Read and respected by more doctors of chiropractic than any other professional publication in the world.

January 2003

Are you having fun yet? 

by Drs. Kevin Pallis and Ed Plentz

One of the greatest indicators of practice success is whether or not you're having fun! Traveling all over the country and Canada , we've observed that Renaissance offices have one thing in common: they're having fun in practice. When practice isn't fun, it's one problem after another -- C.A. problems, patients not getting it, new patients down, patient visit average down, and of course, collections down.

When you have the mindset of removing VSC -- in every person, on a family lifetime basis, for a better world -- practice becomes fun in a hurry.

Instead of the mindset of scarcity, you have the mindset of abundance. Instead of asking where your new patients are coming from, you have fun creating a strategy for attracting new patients that are going your way and want wellness. When the big vision of removing VSC burns in every cell of your being, your problems are handled and taken care of, not ignored. Yes, you are having lots of fun saving the planet, as well as making loads of money.

When you have office procedures in place that reflect VSC removal, and not symptoms, your practic becomes very fun indeed. The trick is having the communication know-how to connect with patients about VSC, not symptoms.

Your practice becomes fun when a mother, after her case history review, asks about her children. There is no such thing as a single patient. Everybody has family and friends they want to be healthy. They have never been exposed to office procedures that let the patient make an informed decision about chiropractic. If you talk symptoms, they can't make an informed decision and will fall victim to the path of least resistance -- low patient visit average and low referral rate.

Many D.C.s find themselves in this trap. They've figured out how to attract patients who will come in for a short period, however, they always leave and must be replaced. This leaves bewildered chiropractors shaking their heads asking, "why don't they get it?"

They don't get it because chiropractic was not communicated in the office procedures, the doctor's dialogue, or the adjustment procedures. The real question to ask is how long are you going to keep office procedures that continue to drive patients out after only a few visits? This leads to frustration, increased costs of attracting and processing new patients, and an office that is not having fun.

Many in the chiropractic profession lack a weekly new patient orientation focusing on the correction and prevention of VSC in everybody, from birth to death. Some may have a back talk, a back stretching class, or perhaps an injury prevention talk. This doesn't offer an opportunity for patients to make informed decisions about their health care and the health care of their family.

When you have the mindset and the office procedures in place that reflect VSC correction and wellness, a new patient orientation is a natural extension. It attracts patients who are already going your way and want wellness. You don't have to convince, convert, or confront anybody at your NPO. Show your heart, your enthusiasm, your knowledge and passion, and patients will want what you have, now!

Offices that are having fun bringing chiropractic to the world always have fun "teammates," otherwise known as C.A.s. They are friendly, energetic, and have a deep‑seated passion for chiropractic. Have you ever called a friend's office and heard some of the voices on the phone? It almost appears that you're bothering them. Think of new patients calling in and this is their first contact!

When you're having fun, you naturally attract great teammates. When there are problems, they get worked out, not ignored. At Renaissance we have a saying that goes like this: "Doctor, you aren't going anywhere without your teammates."

Do you invest in your own growth, and that of your C.A.s? Many offices don't attend seminars to continually improve their office and personal skills. This is a big mistake. This will lead to having no fun faster than almost anything else. At our quarterly meeting in Chicago , D.C.s show off their C.A.s and C.A.s show off their D.C.s. They sure are having a lot of fun -- and it $hows!