Screenings” with gyms,  lunch and Learns with businesses
  • Gifts for Allies  and those who referred: Box of nuts, organic flowers, cups, pens, caps, t-shirts. Cards.

JANUARY

  • Lending Library: Supersize Me, Fast Food Nation, King Corn, Sugar Blues, Food Inc. End of Overeating
  • Workshop on Nutrition and Fitness
  • Annual Reactivation Program
  • External Workshops, Screenings, and networking

FEB

  • Doctor’s With A Heart Donation Program
  • Have a Heart – Oklahaven Children’s Chiropractic Center – link
  • Valentine’s Gift Coupons

MARCH

  • Leprechaun Appreciation Day (Kid’s Day) link

Procedures: Recurring

Community Education: Talks or Awareness Weeks

  • Nov: Flu
  • Jan  Feb Food, Supplements/ Fast food Series —  With  a Dietitian and a trainer. February: Heart Heath- blood pressure
  • March: Headache Awareness Week

Communication Channels

  • Newsletter
  • Email Newsletters – NEW SERVICE FOR 2010 – We will do this for all clients on Standard Management Programs or higher.
  • Press Releases
  • Ads on other special newsletters: Chamber of Commerce, YMCA, Church Bulletins
  • Web site/Face Book – Fan /LinkedIn

Internal Recurring:

  • Morning case management meetings – (include a joke.)
  • Staff meetings
  • Patient Success Stories, Upbeat Atmosphere:  Take a “vibe check”:  too seriousness or pleasant can welcoming atmosphere. Where’s the party?
  • Spinal Care Class
  • Whiteboard
  • Brochures
  • Staff education
  • WOC (Whip out card)
  • Mission

Swine Flu: Lessons in Marketing Your Chiropractic Wellness Practice

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Two can play at this game.

If the pharmaceutical companies can use swine flu as an excuse to sell vaccines, you can use it to promote wellness.

The general corporate media, and doctors employed by these corporations, have been pushing the horrors of the swine flu “pandemic” and offering pharmaceutical products – vaccines – as the primary solution. But it makes one wonder what is really going on when there is so much information about the unhealthiness of the vaccines, as well as much common knowledge about many different non pharmaceutical solutions that are healthy.

Dr. Oz, an MD on a major television network, in an interview where he promotes the use of the swine flu vaccination, admits that while he gets vaccinated, his wife and children do not. (Link to video below.)  What does that tell you?

There is a lot of information about this but I know I am just preaching to the choir here on this blog.

The point is, now is your chance to step up to the plate as a Health Leader and help navigate the way for your patients and community through this confusing issue of flu vaccinations.

What I am saying is that this is a great opportunity for you as a  Doctor of Chiropractic.  While only a small percentage of people are actively receiving chiropractic care at any one time, a majority of people are skeptical about swine flu vaccinations. (Consumer Reports 9/30/2009)

By offering information about the swine flu from a natural perspective, you can position yourself as a health leader to this huge market.

Good marketers are always looking for a relevant event to help get their message across. This is a powerful one.

For example, you could you could easily schedule and present a 45 minute basic class on:

The Flu: A Natural Perspective

or

Concerned About Swine Flu, But Uncertain About Vaccinating Your Kids And Family?

or

What You Should Know Before You Get That Flu Shot

You could invite a guest speaker, such as an MD or DO or nurse, anyone really, who is pro chiropractic and subscribes to the chiropractic lifestyle.

The first step, however, is becoming informed and educated yourself. Doctor Mercola has a great deal of information on his site with references to other sites. A fast search will give you tons of info and books to read. Some of the comments posted on these sites by readers are also informative.  I have listed just a few below.

While you do need to know about vaccinations and the swine flu, you really need to understand the level of propaganda drug companies use to promote their products.  This is something you should be able to take issue with as a chiropractor who sees the results of unnecessary back surgeries weekly.   Once you are incensed about these injustices, all else will follow.

For a more radical approach, you can use a poster that shows how MD’s were used to support the use of tobacco and Vioxx, both products which are known toxic killers. [Sample poster below.]

Some things you can do:

  • Give a talk with or without a guest.
  • Host a community discussion group with a panel.
  • Talk to your patients one on one about what you know.
  • Educate your staff.
  • Place poster or pamphlets around the office.
  • Write a letter to the editor.
  • Make comments on blogs, face book or other web sites.

Again, you do not have be an expert about the biochemical aspects of vaccinations. The basics are obvious enough and will allow you to swing any discussion around to general health, nutrition, exercise, and of course,  subluxations, nerve interference, and chiropractic treatment.

It is not that you should promote chiropractic as a direct remedy for swine flu. That would be bad public relations, even if there are accounts of this. (See 1918 Flu Epidemic below.)  Instead, you are an advocate for health, looking after the general health of your patients and community.  You are a teacher.

It has been stated that there is a “Wellness Revolution.” People want organic and natural health. What doctor of what profession is better suited to lead the way other than you, the chiropractic doctor?

Take this opportunity and run with it.

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Promotional Posters: 2 Sample Plosters

———-

Some immunization references. (Please list more.)

Tedd Koren’s Brochures:
Do You Know What’s In A Flu Shot and Vaccination: 18 Reasons to Just Say No

Mercola.com

Chiropractic and the 1918 Flu empidemic (article)

http://www.vaclib.org/

Pro-Immunization: New York Times recent article

Dr. Oz. Immunization OK for him, but not for his wife and kids. (Youtube. 5 minutes in.)

Video clip of flu shot promotion from 1970’s. (Video)

Congressman Paul on the Recent Swine Flu Scare (Video– 4 minutes)

Dr. Blaylock (4 video interviews)

How to Raise a Healthy Child in Spite of Your Doctor (book)

A Shot in the Dark (book)


Dr. Tom Potisk, Chiropractor Recommends Petty Michel & Associates

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dr-tom-potisk-18prct

Hello Doc,

My name is Dr. Tom Potisk. I operate a chiropractic practice in South Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

For nearly 25 years I’ve enjoyed tremendous success in my practice. My practice, although not the largest, has been described as the type many doctors want to attain. Some features include excellent patient retention, loads of new patients, fabulous systems and procedures that allow me to take 8-10 weeks off each year, and a dedicated staff (my office manager has been with me since year 1).

One of the reasons for my success has been the management and consulting services of PMA (Petty, Michel, and Associates). In the 24 years that I’ve been their client, I’ve come to know their dedication, passion, and enthusiasm for the growth of the chiropractic profession and chiropractor’s practices. This group is the best value in their league.

Do you need more new patients? They have a marketing program to boost your new patients and keep the flow going.

Do you want better billings and collections? Their ethical, patient friendly systems are the best around.

Do you want more time off? The procedures they can put in place for you can keep your office running smoothly in your absence.

The best news in health care is that PM&A is expanding their services with upcoming seminars, new programs, and their trademark coaching and consulting services. I have attended their 3-Goals seminars and, like all of their services, their goals are designed to get you a practice like mine.

I volunteered to write this letter and want you to attend their seminars and use their services and learn from this extraordinary group. I’ll be at the next seminar and look forward to seeing you.

Sincerely and God Bless,

Dr. Tom Potisk

PS Feel welcome to call me if you have any questions – (262) 835-1767.

[NOTE: Our next seminar is in Chicago on Thursday, November 5th. For more info, go here, or give us a call at (414) 332-4511. Ed]

National Chiropractic Health Month

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I guess I missed the memo on this one. Maybe you did too.

October has always been Spinal Health Month as recognized by the American Chiropractic Association.  Apparently, this year it is changed to National Chiropractic Health Month.

You can still call it Spinal Health Month if you want, but either way, it is a good opportunity for you to use this as an extra motivation to get the word out about your services and chiropractic.

According to the ACA website, they are focusing on headaches this year.  They have some nice down-loadable pamphlets and brochures you can use. ACA headaches

Depending on your other promotions, I would announce that October is National Chiropractic Month as recognized by the American Chiropractic Association.  In conjunction with the ACA and the National Chiropractic Month, you would like to invite all patients to bring in their families and friends for a no charge chiropractic back and neck screening.  You can change this to a no charge chiropractic consultation, conference, or whatever you feel comfortable with.

A poster can be helpful in prompting a dialogue between the patients and the doctors and staff.  A poster can also be placed at local coffee houses, faxed to office managers at friendly businesses,  to support groups, and of course, handed to patients as fliers.  You can also place a notice in your patient statements and send out a press releases to local papers.

Here is a sample: LINK

You can also make a banner that says:

October is National Chiropractic Health Month
Bring in your family for a free posture screening. See the Front Desk for details.

This can be placed on the outside of your office, or on the inside. The banner can be a small one on paper, 3-5 feet, or a large one that can be used year after year.

Note to PM&A clients. You are welcome to edit these posters and fax us the changes and we can send you a new poster. We can also send you the Word file so you can make your own customizations.

What’s Been Working: 7 Characteristics of Successful Chiropractic Offices

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We recently reviewed what has been working marketing-wise with many of the more successful chiropractic offices with whom we work.  Many chiropractors are doing their best ever, even some who have been in practice for years.   One called up last week and said they had over 30 new patients that week.

What did we find? There seems to be a few key elements in common.  Here are 7 of them:

1. External Marketing Procedures. Many offices have had very successful external events over the last several months.  These are often scheduled a year in advance, and include talks, screenings, and networking. But external marketing also includes advertising, such as a dynamic web site, email, and even some radio, television, and print.

New offices, in particular,  need to concentrate on external marketing. But established offices also benefit because they not only help generate new patients, but also reactivate former patients and bolster the confidence of your active patients when they see you outside of your office.  We have lots of materials, posters, ads, procedural manuals on these external procedures. Many are free on our web sites (here and at pmaworks.com). You can also purchase our Marketing Manager System with the MMS Marketing Toolkit which has hundreds of practical marketing materials for your use.)

2. Internal Events. Most offices that are doing well have had some kind of internal event. Successful internal events are fun. They can simply be something silly like a costume day (Halloween Costume Awards), 80’s Day with mullets, or a  “Fruity Friday” with fruit on Fridays (Yea Team Munson!).  They can also focus on referrals: “Bring a Buddy Day”, services for donations, coupons, etc.  A very effective program is educational classes, such as the standard spinal care class and monthly advanced classes on different conditions and topics. (These procedures are also covered on our web sites and on our MMS computer program.)

3. Patient Education. Offices that have been doing well work hard at “telling the chiropractic story.” True health sets us apart from the medical world, which concentrates on crisis care and disease care. The more the patients understand this difference, and seek it, the more they stay, pay, and refer. Nothing beats an educated patient. A patient that understands the importance of spinal hygiene and general organic health will be more than a patient but a fellow team mate in your quest to help others regain and maintain their own health. Along with this understanding is the need for you and your team to also understand the opposing forces to healing from the inside, which include personal laziness and irresponsibility, Big Pharma, Big Food, and toxicity in every day materials.

4. Clinical Focus and Certainty. Successful offices have doctors that continue to be engaged in the craft, science, and philosophy of their profession.  I have seen offices with full appointment books simply because the chiropractor was a zealot about his skills and outcomes and was certain that he could nearly raise the dead.   One definition of professionalism could be the act of providing the utmost in excellent service long after the excitement and newness for the subject has evaporated. This requires discipline to constantly renew your eagerness for your skills.

5. Excellent Team Support. The busy offices were a team where everyone helped the patients and doctor quickly and cheerfully. To do this you have to have the right people in the right roles doing the right procedures.  Sometimes the office is disorganized, or the front desk staff member wants to be an airline stewardess (attendant) and the billing coordinator wants to work in a hospital. Sometimes there simply needs to be another staff member helping, or the procedures change too often for no reason.  These can stop new patients.

Simply put, someone has to do the marketing. Your team should want to sell heath. If the office is sufficiently organized and motivated, new patients seem to walk in as if being summoned telepathically.

6. Clinic Atmosphere. The quality of the atmosphere of an office is usually taken for granted. And given the fact that other practice building elements are in place, it may not be an acute problem. But there is no question that in the long term, the “vibes” of an office have far reaching effects.

Corporations understand this and make attempts at creating a great atmosphere. Starbucks is an example. But small town or corner stores often do this better, where the service and care is down right…neighborly. People want to go to a place where everyone knows their name.

7. Executive Skills.
Except for the clinical component, most of the elements mentioned above rests upon the skills of the doctor as a business executive, a role for which you did not necessarily sign up for when you paid your tuition at chiropractic college.

Every successful business has a C.E.O.  who inspires the team, ensures successful polices and procedures are constantly applied and improved, and plots the long term growth of the enterprise.  This is actually THE missing role in most chiropractic offices, by the way.  This is why most doctor’s stay chained to their jobs and live week to week, working to pay their overhead and keep the doors open.

To convert a job to a business requires someone to move outside of the practice and start to work on the practice, not just in it.

This is such an important skill that next year we will be starting a new series on The Chiropractor as the C.E.O.

You too can work on these seven areas of your business and see more than enough patients.  We would be happy to help you, by the way.

Ed Petty

Phyllis Rockin’ the House in New Zealand

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Phyllis Frase recently gave a presentation to the New Zealand Chiropractic College 2009 Lyceum.  She was the first American to give a presentation for the Chiropractic Assistants attending.

Opening Ceremonies - NZ Chiropractic College Lyceum 2009

The first night of the Lyceum included flags on the stage which represented every country that has a chiropractic school.

(Photo taken from Phyllis’ Blackberry.)

Online Verification and Claims Follow up Websites for Chiropractic Reimbursement

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Individual sites. You will need to enroll with each, they are free, and they provide accurate and up-to-date information. Each site is a little different, and some are easier to navigate than others.

Medicare (CSNAP) – CMS Secure Net Access Portal
http://www.wpsmedicare.com/part_b/selfservice/csnap.shtml or go here:

http://www.wpsmedicare.com/
and go to the C-SNAP button in the blue bar.

Medicaid – to request Portal access
https://www.forwardhealth.wi.gov/WIPortal/Account/Request%20Portal%20Access/tabid/117/Default.aspx

The following are all links that you should be able to cut and paste into your browser. These are for the login pages that Shelly at our office uses and may not be the page you need to register to login. There should be information on each site on how to register or sign-up if you are not registered.

Aetna
https://enroll.navimedix.com/enrollment/shared/office-search

BC/BS Anthem
http://www.anthem.com/home-providers.html

Cigna
http://www.cigna.com/health/provider/

Secure Health
https://secure.healthx.com/v2App/public/login.aspx

UMR – United Medicare Resources (formerly Fiserv)
https://provider-fhs.umr.com/portal

Humana
http://www.humana.com/ (click on provider button)

Insurance Administrators of America
https://www.iaatpa.com/IAATPA/ProviderServices/Secure/Providers/

MACS
http://www.macschiro.com/ (click on customer logon)

Prairie State
http://www.prairieontheweb.com/prairie/index.htm (click on login/register)

Sisco Benefit Information Systems
https://benefits.cb-sisco.com/

United Health (UHC)
https://www.unitedhealthcareonline.com/b2c/index.jsp

Principal
http://secure05.principal.com/signon/initial/

One-stop services (for verification & claims). This site charges per month, reviews from clients has not been real positive. They are a division on Web MD.

http://www.emdeon.com/

To subscribe to the Medicare email newsletter, so to this site and enter your email address. You will get up-to-the-minute information on Medicare changes. The only drawback is that it is not specific to chiropractic.

https://corp-ws.wpsic.com/apps/commercial/unauth/medicareListservUserWelcomeLoadAction.do

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has implemented an Internet-based Medicare provider enrollment process, known as Internet-based Provider Enrollment, Chain and Ownership System (PECOS). To enroll in Medicare or make changes to your Medicare enrollment, you can now accomplish this online faster and easier. Go here for details and to start the process:

http://www.cms.hhs.gov/MedicareProviderSupEnroll/04_InternetbasedPECOS.asp#TopOfPage

Please note: these links were all working and accessible as of June 22, 2009. Some links may have changed.

David Michel &  Shelly Hinz

Please add any updates or extra info you may have that others might find useful. Thanks – Ed

Chiropractic Practice Statistics For The First Half of 2009

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It’s summer time!

Barbecues, or grill-outs, depending on where you live, baseball games, corner lemonade stands and kids everywhere. Whatever else is going on in the world, here in the Northern Hemisphere, your patients and hopefully you, are enjoying the summer.

Meanwhile, business goes on. The year is half over. 2010 will be here less than 6 months.

BAD NEWS
There has been a constant rain of bad news pouring down these last 6 months, and months before, about the dismal state of our national and world economy.

Whatever the real condition is, fear only makes it only worse.  I have had chiropractors contact me and ask if they should continue in business, even when they were doing better than the year before.  One was even having her best year ever.

We hear stories from other doctor who tell us that they know about chiropractors who are leaving the profession.  In one state, we heard from its chiropractic association executive that 100 chiropractors, or about 10%, went out of business last year.  We have read reports of how chiropractic incomes have fallen in the last several years by as much as 22%.

But it is hard to get any real concrete numbers about how D.C.’s are doing, at least for us. The fact is we mostly just know how the individual doctors with whom we work are doing.

So, we decided to do a random survey some of the offices with whom we work. The purpose was to give us a broader perspective and an overall average of how doctors and their teams were doing,

SURVEY RESULTS – GOOD NEWS
The sample included well established practices that we have worked with for years, as well as some we have only begun to work with at the start of this year. We compared office visits and collections for the first half this year with the first half of last year.

Again, this was a random sample. We did not cherry pick just the best offices.

Of all the offices in the sample, the average office increased in office visits by 11.8% in the first six months of this year compared to the first 6 months of last year.

The average office collections increased of 14.7% over the same time periods.

graph-of-clients-stats

29% of the offices saw fewer visits this year than last year. The average percent down was 8%.  These offices also saw an average of 4.7% less in collections.

However, 71% of the sampled offices were up, with an average of 19.7% in visits and 22.7% in collections.  At least 4 of the offices, all well established, hit their “best-evers.”

You might wonder why the offices that did well – did well.  And…

why the ones who were down – were down?

CAUSE OF INCREASES/DECREASES

Here’s what we know:
Looking at each office, case by case, we found that many of the offices that were down would have been even lower were it not for actions pushed by us.  Not that down statistics are ever good, but compared to an average 40% drop in most retirement plans, 4.7 drop in collections is not that bad.

Second, in every down case there were weaknesses in one or more of eight major practice functions, what we call the 8 Essential Elements.  (We will go over these in another article.)

  • Some of these were weak because some part of the office was experiencing “growing pains.”  For example, a team member was replaced and in the transition, there was a momentary drop in the numbers.  Simply put, parts of the clinic were “under construction.”
  • But another reason for lowered numbers trace to poor management of one of these 8 Essential Elements.  We can pinpoint this exactly.   Old habits die hard, and sometimes it takes extra time and nudging to be coaxed out of stubborn ideas that keep us from changing when we need to change.

The point is,  it is not a mystery.

Offices that saw an increase in their numbers have been working hard to constantly improve critical functions of their practice and business.  Some offices needed more external marketing, some more internal. Some needed better team performance, others better organization or collections. Most needed better management and leadership. One needed better business and accounting procedures.

Practice development is a result of constantly working ON the exact functions of the practice that need it the most. Most doctors and staff just work in the business, but the practices that grew also worked on their business.

WHY DOCTORS FAIL IN BUSINESS
There are many reason doctors fail, but they all go back to not effectively working on developing one or more of these 8 Essential Elements.

Plus, it is harder than it used to be.  Like a fast time lapse science video, changes are occurring so rapidly in our social and economic environment that it is it is harder to keep up.  As a doctor, you are trained to “doctor”, not be an executive manager and marketer.  Plus… how can you run and develop your business while also focusing on the quality of your patient care?

WHAT YOU CAN DO
Success in today’s practice depends now on a new model or paradigm.  It is one that is collaborative – working closely with doctors, staff, patients, the community and coaches, all as a networked team sharing ideas, and motivating each other for our greater goals.

It is not enough just to come to work, then “work”, and go home. You need to set some time aside each week to review your practice goals and monthly numbers.  Then, you have to work with your team on specific areas of the practice that needs the most work.

You need to be a better practice and business executive, utilizing practice management tools.

Modern practice building is fun, really.  Your practice can continue to do better and you CAN reach your goals. It may take a new approach, working with everyone as a team of players – each with specific roles and following effective and well rehearsed “plays.”

If you are not actively moving toward your goals, feel free to contact us. There are also other ethical and competent coaches and consultants who can help.

It is hard to go it alone.

Tiger Woods, probably the best golfer of a time, who receives regular chiropractic care, also has a coach.

We are happy to be yours.

#  #  #

Stay tuned for more on:

  • The 8 Essential Elements
  • New Practice Management Paradigm
  • Practice Executive Toolkit

Chiropractic Promotion: “Do Your Part”

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ww2-woman

This is a patriotic themed promotion for chiropractic offices in the U.S. It can be used in conjunction with the 4th of July, Labor Day, Memorial Day, or any other day that strikes a cord of national duty.

Its purpose is to educate patients and non patients to understand that by getting healthier, the country and economy will benefit. Someone who is healthy is more productive and less of a burden on our disease care medical system. A healthier person contributes more to our national, and local, economy.

The theme of this promotion is that getting healthier — and getting others healthier — is somewhat of a patriotic duty, particularly in these hard economic times.

How To Do the Promotion
You can set aside a day or a week to hold a special promotion for your patients to encourage them to schedule their family and friends to come in to your clinic for an introductory service.

1. Team Talk. Talk to the staff and go over the promotion with them. Take their suggestions and consider including them.
2. Plan and Schedule. Set a date and plan out the particulars.
3. The Reason. Go over the reason behind the promotion and how the promotion can help fulfill this purpose.
4. Posters. Place poster in the office.
5. Coupons. Hand out coupons to patients individually. Sign each one, with a date issued. You can even write the name of the guest of the patient on the coupon.
6. Newsletter. Write a notice in your office newsletter.
7. Word of Mouth. Talk it up with all of your patients.
8. Delegate a staff member to be the Do Your Part Coordinator to help implement this program, and to be its cheerleader.
9. External. You can also promote this is a small town newspaper, insert, and or on your web site. Adjust the text of the poster slightly and placed at local coffee shops, hair salons, etc.

And, you can Do Your Part by helping your patients and community do theirs.

Sample Poster.

Sample Coupon.

(Active Clients can go to their Member’s site for the customizable word articles – by June 20. )