December 2006

Three things most DCs get wrong

by Dr. Peter Fernandez

1. They have their minds made up. This past year, I sadly watched as a DC held onto a belief until it sank his practice. He held onto it like a drowning man holds onto a rock. Even as it pulled him to the bottom, he still wouldn't let go. All my advice, recommendations and warnings couldn't loosen the grip he had on that misleading belief.

The doctor's mind was made up 100 percent, but it was made up of "cement." Impenetrable, hard as a rock, it had no room for any new ideas. He was not going to allow any fresh or different information enter his mind. Finally, it was his cement head that doomed what could have been a successful, thriving chiropractic practice. What could have been just a small bump in that DC's life turned into a major tragedy.

I've always found that when we keep doing what we've been doing, we keep getting what we've been getting. But, when we change the way we look at our circumstances, our circumstances change. We all need to have an open mind, to remain open to new ideas. When we make decisions based on existing beliefs, we'll only get what we've always gotten. And that's a recipe for disaster.

We all need to consider new perspectives in our approach to running and building a successful chiropractic practice. What works for some doctors in some situations and towns, may not fit your particular practice or town. Successful chiropractors have minds that are like sponges. They recognize that ideas are like currency. The more you have, the richer you are.

2. They just want to care for patients. All of us want to provide our patients with the best care possible. That's why we went to chiropractic college. But, in a practice setting, that isn't the only task chiropractors are faced with. I've had doctors plead with me to let them simply treat patients (as if I could change the way a chiropractic practice operates). The reality of maintaining a successful practice is that the doctor must literally run the practice.

That portion of his or her time given to running the practice is time spent not treating patients. Instead, the DC might be negotiating an office lease, interviewing potential new staff , or designing a marketing program. Also, it takes time to learn CPT Codes, how to schedule patients effectively and document Medicare claims, about diagnoses and how to code them properly and collect fees! None of these things sound even remotely like "treating patients." Many times, these typical office tasks can literally fill up the doctor's day. Learning how and when to carry out these tasks, with the goal of freeing up the DC's treatment time is the key to running a large, successful practice.

3. They don't understand business. Most DCs simply won't follow BJ Palmer's axiom, "Get the big idea and all else follows." I've had doctors ask me why they had to inconvenience themselves with understanding the ins and outs of business. Unfortunately, they've minimized the fact that a chiropractic practice is first and foremost a business. The reason their business exists is to treat and care for patients. Yet, it needs to operate like any other business.

The office doors need to open on time, the lights need to be turned on and by nine in the morning, everything and everyone in the office needs to be ready to care for the first patient. But patients don't just show up or magically appear. For that you need marketing, advertising, and public relations. All of these are specific business disciplines designed to appeal to, attract and communicate with people who potentially may become your patients.

Anyone who's serious about becoming a success needs to contract with a consultant or a business advisor. A consultant is like an architect who designs the plans on which a house is to be built. The consultant's knowledge, experience and encouragement, will take the doctor where he or she wants to go much faster and in a more organized fashion than the doctor could on his or her own.

When you use the power, knowledge and assistance of a consultant, starting, building and managing a practice is much easier and a lot more profitable. You're then free to place more of your focus on and improve upon what you do best ‑‑ care for patients. This combination of doctor and consultant, dramatically increases self‑confidence and earning potential because it's a "get it done ‑‑ and done right" team effort.

(Dr. Peter G. Fernandez, a Logan College graduate, is past president of the Florida Chiropractic Association, and past chairman of the Chiropractic Knights of the Roundtable, an organization of the world's most successful chiropractors. His practice with five staff chiropractors and 12 satellite offices was one of the largest all‑referral, high‑income chiropractic clinics on the US. A practice consultant for the last 25 years, he has consulted with approximately 5,000 DCs and in the opening of more than 3,000 new practices. Visit Dr. Fernandez online at www.DrFernnadez .com and be sure to sign up for his FREE newsletter. He can be reached by calling Fernandez Consulting, 800‑882‑4476 or via e‑mail: DrPete@DrFernandez.com.)