Tag Archives: driven

Does Your Chiropractic Practice Have Team Bonuses?

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As a business owner, you want to reward success. Heck, you want to be rewarded for your success as well (at least one of these days! lol) It’s the American Way, right?

But, unfortunately, bonus systems don’t always work and aren’t always fair. Yet, within reason, we still recommend them.

Here are four basic needs and two types of motivation when rewarding employees.

Read the full article here to find out the details:   https://www.goaldriven.com/post/does-your-chiropractic-practice-have-team-bonuses

Improving Your Chiropractic Practice Team Meetings

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Team meetings can be very effective at improving the quality and quantity of your services.

At best, they bring everyone into alignment with the goals of the practice. They can release energy that results in sometimes almost magical results. I have seen it!

Here are some key tips for improving chiropractic practice team meetings:

1. Set Clear Goals and Structure

    • Hold weekly meetings, ideally on Mondays to start the week strong
    • Limit meetings to 1 hour maximum
    • Create a consistent agenda covering key areas like practice goals, statistics, department updates, etc

2. Encourage Participation

  • Require all staff to attend and come prepared to participate actively
  • Allow time for each team member to report on their department
  • Create an open forum for discussion and suggestions

3.  Focus on Improvement

  • Review practice statistics and track progress on goals
  • Discuss what’s working well and what needs improvement
  • Develop action plans to address any issues

4. Boost Motivation

  • Start with positive affirmations or recognizing accomplishments
  • Highlight exceptional work by staff members
  • Share patient success stories to reinforce the practice’s mission

5. Maintain Professionalism

  • Avoid criticizing individuals or changing policies during meetings
  • End on a positive, inspirational note
  • Follow up on action items and “to-do” lists from previous meetings

By implementing these strategies, you can transform your team meetings into productive, energizing sessions that align your staff and drive practice growth. Regular, well-run meetings are crucial for improving communication, motivation, and overall practice performance.

Read the full article here:  https://www.goaldriven.com/post/improving-your-chiropractic-practice-team-meetings

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If your practice-building efforts aren’t taking you to your goals, there are reasons — many of which are hidden from you.

Find out what they are and how to sail to your next level by getting and implementing my book, The Goal Driven Business.

goal driven business www.goaldriven.com
 

The Goal Driven Business

goal driven business buy now button

Raising the Vibe Level in Your Chiropractic Office

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lady walking on the beach listening to music

We ordinarily send our Goal Driver newsletter out to chiropractors and other healthcare business owners and support staff on Tuesday at 11 Central Time.

Today is different. This newsletter is going out early.

Today is the first working day of this week (in the U.S.) after a refreshing extra-long Labor Day weekend. It is the first day of September, and summer vacation is behind us. And it is just 4 powerful months (120 days) to 2025!

I wanted to send this to you before your day begins to help you get your motor running.

So here is some music.

You can listen to some tunes while you take your morning jog and cold plunge (!), get your kids ready and drop them at school, and drive into the office.

You can play it at the office with your team. And patients.

Pick your vibe below, or any music, turn up your speakers, and get your motor running!

Have a great day,

And seize the rest of 2024!

Ed

Steppenwolf – Born To Be Wild   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=egMWlD3fLJ8

“Unstoppable” (The Score ft. Fleurie) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_PBlykN4KIY

“Eye of the Tiger” (Survivor)  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ob8TNqQw2hY

Chariots Of Fire Theme Song https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8a-HfNE3EIo

“Lose Yourself” (Eminem) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xFYQQPAOz7Y

“Gonna Fly Now” (Bill Conti) (Theme from Rocky) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ioE_O7Lm0I4

“Brave” (Sara Bareilles) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Ny_LX3byp8

 Beastie Boys No Sleep Till Brooklyn  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IDVq9s6HCB4

“Enter Sandman” (Metallica)  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Q8SxnbL1ms

Dream On (Aerosmith)  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iJDtukGW79Y

 “It’s a Great Day to Be Alive” (Travis Tritt)  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d4tSE2w53ts

 “This One’s For the Girls” (Martina McBride) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4fvKzTC3-BA

 “I Hope You Dance” (Lee Ann Womack)  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F44nrK0MxEQ

Somewhere over the Rainbow – Israel “IZ” Kamakawiwoʻole  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V1bFr2SWP1I

Stand By Me | Playing For Change | Song Around The World  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Us-TVg40ExM

 Bobby McFerrin – Don’t Worry Be Happy  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-diB65scQU

I Dreamed A Dream. Susan Boyle (part of Britain’s Got Talent) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mS5Om47vsaA

 

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If your practice-building efforts aren’t taking you to your goals, there are reasons — many of which are hidden from you.

Find out what they are and how to sail to your next level by getting and implementing my book, The Goal Driven Business.

 
goal driven business www.goaldriven.com

The Goal Driven Business

goal driven business buy now button

Why You Should Have a Turnkey Chiropractic and Healthcare Practice

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keys in a door of a goal driven turnkey chiropractic office

The Practice Development Scale

If you were going to buy a practice, wouldn’t you prefer it to be “turnkey?”

If you were to work as a chiropractic doctor or provider in another clinic, you’d want it to be “turnkey,” right?

Or, as a support professional and assistant, I bet working in a turnkey office would be your preference.

WHAT IS A TURNKEY PRACTICE?

The term “turnkey” implies that the necessary operational elements of a practice are in place so that all the owner or practitioner has to do is “turn the key,” and the practice just goes!

A turnkey practice is so well organized that the stress level is low, the revenue is high, and the service outcomes are excellent.

Consider a scale of 1-5, where 5 is a turnkey practice, and 0 is an insolvent practice.

SCALE OF PRACTICE DEVELOPMENT

___5: Turnkey Practice

  • The practice is fully equipped and operates at close to full capacity. It is ready to be sold, to bring on additional providers, or just happily and profitably cruise.

  • There is a strong, established patient base ensuring regular revenue.

  • Administrative, billing, scheduling, and management systems are highly efficient.

  • The practice is financially robust, accumulating income over expenses each month.

  • The practice has a trained and established manager who ensures the seamless operation and continuity of all systems and procedures.

  • Staff are highly skilled, well-trained, and capable of independently managing the practice. Morale is high.

  • The business owner spends just a few hours each month on administration.

___4: Well-Established Practice

  • The practice is well-established and runs well.

  • There is a large, loyal client or patient base.

  • Administrative systems are efficient.

  • The practice is financially stable.

  • Staff members are trained and experienced.

  • The owner spends a few hours each week on administration.

__3: Growing practice

  • The practice is showing signs of growth.

  • The client or patient base is stable and increasing.

  • Administrative systems are more organized.

  • Financial health is improving.

  • Staffing is more stable, with ongoing training.

  • Owner works hard each week

___2: Basic Operational Practice

  • The practice has the basic elements required for operation.

  • There is a modest, gradually growing client or patient base.

  • Basic administrative systems are in place but may be inefficient.

  • Financial stability is tenuous but improving.

  • Staff are present but may lack competence or numbers.

  • Daily admin operations are dependent on the owner

___1: Struggling practice

  • The practice is operational but faces significant challenges.

  • There is a small, inconsistent client or patient base.

  • Administrative systems are inefficient or nonexistent.

  • Financial difficulties are prevalent, with cash flow issues and potential debt.

  • Staff may be minimal, overworked, or inadequately trained.

  • Owner stressed by dealing with administrative tasks

___0: No Practice / Insolvent

SELL, CLONE, OR CRUISE

Once you have achieved turnkey practice, you can sell it for the highest price.

Or, you now have the option to add another provider profitably. There is no limit – if you develop each provider to a turnkey level before adding more.

But the third option is just to cruise and have fun seeing patients with a great team supporting you and the practice. This option allows you to continue helping your patients while integrating your personal life with your practice life.

In a subsequent article, I will list the key roadblocks, some of them hidden, that can get in your way from creating a turnkey practice. I will also show you how to get to a turnkey practice faster.

But just knowing this scale will give you a map to better chart your course to success.

Keeping the end in mind,

Ed

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If your practice building efforts aren’t taking you to your goals, there are reasons — many of which are hidden from you.

Find out what they are and how to sail to your next level by getting and implementing my book, The Goal Driven Business.

goal driven business www.goaldriven.com
The Goal Driven Business
By Edward Petty
goal driven business buy now button

How to Make Better Use of Patient Reviews

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goald driven healthy woman succeeding

In Chiropractic and Healthcare Clinics, Patient Reviews Are More Than Marketing

One of our chiropractic clients just sent me a patient review.

It expressed a profound improvement in the patient’s life. It was moving!

I am sure you have similar reviews.

Patient testimonials are useful in marketing and demonstrating your credibility. There is software that captures and encourages positive reviews, and you can just ask patients to write something about their wins. You can also record the patient talking about their health success in a short video. These can be included on your website, social media, and in your newsletter.

MORE THAN MARKETING

But testimonials and reviews are more than marketing.

FIRST, they are a personal statement sincerely expressed by your patient. Your patients courageously express their wins so other people can learn about them. They are standing up for themselves and the doctors and staff that helped them.

This is not a small thing — you should personally acknowledge any review you receive.

SECOND, you and your team may not always see or appreciate the outcomes of your combined work. Aside from providing clinical services, there is also scheduling, payments, note-taking, patient communication, and marketing. Plus, everyone shares a hundred other administrative tasks. All of this eventually results in a great result for your patient.

In college, one summer, I worked in a cannery. I was a “tray boy,” I put trays of empty cans on a stand and then took them off once the cans were filled with fruit (pineapple) from a conveyor belt that never stopped. That’s all I did. I never saw the completed canned products, their labeling, or even enjoyed eating them. I was basically a robot, a cog on an endless conveyor belt.

Similarly, team members can focus on their specialties and not always see the transformative results they are helping to create with patients. Work can become routine, just an assembly line that never ends.

LASTLY, the testimonial describes your WHY.

The idea of “Why” was popularized by Simon Sinek and his Ted Talk and posted on YouTube in 2009. He uses a 3 ringed circle to illustrate this idea.

the golden circle, how what and why by simon sinek

The outside circle describes WHAT the business does. The next inner circle describes HOW the business does what it does. And the innermost circle describes WHY the business does what it does.

“Every single person, every single organization on the planet knows what they do, 100 percent.

“Some know how they do it … But very, very few people or organizations know why they do what they do. And by “why” I don’t mean “to make a profit.” That’s a result. It’s always a result.

“By “why,” I mean: What’s your purpose? What’s your cause? What’s your belief? Why does your organization exist? Why do you get out of bed in the morning? And why should anyone care? … the inspired leaders and the inspired organizations — regardless of their size, regardless of their industry — all think, act and communicate from the inside out.” *

Everyone in your office, patients, staff, and perhaps people in your community, know WHAT you do. You provide health care. Some of your team members might know HOW you do it – what procedures you use and how they work for patients.

But to have a fully engaged and motivated team, and even a patient community, you need to keep connecting them to WHY the offices does what it does. And not just the office “mission statement,” but WHY this is your mission.

IN YOUR OFFICE

  1. Thank each patient for their review.

  2. Connect team members and their work with the clinic outcomes and patient successes.

  3. Connect everyone, including yourself, with the WHY of your services.

Ed

P.S. IN OUR OFFICE:

When the doctor sent me their patient’s review, I realized that, for all of us at Petty Michel & Associates and our Goal Driven Training, this was our WHY as well.

—————————————————-

If your practice building efforts aren’t taking you to your goals, there are reasons — many of which are hidden from you.

Find out what they are and how to sail to your next level by getting and implementing my book, The Goal Driven Business.

goal driven business www.goaldriven.com
The Goal Driven Business
By Edward Petty
goal driven business buy now button

A Health Challenge for Your Chiropractic and Healthcare Office

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Chiropractic Healthcare Caring to Share

A month promotion where everyone wins

A local hot yoga studio where I live usually sees their numbers drop in the summer. So, a few years ago, they instituted a solution to lowered attendance: The Yoga Challenge. Attend 30 times over the summer and be eligible for a trip with your guest to a week of Yoga at a retreat in Costa Rica.

I know the owners, and the program has been overwhelmingly successful.

Why is this?

Well, obviously, a week paid for in Costa Rica can be a wonderful experience and so is an appealing goal. But much more than that, there are the intrinsic rewards of personal achievement and playing for a bigger goal. 30 visits of hot Yoga over three months is an accomplishment – you couldn’t help but get in better shape — if you didn’t become dehydrated and wrinkled like a dried prune.

COULD THIS TYPE OF PROMOTION BE USED IN YOUR CHIROPRACTIC OR HEALTHCARE CLINIC?

The short answer is … YES!

We have worked with clinics that have had success with versions of this program.

Essentially, a Challenge is a game and we all like games!

Whether it’s puppies, babies, or the Olympics, the gaming spirit is part of our makeup. Can we win? Can we achieve it? Let’s go for it.

Computer games include the concept of gamification. (Fun Fact: The computer game industry is expected to hit $282 billion in 2024)* That does not even include revenue from professional sports or racing.

I cover all this subject in my book, the Goal Driven Business , and how to apply it to everyday practice.

AN EXAMPLE – ONE-MONTH CHALLENGE IN YOUR OFFICE

You could meet with your team and discuss different versions of a “Care to Share Better Health Challenge.”

The goal would be to have fun getting healthier, helping others get healthier, and maybe win a few gifts!

“By accepting this Challenge, you will get healthier, help others get healthier, and maybe even win gifts!

To participate, patients receive tickets for completing health-oriented accomplishments.

Here are some examples of health-oriented activities:

  1. Attend one of our Wellness Classes. (2 tickets)

  2. Bring a guest.(2 tickets)

  3. Post a review of our services.(2 tickets)

  4. Keep all of your appointments. (3 tickets)

  5. Refer a friend to a no-charge consultation with one of our doctors. (2 tickets.)

  6. Exercise at least 3 hours per week (12 for the month). (3 tickets)

Tickets are entered into a drawing for several possible prizes at the end of the month.

CHALLENGE FOR YOUR CHIROPRACTIC AND HEALTHCARE TEAM

What makes a program like this work is that it is also a game for your staff. If specific goals are met, then they, too, receive awards!

Everyone is in the game!

A Challenge will need planning and lots of cheer leading! As with any internal type of promotion, it depends on the level of synergy in the office.

Talk it over with your team and customize it. Make up your own Challenge. Set goals for visits, class attendances, introductory consultations, and/or new patients.

And, let the games begin.

Ed

UPCOMING EVENTS

We have two upcoming events for you.

Improving Your Collections. On Tuesday, June 25 at 12 (noon) Central Time, Dave Michel and Lisa Barnett will present a free webinar to subscribers to this newsletter and our clients: The 6 Critical Components to Improving Your Collections. Click below to sign up.

Practice MBA for your manager (and you!). Our 2nd Practice MBA session for your manager and you as a clinic director is getting set to start later this summer. The results from our last one continue to be inspiring. One mature clinic I just checked in on yesterday has its revenue up 21% this year. If you are interested and not yet on the waiting list, please click below to find more info and reserve your space.

—————————————————-

If your practice building efforts aren’t taking you to your goals, there are reasons — many of which are hidden from you.

Find out what they are and how to sail to your next level by getting and implementing my book, The Goal Driven Business.

goal driven business www.goaldriven.com
The Goal Driven Business
By Edward Petty
goal driven business buy now button

What is Health Literacy in Chiropractic and Natural Heath Care?

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patients watching a presentation by a chiropractor

The more people know about health, the more they will help others be healthier.

I just ran across a “study” entitled “The Relationship Between Health Literacy and Medical Costs. *”

Their findings:

  • Patients with lower health literacy had higher hospitalization rates compared to those with higher health literacy.

What does this mean? Let’s look at how Health Literacy is defined:

  • “Health literacy is the ability to obtain, process, and understand basic health information and services to make appropriate health decisions.” (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services) (HHS)

So, how is this working out for us in the U.S.?

  • The U.S. ranks last in a comparison of 11 high-income countries in terms of general health. This is despite the U.S. spending the most on healthcare compared to these nations.*

health care system performance rankings comparison

So, it can be reasoned that Americans aren’t getting much information on health care. Our people are fatter, sicker, and more depressed. Our kid’s health is getting worse.*

IMPROVING HEALTH LITERACY IN CHIROPRACTIC AND NATURAL HEALTH CLINICS

However, as the above study illustrates, there is a direct connection between educated patients and better health.

We already know this from experience in practice. I just thought it was interesting that there was a study showing this fact: better educated patients are healthier. They also refer more people for care.

Here are 3 approaches to improved patient education, though there are many others:

  1. Inform while you perform. Educate your patients each day about some aspect of health care. This is also called Table Talk.

  2. Care Class. It used to be common procedure in practice building to have regular new classes for patients. Not only were they educational, but entertaining. They built community. They also increased patient referrals, patient retention, and improved the motivation of those giving the talks. They cost next to nothing, except for the doctor’s and staff member’s time. In some offices, refreshments were added. In one chiropractic clinic I worked with would award attendees with clinic t-shirts and provide great pizza and had a full class!

  3. Newsletter with a case study. When your patients are not in the office, send them a short note. Maybe add a video. Doesn’t have to be professional, just authentic and describe a successful case or some health tip that they can use.

I think that because we work and live in a health profession that we take health knowledge for granted. And it can be easy to assume people know what you know.

They don’t.

There is a chasm between what you know about health and what your patients know.

How full would your schedule be if your patients, and their family and friends, knew what you knew about how to stay healthier?

Health literacy is a term from the medical world that has obviously failed to bring about health literacy.

No surprise there.

But in your corner of the world, you can change this and increase true health literacy with all your patients. And help more people.

Seize the future,

Ed

References:

* American Journal of Public Health, 1998. Baker, D.W., Parker, R.M., Williams, M.V., Clark, W.S.,

* U. S. Ranks last. https://www.commonwealthfund.org/press-release/2021/new-international-study-us-health-system-ranks-last-among-11-countries-many

—————————————————-

If your practice building efforts aren’t taking you to your goals, there are reasons — many of which are hidden from you.

Find out what they are and how to sail to your next level by getting and implementing my book, The Goal Driven Business.

goal driven business www.goaldriven.com
The Goal Driven Business
By Edward Petty
goal driven business buy now button
 
 
 

Unexpected Successes in Practice

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smiling woman with a stack of binders and books

Why Your Chiropractic Patients and Practice Can Improve in Multiple Ways

If you continue to work on improvement, you will see results. That’s just physics — a reduction of Newton’s laws, which state that causes create effects.

And if you keep improving what you are doing to make the improvements, the results will be even better. That, too, is physics. (See pages 47 and 256 of the Goal Driven Business!)

However, the results may not always be what you expect, at least not at first.

For example, you start adjusting your patient for their lower back pain. When they started with you, they also had a limp. After several visits, they stopped limping, but their back pain, while better, was still annoying. In time, their back pain was relieved as they continued with their care.

But what about the fact that their limp is gone, their gate is excellent, and they can walk and even run more easily? Didn’t anyone notice?

I mentioned this to someone who coaches people on weight loss. She understood immediately what I said. She referred to it as Non-Scale Victories. NSV’s, she called it!

THE CAUSE OF NONLINEAR POSITIVE RESULTS IN PRACTICE

I have been following the graduates of our first Practice MBA program carefully. I am delighted with the results, but they were not entirely what I expected. I had expected and hoped that practice numbers would increase! Well, this has been happening, in fact, in some cases, Best Evers in years.

But other pleasant surprises have been showing up. For example, chiropractic doctors mention how their offices are calmer and friendlier than before. Another acupuncture office is successfully bringing on a second associate, and another is expanding its marketing reach in entirely new and innovative ways. Even old system problems that have been buried for years are arising and getting resolved.

These and other practice improvements were not directly addressed in our training. I have been consulting for over 30 years and have never seen results like this.

I was at first puzzled by what was happening. I think I finally figured it out. Here are three reasons:

  • The Hidden Ripple Effect. Imagine a pebble dropped into a calm pond. The initial splash is visible, but the ripples extend far beyond the point of impact.
  • Holistic Growth. Improvement is rarely isolated. Improving one component in a system improves other elements.
  • Consistent Weekly Improvement. This is the biggest reason. The function of management and leadership in a practice is powerful, even if only worked on for a few hours per week. This is what we did for over 3 months, both doctor, manager and the team.

Imagine what would happen if you stuck to your exercise program consistently for a year! Yes, you might lose weight, build muscle, and improve your agility. But can you imagine how it might also affect other areas of your life?

But, like exercise, practice improvement gets put off too often. We focus on urgent practice issues, but because improvement, while important, is NOT urgent, we can tend to put it off.

UNSEEN BENEFITS: THERE ARE MORE SUCCESSES IN PRACTICE THAN WE ACKNOWLEDGE

We also aren’t inclined to notice nonlinear beneficial outcomes.

  • Our Instinct is to Look for the Negative. The sympathetic nervous system that governs our fight or flight response has evolved over the millennium as a survival mechanism. We are looking for poisonous snakes on the road and other possible threats.
  • We Also Have Tunnel Vision. We tend to focus on just our specific goals. This is essential but limits our perspective. We miss peripheral benefits.

So, one of the lessons I have learned from our Practice MBA program is that if we continue to work ON improving our practice and ourselves, if we just keep at it, successes will occur – often in multiple areas. When they do, they should be recognized and appreciated.

Keep improving – your office, your patients, and yourself!

That’s our goal!

Ed

Bravery in Your Chiropractic Office

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bravery but funny goal drivenBravery is one of the themes of our practice manager training program.

Brave, Not Perfect is the title of an excellent book by Reshma Saujani, and also from her TED talk with the same title. She states that our culture influences girls to be perfect while boys can be wilder, take risks, and make more mistakes. She encourages women to be braver.

I think this can apply to us all.

Practice Manager Success Story

But this newsletter is about a success story. A story of bravery and integrity. It is also to boast about one of our managers who recently graduated from our Goal Driven Practice MBA program for chiropractic and healthcare offices and demonstrated these values.

As the practice manager, she also does the billing in this office. The chiropractic doctor had treated a patient who had suffered a motor vehicle accident. She submitted the bill to a 3rd party, reducing the what was owed slightly as the doctor agreed to discount some of the services.

The 3rd party company came back and said they could only pay 70% of the bill.

This was the manager’s response:

“Good morning,

“Thank you for letting us know.

“We provided 100% of the care that our patient needed; therefore, we require 100% payment of our services we provided. The original discounted offer of $X,XXX is no longer valid.

“We have decided to pursue the full amount plus interest, along with any court/attorney fees if we haven’t received payment in the full amount of $Y,YYY by March 7th.”

“Thank you,

[Signature]

“Manager of Chiropractic Health Clinic”

She received the full amount before March 7th.

Be Brave — with Integrity and Humor

Be nice, be fair, but first, be brave.

This can apply to scheduling patients at the front desk. It applies to reporting on the patient’s condition and treatment plan options. It applies to promotions and advertising. It can apply to training and coaching for you and your team.

It takes courage to become a doctor, to start a business, and even to work as a professional in an independent healthcare clinic. It takes even more to succeed at doing so.

But hey, it can be fun. And it helps to have some humor.

Our manager made a copy of the correspondence with the claims company with a copy of the check. She gave it as a surprise to her clinic director, who sent me a text with the image of what she gave him. On the copy of the email, she included a handwritten quote from the classic comedy movie Princess Bride:

“NEVER GO AGAINST A SICILIAN WHEN DEATH IS ON THE LINE.”

Stay Brave and Goal Driven — and Have Fun.

Ed

P.S. Our next management and leadership training program begins this summer. We have been retooling it and upgrading it. Only 7 students will be accepted. If you are interested, please get on the Wait List, and I will contact you soon with more information. Click here for Wait List for our next Practice MBA

—————————————————-

If your practice building efforts aren’t taking you to your goals,

there are reasons — many of which are hidden from you.

Find out what they are and how to sail to your next level by getting and implementing my new book, The Goal Driven Business.

goal driven business book for CEO and Office Managers by Edward W Petty.

The Goal Driven Business, By Edward Petty

Goal driven order now button

Have You Mapped Your Patient’s Health Journey?

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woman mapping out patient flow for chiropractic office

Improving Your Chiropractic Patient’s Experience

Advertising has peaked. We are awash in ads coming at us from every possible source. We are hit with anywhere from 4000 to 10,000 ads per day.* With AI and ultra-sophisticated forms of targeting, it’s almost totalitarian.

The new marketing is customer service or Service Marketing.

Advertising has its place, of course, if it is to the right market, with the right message, and the right offer. But with all ads, the low-hanging fruit gets picked quickly, and new ones are needed.

There are other avenues of marketing your chiropractic services, but the importance of world-class service and outcomes is more vital than ever.

You’ve seen the stats:

  • 40% of customers began purchasing from a competitive brand because of its reputation for good customer service.
  • 55% are willing to recommend a company due to outstanding service, more so than price.
  • 85% would pay up to 25 percent more to ensure a superior customer service experience.*

Nothing is radically new about these numbers, but it helps to see them again.

And Service Marketing is not really new. But I believe it is and will be the dominant feature that distinguishes you from comparable providers. This is because content marketing has flooded the market. Therefore, call it service marketing or relationship marketing, turning each of your patients into raving fans who become salespeople for you is an intelligent marketing strategy.

But you must deliver the WOW!

CUSTOMER AND PATIENT JOURNEY MAPPING

Customer Journey Mapping is a relatively new term that has been hatched over the last 10 or 15 years in marketing. While the term is new, the concept is not.

Customer Journey Mapping is a procedure used to visualize and analyze customers’ end-to-end experience as they interact with, in this case, your practice.

It is essentially a flow chart.

It starts with a prospective patient’s first call to make an appointment. What do they see when they drive up to your office, walk through the door, and are greeted? It involves mapping out every encounter and even the likely emotion your patient experiences through Day 1, Day 2, Day 12, and so on.

And how far do you take your patient? Is it 8 visits and done? Do you take them through Acute Care, Corrective and Strengthening, to Supportive and Wellness? Do you have a map for your patients and do they know it? What are the milestones along the way? Are your patients excited about reaching them?

IMPROVING YOUR CHIROPRACTIC AND HEALTHCARE SERVICE

One of the exercises I covered in my book The Goal Driven Business, which has always been useful, is a complete Day 1 and Day 2 walk-through. It is rehearsing your flow chart or patient map.

Everyone watches while someone acts as a patient. I have often done this and acted as a patient. I will notice things that everyone has taken for granted — the old poster from 1989 still on the wall with the Muppets, a dead plant in the corner, a dead smile on the front desk, no explanation when I am dumped off on a therapy unit. Staff start noticing things as well. Redundancies show up, so do poor handoffs between the front desk and the doctor or from the doctor to patient accounts.

Zeroing in on how the phone is answered, an exam is done, or a report of findings is presented, you can find many small improvements that make a big difference on how your patients experience your office.

(Want me to set this up for you? Schedule a time and give me a call.)

Creating your patient’s experience is your most important marketing activity. Mapping it and practicing will help you create raving fans — that will generate even more fans.

Keep improving,

Ed

*The average American encounters around 6,000 to 10,000 ads or brand exposures per day. Source: “MIT Technology Review” article by Michael Schrage (Aug 7, 2017)

*Customer service stats. X: The Experience When Business Meets Design, by Brian Solis

—————————————————-

If your practice building efforts aren’t taking you to your goals,

there are reasons — many of which are hidden from you.

Find out what they are and how to sail to your next level by getting and implementing my new book, The Goal Driven Business.

goal driven business book for CEO and Office Managers by Edward W Petty.

The Goal Driven Business, By Edward Petty

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Why You Should Keep Smiling in Your Chiropractic and Healthcare Office

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receptionist at chiropractic office working with a customer

More Chiropractic Jokes Please!

In the late 80s, when I took my son to his first adjustment, I noticed bold but innocent cards on the doctor’s front desk counter.

They said, simply, KEEP SMILING.

Over the years, I have often seen this card at chiropractic events and offices – almost as a chiropractic tagline: KEEP SMILING!

I would love to know the history of this phrase, and if anyone knows, please come over to the Blog and explain it, or hit reply with the info and I’ll share it with your permission.

I have seen it on a chiropractor’s envelope from the 20’s, so I know it goes back a while.

SMILING MAKES YOU HAPPIER AND HEALTHIER

Getting those smiles out will improve your mood and improve your health.

IT’S SCIENCE.

Something the chiropractors of the 1920s and before knew.

“When you smile, your brain releases tiny molecules called neuropeptides to help fight off stress. Then other neurotransmitters like dopamine, serotonin and endorphins come into play too. The endorphins act as a mild pain reliever, whereas the serotonin is an antidepressant. One study even suggests that smiling can help us recover faster from stress and reduce our heart rate.”*

Try right now — SMILE!

See! It works.

OK then, DON’T SMILE. Gotcha. It works. :- )

Smile, laugh, and the whole world smiles with you. Frown, and you frown alone.

SMILING IMPROVES PRACTICE PERFORMANCE

But smiling can also improve your practice.

A happier office will have better performance.

“Smiling can have a positive impact on our performance at work. Research has shown that when we smile, we experience a boost in mood and a reduction in stress levels. This can lead to increased productivity and better performance on tasks.”*

2 METHODS TO SMILE MORE IN YOUR CHIROPRACTIC HEALTHCARE OFFICE

Old School Trick: Front Desk Mirror

Place a mirror facing towards the staff on the front desk. It should be so that it can be seen by whomever is working at the desk and answering the phones.

Place a caption on the bottom of the mirror. Something like: SHOW YOUR TEETH!

People can tell if you are smiling when they talk with you on the phone.

Morning Meeting Jokes

For your morning case management meetings, one person is assigned to tell a joke. The next day, it is someone else’s turn to tell a joke. Each team member must tell a joke.

Yes, the jokes are usually dumb, and it can be embarrassing. But it is also can be funny!

And besides, there is B.J. Palmer’s Rule Number 9:

“Don’t take yourself too damn seriously.”

So, that’s it.

Don’t be so serious!

Smile more, and you’ll find more things to smile about.

To help get you started, I found some chiropractic jokes and put a few of them below. More are on our Blog. (Also added an acupuncturist and dental joke.)

Have a funny day!

😊

Ed

Some bad jokes!

I never believed that chiropractors could solve my back problems.

2 weeks later, I stand corrected.

Did you hear about the chiropractor who got in trouble with the IRS?

It was for back taxes.

What do you call two chiropractors who’ve got each other’s backs?

Vertebros.

My chiropractor and I got into a terrible fight in the middle of my neck treatment.

Now I have to spend the rest of my life looking over my shoulder.

What’s the difference between a chiropractor and a proctologist?

You go to one if you need your finger cracked and the other if you need your crack fingered.

I went to the acupuncturist the other day.

When I got home my voodoo doll was dead

Be kind to your dentist.

He has fillings too.

My chiropractor is serious as hell.

But he still cracks me up.

“But Quasimodo, what makes you think you need to see a chiropractor?”

“Oh, it’s just a hunch…”

I go to the chiropractor because my wife told me to.

At least I assume that’s what she meant when she said, “Prove to me you have a spine.”

I had to quit going to the chiropractor …

I felt he was always trying to manipulate me.

Does anyone remember the joke I made about the Chiropractor?

It was about a weak back.

Went to see my chiropractor for the first time in a long time.

First thing he said when I walked into his office was “Glad to see your back!”

How many chiropractors does it take to change a light bulb?

Only one, but it takes 24 visits.

Good friends are like chiropractors.

They have your back and set you straight.

Don’t ever let a chiropractor tell you a joke.

It’ll hit your funny bone.

One thing I have learnt this year is to never trust acupuncturists

They’ll stab you in the back the first chance they get.

My dentist mocked me today, saying that even though he’s much older than me, he has healthier teeth.

I said it must be because he has the better dentist.

References:

*Grin and Bear It! Smiling Facilitates Stress Recovery-  https://www.psychologicalscience.org/news/releases/smiling-facilitates-stress-recovery.html

*Smiling: The Surprising Benefits You Never Knew About – https://psychologily.com/benefits-of-smiling/

*New Study Suggests Smiling Influences How You See the World-https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-right-mindset/202008/new-study-suggests-smiling-influences-how-you-see-the-world

*The Health Benefits of Smiling-https://intermountainhealthcare.org/blogs/the-real-health-benefits-of-smiling-and-laughing

—————————————————-

If your practice building efforts aren’t taking you to your goals,

there are reasons — many of which are hidden from you.

Find out what they are and how to sail to your next level by getting and implementing my new book, The Goal Driven Business.

goal driven business book for CEO and Office Managers by Edward W Petty.

The Goal Driven Business, By Edward Petty

Goal driven order now button

How Responsible is Your Chiropractic Healthcare Office?

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take responsibility for what you care for

Responsibility Scale – Ownership or Spectator?

A few years ago, I was teaching an exercise program to a group of underprivileged kids ranging from 8 to 13 years old.

The program was part of a larger volunteer program run out of an old, dilapidated church. The kids came from a very rough environment. Keeping them focused in class was challenging, and getting them to participate was even harder.

I would start the class by going over a virtue. This might include kindness, cleanliness, honesty, or discipline. When I asked the group questions, no one would usually answer.

Except for this one time.

I asked the children what the word “responsibility” meant. In the back row – I had them all standing in rows – one scruffy-looking boy, about 10, immediately raised his hand and said: “Ownership.”

“Ownership.” I was stunned. Not only did someone answer, and quickly, but what a perfect definition!

RESPONSIBILITY IS OWNERSHIP

Responsibility is taking ownership. It is saying “I caused that.” “That is mine.” It could also be saying, “I didn’t cause that.”

It is not deferring to excuses or outside forces. Sure, there are many things outside your zone of control for which you cannot take responsibility. But your job and the group you work with are within your limits. If the office is not doing well, don’t blame it on your childhood, Spring Break, or Taylor Swift.

As an employer, you should encourage your team to take responsibility. Their job, or department, is their sandbox, too. Encourage them to offer suggestions for the entire practice as well – and listen to them.

And on the other hand, all employees are stakeholders. They aren’t working for a large and well-funded corporation or government agency. How they perform each day determines how the entire office will perform.

And something else: a friend of mine says: “Everyone is on commission, but most just don’t know it.”

CHIROPRACTIC HEALTHCARE PRACTICE OWNERSHIP

We discussed the concept of responsibility and ownership in our Chiropractic Healthcare Practice MBA program by reviewing Jacko Willink’s book, Extreme Ownership.

Some managers played it for their team meetings. I recommend you do it as well. (The link is below.)

No doubt, we all take responsibility and ownership for our work. We are professionals. Sometimes, however, our determination can slip. When you notice yourself complaining about things, know that you are slipping! Complaining IS a form of responsibility, but just a very low form.

A scale of responsibility might look something like this:

SCALE OF RESPONSIBILITY

Extreme Ownership
Ownership
Spectator
Complainer
Blamer
Apathetic

Here is a quote from Jocko Willink, and I recommend watching a clip from his TED talk with your team.

“Implementing Extreme Ownership requires checking your ego and operating with a high degree of humility. Admitting mistakes, taking ownership, and developing a plan to overcome challenges are integral to any successful team.”

― Jocko Willink, Extreme Ownership: How U.S. Navy SEALs Lead and Win

Stay Goal Driven,

Ed

TED Talk. Jacko Willink. Extreme Ownership. ( 13 Minutes)

—————————————————-

If your practice building efforts aren’t taking you to your goals,

there are reasons — many of which are hidden from you.

Find out what they are and how to sail to your next level by getting and implementing my new book, The Goal Driven Business.

goal driven business book for CEO and Office Managers by Edward W Petty.

The Goal Driven Business, By Edward Petty

Goal driven order now button

Goal Driven Time Management Skills

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chiropractic or small business time management skills calendar

You may delay, but time will not.
Benjamin Franklin

Time is your most precious resource.

How you use it makes all the difference in your progress toward your practice goals.

I still remember my father remarking on my 5th-grade report card. On the back of the card was a space for comments from the teacher. The comment was something about: “Edward would do better if he did less daydreaming.”

This “comment” has haunted me all my life. I daydream. I admit it. Sometimes, this is good – I learn something new. But the challenge is not wasting the time I need to complete projects.

Goal Driven time management procedures allow us to get more done during our day’s working hours. And even though we all are familiar with the principles and techniques of time management, it helps to review them occasionally.

Here are a few techniques I have learned from others that help me. Maybe they can help you too.

GOAL DRIVEN TIME MANAGEMENT PROCEDURES IN YOUR
CHIROPRACTIC HEALTHCARE PRACTICE

Breaks. Don’t feel guilty. We all need to take breaks — a short one every couple hours or so, longer ones every day, longer ones even still every week, and so on. Breaks are a physiological and mental requirement discussed in an insightful book called The Power of Full Engagement by Jim Loehr. Just schedule your breaks.

Scheduling blocks. As a chiropractor and health care provider, you naturally block off time periods to see patients. You can use the same concept for team meetings, individual conferences, and “paperwork.”

Goal Driven. Each time block should have a goal. The work you must do and the procedures you use should all focus on the desired outcomes.

No interruptions. As harsh as this may sound, unless there are emergencies, don’t allow yourself to be distracted during the block of time dedicated to doing your work. Schedule a brief period during the day to return to the unplanned issues.

Cluster booking. Schedule blocks of time for similar activities close together. The general idea is to keep you doing what you are doing until you are done. For example, seeing 3 patients and then waiting for 10 minutes before seeing 3 more slows you down and takes you out of the Flow. The idea of Flow is not new but recently refreshed by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi in his book, FLOW. Flow is a mental experience when you are so lost in your work that nothing else matters – you are in the Zone. It is when you are “Lost in Service.”

Cluster booking can also be applied to other services: specific therapies or rehab, a Thursday morning for seniors, or a Mom’s Saturday morning with kids. Once you are in the Flow, you become more productive.

Prioritize: Take care of the Important and Urgent tasks as you must, of course. But do not neglect the Important but Not Urgent projects. This comes from Stephen Covey’s book, The 7 Habits of Highly Successful People, and Eisenhower before him. Covey notes that the more time spent on Important but Not Urgent projects, the less time needed for urgent matters.

Sort out the tasks – The 4 D’s. As you review your inbox or new tasks that come up, sort them along these guidelines:

  • Do them now.
  • Delegate them.
  • Delay them.
  • Dump them.

Many of these points, and others, are covered in my book, The Goal Driven Business. We also worked these over in our Practice MBA program.

Yes, I still daydream. I recommend it. But now, I just schedule it!

Seize your future,

Ed

—————————————————-

If your practice building efforts aren’t taking you to your goals, there are reasons — many of which are hidden from you.

Find out what they are and how to sail to your next level by getting and implementing my new book, The Goal Driven Business.

goal driven business building methodology

The Goal Driven Business,  By Edward Petty

goal driven business buy now button

Optimizing Chiropractic Front Desk Procedures for Patient Retention

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patient reception in chiropractic office

What kind of check-in and check-out procedures do you have?

How you do these procedures can make an enormous difference in your patient retention, referrals and office visits.

Your health care front desk needs to schedule patients and collect their payments, but when should they do this – when the patient checks in — or leaves?

If your chiropractic practice is insurance-centric, the front desk can become an extension of the insurance department. When this is the case, collections and scheduling are often done first.

I have seen this occur in many offices.

I recently visited a practice office where patient retention had been declining. I noticed that the patients came in, stopped off at the front desk, made payments, and were confirmed for the next appointment. Then, they waited to see the doctor. After their adjustment and treatment, they often zoomed out of the office, headed to their next destination with an occasional “bye” from the front desk.

I thought there were several weaknesses to this approach, but I wanted to see what other successful practices were doing. We asked other practice managers how they handled their check-ins and check-outs.

Chiropractic Manager Surveys

One manager from an established 2-doctor chiropractic office said:

“We have a check-in/check-out system but scheduling and payments are done together at check-out. This works better for our office flow. The patient walks in, heads right on back and grabs a table for their appt, unless they have an exam or something similar that we need to take them into a different room. Then when they check out, they schedule their next appt, or several future appts at once, and we collect payment if they owe anything.”

Another manager of an office with multiple doctors said they preferred to collect patients’ payments and update their scheduling when the patient checked out.

  1. You give them the feel that their care is more important than the money.
  2. The last thing they hear when they leave the office is ” we’ll see you on such and such a day at such and such a time”! “And by the way bring your kids in.”
  3. What happens if their services are more or less than what you collected for??? Now you have to alter their charges.
  4. If you have pre-scheduled them and they need additional or less services you are now going to have to change the scheduling.
  5. #3-4 causes confusion and messy records.”

I think this only makes sense. Let’s zoom in:

The check-in. The front desk needs to be welcoming to your patients who endured challenges just to make it into your office that day. This is a win for everyone, and the initial greeting acknowledges the patient’s effort to make it in. Then, any and every barrier should be removed to get the patient back to see their doctor and provider on time.

The check-out. Here are a few vital transactions that can take place:

  • Validating the benefit of their recent adjustment and treatment. “So glad you made it in today for your care. Every visit helps and builds on the last one.”
  • Confirm their schedule, or schedule them for the next month, or longer.
  • Go over any payments that might be needed.
  • Quality control. Should the patient mention any doubts or concerns, the front desk can either direct the patient to the doctor for a fast consultation, or to Patient Accounts, if there is a finance concern, or note it to be addressed on their next visit.
  • Marketing. Encourage the patient to schedule an appointment for a family member or friend to come in for a no-charge consult or an upcoming event, such as a new patient lecture or special promotion.

Every office is different and you should always customize procedures to best suit your situation.

But, the following applies in all cases:

  • Your patients are your guests. You invited them.
  • Treat them as you would a friend visiting your home — with a warm welcome and then, when they leave, a thank you for coming and a sincere wish to see them again soon.

Keeping the goals in mind,

Ed

—————————————————-

If your practice building efforts aren’t taking you to your goals, there are reasons — many of which are hidden from you.

Find out what they are and how to sail to your next level by getting and implementing my new book, The Goal Driven Business.

goal driven business building methodology

The Goal Driven Business,  By Edward Petty

goal driven business buy now button

 

Build a Better Chiropractic and Healthcare Practice by Serving Kids

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How and Why to Develop Your Chiropractic and Healthcare Pediatric Practice

Anyone who does anything to help a child in his life is a hero! – Fred Rogers

Last week I talked about the importance of caring for our children’s health.

Not only is it needed like never before, but the evidence is clear: chiropractic helps kids. For example, one study in 2019 of 2001 mothers showed that 82% reported definite improvement of their infants, and 95% reported feeling that the care was
cost-effective. *

The evidence is out there, and even more, so is the personal testimony of so many grateful parents.

But in addition, promoting better health for children in a chiropractic or independent healthcare practice can create positive effects on generating new patients and retaining existing ones.

Regardless of the demographics or niche of your practice, including care for kids can enhance your practice and attract new patients.

Here are some suggestions on how and why to do so:

1. Family-centered care. Emphasizing pediatric care creates a family-friendly image for your practice. Parents are more likely to choose a healthcare provider who can address the health needs of their entire family, including children.

2. Community engagement. Engaging with the local community through educational workshops, seminars, or events focused on children’s health can position your practice as a community leader. This involvement helps raise awareness about your services and can attract families seeking comprehensive healthcare.

3. Word of mouth referrals. Happy and satisfied parents are likely to recommend your practice to other families. Positive word-of-mouth referrals from parents who appreciate your focus on children’s health can improve new patient acquisition.

4. Specialized services for children. Offering specialized services or programs tailored for children’s health needs can set your practice apart. This could include services for issues such as:

o Posture

o Sports injuries

o Musculoskeletal development

o And other concerns, such as earaches, bedwetting and issues from toddler tumbles!

5. Educational Content. Share educational content on your website, social media, or through newsletters that focus on children’s health and wellness. Most people just don’t know how effective chiropractic can be for children. By providing valuable information, testimonials, and case studies, you position your practice as an authoritative source and can attract parents seeking reliable healthcare information for their children.

6. Collaborate with schools, daycares, and mother’s groups. Partnering with local schools, daycares, or community organizations to provide health screenings, workshops, or informational sessions for parents can create valuable connections and increase visibility in the community.

You might consider tying a kid’s promotion with a monthly observe or holiday. Each promotion could include a posture check or a free screening. For example:

  • February 7th is National Girls and Women in Sports Day. Provide a special screening for girls in sports, or a workshop from a local athletic coach and yourself.
  • March 17 is St Patrick’s Day. This is a great time to have a Leprechaun Appreciation Day. Bring the kids in for a screening and provide contests.
  • April is Foot Health Month. For those of you that provide orthotics, you can have a foot scan.
  • May. May is National Correct Posture Month. Offer posture screenings for the entire family.

There are many possibilities, and these are just a few. Work with your team and have your marketing assistant put together a plan for this spring.

And if you don’t have a marketing assistant or manager, you should! Please contact me and I can give you some ideas on how to develop this essential position.

Carpe Deum,

Ed

References:

*Maternal Report of Outcomes of Chiropractic Care for Infants: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0161475418301453

Pediatric and Prenatal Chiropractic Research
https://icpa4kids.com/research/

https://nationaltoday.com/national-girls-and-women-sports-day/

How is Your Chiropractic Head Game?

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chiropractic goal driven to strike out batters.

The Hidden Game of Practice Success
‘Baseball is 90 percent mental. The other half is physical’ – Yogi Berra

Hello Sports Fans!

For my 13-year grandson’s birthday, I bought him a book on sports: Ninety Percent Mental: An All-Star Turned Mental Skills Coach Reveals the Hidden Game of Baseball by Bob Tewsksbury.

I haven’t finished reading the book, but I know the subject – how the mind affects performance. I figure any tips I can give to my grandkids, the better chance they will have.

And I figure this also applies to myself, and perhaps to you.

In my book, The Goal Driven Business, I cover the 5 Engines to practice success. These are:

  1. Clinical outcomes and service
  2. Leadership
  3. Management
  4. Marketing
  5. Personal Power

No matter how competent you are as a chiropractic doctor, healthcare provider, or business owner, how inspiring you are as a leader, how consistent and enterprising you are as a manager, or intelligent as a marketer… if you don’t have the positive energy to make things happen, your practice will falter.

Personal Power is the “Hidden Game” of practice success.

The first chiropractor Dave and I worked with had multiple doctors and together saw over 2,000 visits per week. (I still have the stats!) A recurring theme he would tell his associates was that practice success was an “inside job.” This meant success was dependent upon their mental attitude.

But one’s mental attitude is dependent upon something much deeper. You can always “fake it till you make it,” which might sometimes be necessary. But it is not authentic.

What is authentic is your happiness. Happiness underlies your mental attitude. Your Personal Power comes out when you are happier.

So, how do you become happier?

Using Your Signature Strengths In Your Chiropractic and Healthcare Practice

One method that has been proven to improve a person’s happiness is to focus on your strengths – what you are good at – and less on what you are not so good at.

Martin Seligman, Ph.D., is a strong proponent of Positive Psychology. In his book Authentic Happiness, he discusses common virtues that all people in all cultures have agreed upon over time. These virtues can be translated into specific Character Strengths. Each of these strengths has 3-5 subcategories for a total of 24-Character Strengths.

We all have a different set of more dominant strengths, which Seligman calls our Signature Strengths. For example, one person may be strong in humor, gratitude, and fairness, while another person’s Signature Strengths could be creativity, curiosity, and gratitude.

“I do not believe that you should devote overly much effort to correct your weaknesses. Rather, I believe that the highest success in living and the deepest emotional satisfaction comes from building and using your signature strengths.”

I cover this in practical detail in my book, The Goal Driven Business, and it is part of our upcoming Management and Leadership Training course, our 11-week intensive training especially for practice managers beginning on Sept. 18.

We all have our confusions and apprehensions — our mental monkeys that get in the way of our happiness and limit our Personal Power. You see this in your patients and staff, and I am sure you notice it now and then in yourself.

But a legitimate goal is to be happy, and in so doing, you can unleash your power and win at the “Hidden Game” of practice success.

By focusing on what you do best, and allowing your team to pick up all the rest, you can go a long way at winning the “Hidden Game” of practice development.

Having your team pick up “all the rest” requires good management. So I recommend you consider our Management and Leadership training for your manager this Sept.

Stay strong in your strengths,

Ed

You can take a survey and discover your Signature Strengths at
www.viacharacter.org

For more information about our Management and Leadership Training. www.GoalDriven.com/mba

Image: Wikipedia

Tribal Knowledge Can Improve Your Practice

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teams, management, chiropractic, knowledge

Mining the Underground Innate Knowledge of Your Team

You may not have run into this term before… maybe you have. It was new to me before I began putting together the notes for The Goal Driven Business.

In any case, it is a concept worth knowing and one you can use to improve your business. I’ll give you an example and then define it.

It was spring years ago, and I was meeting with a motivated practice owner who was already doing well. We were discussing marketing plans for the next several months, and some of our programs ended in June. We needed something that would work for July. So I said, “Why don’t we ask the staff for some ideas?”

We were scheduled for a team meeting anyway, which I attended. After the usual topics were covered, the doctor asked the staff for some ideas for marketing in July. Now, the doctor was relatively new to the community, and the team was long-time residents. Various ideas were thrown around, and one seemed to percolate and draw enthusiasm from the staff. A popular promotion that they had experienced as local consumers in their town was “Christmas in July.” Since their community was familiar with this promotion, they were sure it would work well if it were tied to a patient referral program.

Both the doctor and I thought it was a dumb idea. However, the staff was already in high gear planning the promotion by the end of the staff meeting. I suggested to the doctor that he let them run with it. He did, and as it turned out, it was a big hit. They had one of their best new patient and office visit months ever… in July.

At another office, some years later, I was helping the doctor work out her mission statement for the practice. She and her associate were hitting speed bumps trying to come up with a simple definition. I recommended putting it to the staff to see what they might come up with. At the next team meeting, the doctor discussed the idea of a global statement for the WHY of the office and its higher goals and asked them if they could work it out as an office mission by next week.

And that is what they did. The following week, the manager and staff presented the mission statement to the doctors. The doctor emailed it to me.

I didn’t really like it as it was long and too mushy, at least for me. But the doctor approved it and posted it in the reception area. The staff loved it. It fit their compassionate attitudes towards the patients and captured their existing relationship with them. They memorized it, and it was recited after every staff meeting. Their stats haven’t come down since. They are a happy and Goal Driven group!

In our consulting, we routinely encouraged the wisdom of veteran staff to be integrated into the management and marketing of the office. We didn’t have a definition for this knowledge, but it was effective nonetheless.

Here is the definition of Tribal Knowledge according to Leonard Bertain in his book, The Tribal Knowledge Paradox:

Tribal knowledge is the collective wisdom of the organization. It is the sum of the knowledge. It is the knowledge used to deliver, to support or to develop value for customers. But it is also knowledge that is wrong, imprecise and useless. It is knowledge of the informal power structure and process, or how things really work and how they ought to. … But more importantly, it is the untapped knowledge that remains unused or abused.

There is much more to this, of course. A valuable management and leadership skill is how to elicit tribal knowledge, decipher it, filter the practical from the impractical, and put it to use.

I try to keep these newsletters as short as possible. If you want to set up a time to discuss this subject more, just make an appointment (link below). No charge for subscribers to this newsletter.

Not everything can be put on job checklists. Job checklists are very useful, but there is a wealth of knowledge just under the surface with your team, even your spouse, that can be accessed and put to good use.

By creating a culture where it is safe to contribute learned experiences in team meetings, coaching sessions, and other opportunities, improvements in your practice can be made faster.

Seeking and honoring the tribal knowledge gained from the experience of your team respects them, whether the information is useful or not. This is the essence of creating a synergistic office – where team members help each other — to help more people become healthier.

Carpe Future (Seize the future)

Ed

Want to discuss how to uncover the Tribal Knowledge in your practice, schedule a short call with Ed here.

She Wanted to Teach Chiropractic Staff

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Greater Prosperity through Goals, Leadership, and Teaching.

woman teaching to a crowdEffective leaders are, first and foremost, good teachers.
We’re in the education business. — John Wooden

Greater Prosperity through Goals, Leadership, and Teaching

A highly productive and prosperous chiropractic clinic always has a goal driven team for support.

Motivation is directly linked to goals and leadership. When anyone pushes their way towards their goals, they are leaders. And one of the primary methods of leading is through teaching.

This is how you lead your patients to their health goals – you educate them at the initial report, the progress report, and each visit where you Table Talk!

In a Goal Driven Practice, eventually, everyone takes a leadership role. And leaders teach.

Teaching, in and of itself, is motivational.

She Wanted to Teach

I will never forget an outstanding example of this, though disappointing in some ways.

One of our clients hired a woman to be his office manager. She had big goals while working at another chiropractic office but was not encouraged to pursue them. So, she found an office, one that we worked with, where the doctor supported her mission.

She was a powerhouse on the front desk, but also worked with the staff and the doctor on improvement projects. She told him that she would work with him for one year, and if the numbers reached a certain level, she would replace herself, receive a substantial bonus, and move on. However, she had a bigger goal in mind. She wanted to begin a team training program for other chiropractic staff throughout the state.

We worked together on this plan for the entire year. The office was already busy and doing well. But after she started, we saw the volume increase significantly. She was a great team trainer, and after a year, she won her first game. The numbers increased on a sustained basis by over 20%. The owner was very pleased.

The disappointment occurred when she visited doctors around the state to encourage them to have their staff train with her. She also promoted her services to the state association. The reception in all cases was mild. She could not convince the doctors or the association of the advantages of having their staff on a professional training program.

She eventually took a high-paying position at a corporation in another state.

Teaching is Leading

As the chiropractor, and the Clinic Director, you are a leader – and a teacher.

In a Goal Driven Practice, you also want each team member to be a leader. The fact is, in their own way, they want to be leaders. Maybe not on the stage or in front of an orchestra, but leading by actively pushing their way to their goals and the office’s goals as well.

Each one of your team members has professional and personal goals. Just like you do. These goals should align with the goals of the office. You can help to unleash the power of these goals, for yourself, and for each team member, in the following ways:

1. Accept the fact that pursuing goals is leadership. And a function of leadership is teaching.

2. Do your own in-office seminars. Teach your team how to achieve the goals of the office, and especially, why.

3. Meet with each team member and help them write down their professional and, optionally, their personal goals. Then, help them achieve these goals.

4. Have them teach. For example:

a. At occasional staff meetings, one team member can give a presentation on some aspect of their job, a core value of the office, or a chapter in a book or a video.

b. In one year (or two) after they are hired, require all staff to help you give the first half of a lay lecture.

A Goal Driven Practice is not dependent upon the doctor. Instead, it is dependent upon goals and, as such, is more profitable, provides better service, and is more fun to work in.

Seize the future and your goals,

Ed

Contact us on the link below if you are interested in discussing how we can help you create a Goal Driven Practice.

Also, read my book! 😊

*https://www.expressionsofexcellence.com/ARTICLES/wooden_interview.html

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Bruce Lipton and Physician Health Thyself

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Edward Petty with Bruce Lipton, PhD GoalDriven.com petty Michel and associates

Edward Petty with Bruce Lipton, PhD – GoalDriven.com – Petty Michel and Associates

Why doctors should stay Innately positive and healthy

Chiropractic is more than a mechanical act to improve a patient’s health.

I remember years ago attending a Parker seminar when Dr. Jimmy was still alive and seeing a large drawing describing “Innate to Innate.” A concept I believe he may have learned from Thurmond Fleet who developed Concept Therapy.

Bruce Lipton, PhD, is a cellular biologist, has taught at University Wisconsin Medical school, at Stanford, as well as Life Chiropractic College West. I have heard him speak on several occasions, read his books (Biology of Belief) and consulted with him personally about my book (The Goal Driven Business.)

I think Dr. Lipton expresses the concept of Innate scientifically:

There’s a concept in quantum physics called “entanglement,” which is when one energy source entangles with another so that they interfere with each other. This interference can be positive and harmonious, as with energy healing, or it can be negative.

Physicist Amit Goswami published an article in a physics journal showing that entanglement affects people. He had two people meditate together and then separated them into two chambers where they couldn’t see or hear one another. When one person had a light strobed by his eye, it caused the firing of a certain frequency in the brain. Remarkably, at the same moment, the other person’s brain also fired, even though he never saw the light. This proves what we intuitively knew, that the energies of people can affect one another.

What Goswami’s study demonstrated is that when two people become entangled, one person will conform to the energy of the other person. When one of them is a healer whose cells are vibrating at a higher level, the client’s cells become entangled, and their energy is lifted. That’s why that old saying, “physician heal thyself,” is so important, even though most don’t understand it: If the physician’s energy is going to influence or, in scientific terms, “entrain” the patient’s, the doctor’s must be higher. (source on blog)

I have seen examples of this in many of my office visits over the years. You might have an interesting discussion with your staff at a team meeting about how the “vibes” of the office affect the patients.

Has anyone pulled a patient file and the patient suddenly called? Have you ever had a great team meeting the phones start to ring? Have you seen a patient improve just because you felt connected to them?

So, please stay healthy and stay positive, in alignment with your greater purposes and greater powers.

And pass it on.

😊

Ed

Lipton: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/healing-over-the-phone_b_1011510