Based on our own research results, we've discovered a practice building
formula so simple — yet so profound — it has the potential to
revolutionize the way chiropractors practice.
Most D.C.s have always been convinced that fundamentals are
vital to achieving higher levels of practice success, but often haven't
been sure which fundamentals to implement. Chiropractors
read through trade magazines, listen to audiotapes, are present for
philosophy and motivational forums, attend technique conferences — and
even do fire walks! Yet, frequently they don't know what they're searching
for and hope they'll know it when they find it!
The doctors I work with have an incredible desire to serve but have
been frustrated with this uncertainty as to where to go or what to do
next. The truth is, they and their teams need to build, attract, serve,
invest, commit and sustain. In other words, they need to master the basics.
Understanding the basics, mastering the components — along with key
targets for breakthrough practice growth — it's possible to grow a
practice to any size!
Building is the first component, based on the biggest open
secret of the biggest practices in the world: they adjust families. Most
chiropractic teams can count the number of whole families they serve on
fewer than 10 fingers (the majority, less than five). So, the first key
improvement target is increasing the number of whole families you
adjust per month. Every policy, procedure and communication with
patients must be congruent with your building target or your practice will
slip right back to the old pattern.
Attracting is the second basic component of high level practice
success, one that leads to an unbroken flow of new patients. Therefore,
the second key improvement target is increasing the number of monthly
new patient opportunities.
It's simple. If 1,000 people hear about your practice, 500 are
seriously considering making an appointment. Of those, 400 will make an
appointment and 350 will actually show up. Out of those, 250 will convert
to excellent care programs. So, you decide how many new patients
you want this year.
The number of internal and external marketing events and the quality of
their results must be matched against your goal of how many new patients
you wish to start each month. The quality of these results will determine
the attracting target of new patient opportunities you create monthly,
thereby eliminating gimmicks and guesswork in favor of a steady and
continuous flow of new patients into your practice.
The third "basic" component is serving.
Scheduled adjustments are a thousand times better than rescheduled or
nonscheduled adjustments — making the third key improvement target
increasing originally scheduled adjustments (OSAs) kept per week.
It may take you a full year to correct this one target, yet your practice
will be made ready to serve four or five times the number of patient
adjustments you are currently seeing.
When patients determine their own schedules, they fall away from care.
When patients drop in for adjustments, they wind up "dropping
out." When patients reschedule adjustments, they eventually
reschedule their priorities, and those priorities will not include
you.
Investing is the fourth basics component. Patients who pay you
in advance for care, stay for a lifetime and those who don't, don't. The
fourth key improvement target is increasing the percentage of
pay-in-advance, per month. At least 60-80% of patients getting
adjusted today won't be making any payments because they already did --
weeks or months ago!
Put simply, patients who have the highest level of commitment to care,
the greatest compliance, the best results, the most number of referrals
and the best attitudes (which C.A.s absolutely love), pay in advance. If
your procedures don't produce this result, throw them away quickly. You're
not only wasting a lot of time and money, you're wasting many potentially
great patients. Pay in advance is not your only option, just your best.
Committing is component number five. When patients are told the
truth about the cause of their problems, they choose to correct them.
While you're not supposed to convert every patient who walks through your
door, you must convert each one who's ready to follow your best
recommendations for subluxation correction. The fifth key improvement
target then is increasing the percentage of patient conversions (to
corrections) per month.
The term "subluxation" must become a household word in your
community and, as it does, new patients will come in asking for a
subluxation check-up. If your new patient reporting system doesn't
accomplish this and if your examination and patient education process
doesn't accomplish this, stop and re-tool immediately.
Sustaining is the final component of the chiropractic basics
leading to higher practice success levels. Patients who continue with
lifetime care, started with lifetime care. When patients learn their
spines should be properly maintained from birth, everything changes.
Maintenance is not something patients move toward after correction,
but something they must go back to once correction has been achieved.
Families of lifetime patients should be the result of your practice
strategies.
Wonder no more about which fundamentals need your attention in order
for your practice to grow. Mastering (and using) the basics works.
Build — attract — serve — invest
