Category Archives for "Communications"

Chiropractor Business Coaching – What Good Does It Bring?

By Dr. Russ Rosen | Chiropractic Strategies , Communications

One of the things that I really enjoy about our profession is the reality that there are so many interesting and innovative ways to help our communities.

There is no “right way” to adjust someone.

There is no “right way” to run a practice.

There is no “right way” to change the lives of our patients.

Instead, we have amassed this community of passionate professionals who do whatever it takes to become the change that their neighbors need.

There is, however, one thing in common that virtually ALL highly successful doctors use in their toolbox: a personal coach.

Hear me out on this.

While our industry is very well established, there are constant innovations in technique, tools, and products that result in a wide variety of options for how and why to operate a chiropractic practice. When you try to go at it alone, you run into all kinds of issues with these choices. As an “army of one”, you are left to your own devices to evaluate, understand, select, and implement the tools and techniques that will help you grow your practice. This can be excruciatingly challenging when you operate in a silo.

Modern chiropractors benefit significantly from having personal coaches. Instead of making a compelling, sales-y argument for why you should hire a personal coach, I want to share the stories of some of my coaching clients.

Dr. Jake Smith talks about building his own practice. He’ wasn’t new to the business, though, and had this to share:

“I worked as an associate chiropractor for many years before I opened my own practice.

To me, the best part about coaching is that I have been able to find and create my own chiropractic Identity. I feel more genuine when I interact with my patients.  This was TOTALLY unexpected; my main goal was only to grow my bottom line.”

I love hearing stories like this one from Dr. Smith because it conveys something that I wouldn’t think to share. Coaching isn’t simply about telling you what to do, when to do it, or how to do it. Dr. Smith found his chiropractic identity in our work together and that has made him more successful as a result.

Wherever you are in your career, you can benefit immensely from the right kind of coaching. Dr. Thomas Williams has hired other coaches in the past, and was initially hesitant to get started with me. After a short while, he shared the following:

“Hiring Dr. Rosen has been one of the best decisions I have made.  My practice has grown, but the biggest growth has occurred in me personally. My certainty has never been greater. Dr. Rosen is a master communicator who has taught me how to effectively communicate with patients and have them understand what I do and want what I have to offer. “

I place a TREMENDOUS importance on certainty and I know that this comes through with my coaching clients. Dr. Michelle Ten-Klooster said:

“I think the most helpful take-away so far for me has been the change and work that I have done on my mindset and the realization that nothing can or will ever change until I change my thought patterns and look at where they are actually coming from.”

Dr. Brandon Hill, another coaching client of mine, shares his thoughts on where we place our emphasis during our time together:

“When you are scheduled with Russ, it is 100% of the time focused on YOUR goal.  He focuses on teaching you ways to really understand the patient and to figure out what they want. Other coaches I have been with focus on the general script, where the script is the main focus while the patient is secondary. Russ, gives you a guide on how to ask the right questions and to have the person understand what chiropractic is. Retaining the people in the office has been much easier learning from Russ. I have a better understanding of chiropractic and I have improved dramatically on communicating that to the patients.”

When you really “get” what it is that you should do to help your patients, you’ll find new energy to pursue it. This is another incredibly important point that many doctors miss when they think about coaching. This isn’t about memorizing scripts at all; this is about changing the way you look at the concept of chiropractic and ensuring that your patients see it the new way as well. I hear a lot of scary stories about bad experiences with other coaches.

Another doctor shared that one of her colleagues just fired their coach out of frustration. She described the situation:

“So here’s why my friend is not going back to his coach: he’s tired of feeling beat up. When we are in a learning phase we need a learning environment. One doesn’t learn well under stress. “

She goes on to talk about the difference between what we have done together and what her colleague has experienced.

“With you, I find out where I’m at and have an uncanny sense about what I need to hear that will propel me forward. 

For instance, I wasn’t ready to do the TTAT even though I’ve been organically incorporating it more and more. So you shifted our time to where my energy lit up, in giving me more testing that i can do, which is fuel for MY power right now. 

Here I was thinking I needed to take a month off because I’m implementing this new software… but BOOM!!! You come in with the perfect value for me at this time!! 

As I go through where I am drawn to study, for my growth, I am able to send you emails and you help me on the spot!! I get my questions answered and I keep moving forward. You’re like the Chiropractor I wish I had… someone who sees in me what I need and addresses that. You’ve seen the big picture… I haven’t.“

How to Find a Chiropractic Business Coach

If you don’t have a chiropractic coach guiding and directing you to prosperity, I want to invite you to reach out and chat with me one-to-one as soon as possible. If your chiropractic coach sounds NOTHING like what these other doctors have experienced and you realize that you want something different, then this is the right time to reach out. Together, we can get you, your practice, and your vision aligned and moving forward. There is no better way to ensure success in 2018 than with the RIGHT chiropractic business coach in your corner.

How to Deal with Patients Who Tell You They Don’t Have the Money BEFORE the ROF

By Dr. Russ Rosen | Chiropractic Care , Chiropractic Strategies , Communications

In the past week, I have had a similar conversation with 3 of my chiropractic coaching clients so I thought I would write about it.

Part of our responsibility as practitioners is to be able to communicate clearly with our patients.

Today’s digital world can be dangerous for personal health because there is so much misinformation everywhere.

As a result of this misinformation, many patients come to us with expectations for the treatment’s length and cost. We talk a lot about chiropractor communication strategies and how to utilize them so that patients truly “get” what we do and want what we offer.

But what happens when a new patient brings up money even before your consult or ROF?

My ROF process specifically addresses cost by building value, understanding the true motivators behind the visit, and helping my patients understand that I am NOT viably substituted with a bottle of Advil. If you can’t get to that part of the process, what do you do?

This can be a bit tricky. I have just seen so many chiropractors ruin their relationship with the patient by using statements like, “Listen you want to get better or you don’t.” or, “You can’t afford NOT to get this care!” My favorite very well may be “Okay, tell me what you want and we will do that”. From our perspective as the certified experts, NONE of these lead to long term relationships and NONE of them honor the patient and their health!

When the cost of chiropractic care comes up at the front desk or during a pre-consultation with your CA, I would recommend that you address it right off the bat during your consultation.

Build rapport by relieving concerns and addressing fears. This would sound like:

“Mary I understand that finances are a concern for you, please tell me what’s up.”

Listen to what they have to say, commiserate, and say something like this:

“Can I make a suggestion?
Why don’t we do a detailed consultation and thorough examination so we know exactly what is going on with you.
In my report of findings, I will tell you EXACTLY what’s going on and if we can help.
Then, you and I will get very clear about the level of health that you want to obtain.
I will show you what it will take to get there.
At that point, we will get clear about what it would cost to get to that level of health.
If we agree, then we will work together to make sure that you can get the care you need and respect your budget.
How does that sound?”

A Critical Moment in the Report of Findings

During the report of findings – right at the beginning – you are going to let them know that you understand the finances are a real concern and that you simply want to help them understand the truth about what’s going on as well as the consequences of the choices that they have. This gives you the time to help them “get” what you are trying to do for them. Once this clicks, you can show them what it would take to get to the level of health that they choose. By taking it in stages, you can always customize a plan that will fit their budget.

This allows you to go through your entire report of findings without them worrying about money or that you’re going to try to hold them captive to make them do some type of care that they don’t believe they can afford. You will be amazed at how many people will find the money to get the care that they truly need once you take them through the entire process. (There’s a lot of time dedicated to this pivotal point in our Optimal Health Communications Program.)

An Example of Implementing This Chiropractic Coaching Concept

I teach my chiropractor coaching clients to record their patient interactions whenever possible. In one such recording, the patient let the doctor know right at the beginning of the ROF that finances were a real concern. She was a single parent with three children and she just truly could not afford the care.

He started talking with her about how important the care is for her now as well as for her future self.

You could hear her getting more and more frustrated… almost to the point of crying.

They were going nowhere! What came next was something that we have all experienced. The patient became extremely aggravated at her situation (NOT the doctor, by the way). She said that there are people in the world who “have” and there are people who ” have not” and she is one of the latter. She would have to get another job to afford the care she needed, but that would only make matters worse.

I want you to recognize that the doctor had not yet started the report of findings.

He had not yet gone into any details about how much care she would need or how much it would cost.

So why did she become so upset?

In this situation, her fears and misconceptions are telling her what to expect to hear from the doctor sitting in front of her. She has convinced herself that there is no ACTUAL scenario where she can get healthy and stay healthy. When this happens, we MUST de-escalate the situation before we start any type of conversation.

How do you de-escalate a patient who isn’t ready to listen?

We de-escalate the situation with the L.A.A.S.R. framework: Listen, Acknowledge, Ask, Solution, Resolution. By first listening, we are able to do something truly amazing. (LISTEN)

“Mary, I know how frustrating this must be for you.
I know that you are in a lot of pain and I know you really do want to get better.
I know you’re single mother with three children who eat like horses and the thought of having to get another job to pay for the care that you need is simply overwhelming.  (ACKNOWLEDGE)
I’m so sorry you’re going through this; I need you to know that you are not the only one.
Can I make suggestion? (ASK)
Why don’t I just go over my findings with you and show you what it would take to get this problem taken care of.(SOLUTION)
If that ends up being more than you can afford right now, we can customize a care plan that will fit within your budget.
I promise you if the amount you can afford is not going to be valuable to you – if it simply going to be a waste of your money – I will let you know. (RESOLUTION)
Mary, how does that sound?”

As always, we will use the L.A.A.S.R. process. You’ll notice the first thing I did was L for listen. I then A- acknowledged or commiserated what she was going through. I then A- asked her a question to see if that would find a S- solution and then I just checked in to see if we R-resolved this problem.

Without the L.A.A.S.R. framework, you are left with pretty terrible options:

•Roll over, agree with the patient, then just give them what they can afford right now and send them on their way

•Blast the patient with scare tactics and shame them into submission (I will NEVER agree with this option, by the way)

Neither one of those have any value for you OR your patient. Use L.A.A.S.R. and you will find you get much better results.

We go into great detail about the L.A.A.S.R. process as a key part of our Optimal Health Chiropractor Communications Program. Take a look – if this article has been helpful, it may be what YOU really need to move forward and help your patients “get” what you do.

An Interview With Dr. Phil Ricchiazzi

By Dr. Russ Rosen | Chiropractic Strategies , Communications

One of my strong suits as a chiropractor and coach is the ability to connect my linear left brain with my intuition or right brain and have miracles. Whether it is what I adjust, when I adjust, what not to adjust, what to say, or what not to say, I’ve been gifted with the ability to just “know” when it’s right.

Since 2000, I have helped many doctors strengthen their intuition and integrate both right and left brains so they move from “just a regular chiropractor” to “Kahuna status.”

I recently interviewed Chiropractor Dr. Phil Ricchiazzi – a coaching client of mine – who is definitely in the Kahuna status.

We discussed the exact steps he went through to get to the point where he can lay his hand on a patients spine and get “guided” by innate wisdom as to what to do and what to say.

His stories (and I know they are true) will astound you. You can do this too!

Experience what it is like to speak from your heart and BE YOURSELF!

By Dr. Russ Rosen | Chiropractic Strategies , Communications

Aloha Gang,

You will notice I start all of my emails and posts with “Aloha”
Here in Hawaii that actually means something very dear to us!

If you would like to experience the true “Aloha Spirit”…
If you would like to see how a person can truly speak from his heart and touch others…
If you want to see how a person can just be himself with pretenses…
If you would like to learn what it is like to BE YOURSELF vs. a Carbon Copy of what others think success looks like PLEASE WATCH THIS VIDEO!

Check out this 9 minute Commencement speech by Mayor Billy Kenoi, of Hawai’i Island as he inspires graduates at Hawai’i Pacific University’s commencement, May 15, 2014. “Love, aloha — it doesn’t cost any money and it doesn’t take any effort. And the most amazing part? The more you give, the more you get and the more you give, the more you have … and you can never ever run out.”

I am also posting this on our Facebook page.

I am interested in your thoughts.

I sent this out to my docs and here is one of their responses…

“Hey Russ,
Watched this last night and I L-O-V-E this man!
What an inspiring, fun message!
A great reminder and wow, hey guess what?
I can be myself and not have to be some cheap carbon copy of someone else?

But, but, but, that’s what a lot of the big talking heads from the pulpit tell me I HAVE to do to be successful in practice and have a fulfilling life….
LOL!

Thanks for the sharing and thanks to the doc who posted this on FB.”

-Dr. Janice

Hope you enjoy this and take it to heart!

By the way – have you spent time thinking about your own headspace lately?

Much love and aloha,
Russ

Do you Struggle getting patients to your WORKSHOPS?

By Dr. Russ Rosen | Chiropractic Care , Communications

Has this ever happened to you?

At the start of the day, you have 10 people scheduled into your workshop. You’re pumped about the opportunity to share the chiropractic message and are looking forward to providing boat loads of value. But…as the day goes on you can hear your CA on the phone taking call after call as your patients continue to come up with excuses about why they can’t make it to your workshop tonight. By the time the workshop comes around your delivering your talk to 2 people….arghhhh!

If this sounds familiar then know that you’re not alone. This scenario plays out in this form or very similar ones in chiropractic offices around the globe!

So how do we get patients to our talks?

I have doctors and their entire teams tell me all the time that people just won’t come to talks in their area. And my response to them is this… nonsense! The truth is they just don’t know how to get people to their talks.

If this has happened to you enough then you’ve probably starting telling yourself that running workshops aren’t a good use of your time and you’re better off leaving the office early and spending some time with your family.

Well…the good news is, there is another way.

Don’t kid yourself though, if you really want your patients to GET IT…
• If you want them to see the value of a healthy functioning nervous system and reasonable lifestyle…
• If you want to be able to see a reasonable volume of patients and not have to spend tons of time with each patient every visit “educating” them…

Then you MUST do a killer series of talks!

If you want to get your patients to your talks you MUST have the right headspace as well as the right procedures to get them to your talks.

I’ve written an article that will show you EXACTLY how to get boat loads of your patients and their family and friends to your talks. (And if you have seen this article before I just added a new section of how to get your active patients to the talks, not just the new patients.)

Just click this link and it will take you right there. (Don’t worry, there’s no opt in and there isn’t even anything for sale, I just wanted to “hook” you up).

 

Love to hear your thoughts and comments.
Much love and aloha,

Russ and Angie

Stroke Ammunition

By Dr. Russ Rosen | Chiropractic issues , Communications

I was going back and forth with Dr. Christopher Kent about info I could send to my docs about this whole stroke issue.

If you have not heard, it has blown up in California; I am sure there will be a ripple effect.

As far as I am concerned there is no one on the planet who knows more about this and who I trust more than Dr. Kent. Below is an email that he put together and we wanted to forward it to you.

Here is an interview I did with Dr. Kent several years ago and although it is dated there is still tremendous information.

Much love and aloha,

Russ and Angie

P.S.

Here are a few other articles that some docs sent me:

• Here is the article about the girl who just died
• Vertebral artery strains during high-speed, low amplitude cervical spinal manipulation
• Risk of Vertebrobasilar Stroke and Chiropractic Care
•  Chiropractic care and the risk of vertebrobasilar stroke: results of a case–control study
• Debunking the Myth that Chiropractic Causes Stroke

Email from Dr. Kent:

Dear Colleague—

Many of you have been trying to contact me regarding recent media coverage alleging that chiropractic care causes strokes. This e-mail is to address such requests. One of the latest and best papers on chiropractic and stroke was authored by a group of neurosurgeons. Their conclusion: “There is no convincing evidence to support a causal link, and unfounded belief in causation may have dire consequences.”

The paper is available free online. Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Chiropractic Care and Cervical Artery Dissection: No Evidence for Causation. Here is the link.

The best available evidence reports that people may present to an MD or DC office with a stroke in progress. See this link.

Failure to recognize the signs of a possible stroke, chart them, and manage them appropriately can have devastating consequences. An excellent resource is a summary by the professional liability company, ChiroFutures. The link to the article is here,

At a minimum, you should study these materials carefully.

For those who would like to purchase an online course addressing types of stroke, mechanical forces affecting the vertebral arteries, what occurs during a dissection, the issue of causality, imaging, and most important, how to recognize a stroke in progress and what not to do, visit: this page.

Best Wishes,

Christopher Kent, DC, JD

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With all this said gang… (Back to a few thoughts from Russ…)

The question comes up as to how to deal with this in your office if patients bring it up.

As always I would use the LAASR process.

Listen, Acknowledge, ASK, Solution and Resolution.

Don’t dive right into a sermon.

Instead I would recommend Acknowledging what a tragedy this persons death is.

Then start Asking questions i.e. what do they think happened? Do they think a chiropractic adjustment could cause that? Are they concerned that your adjustment might cause that for them?

Clarify THEIR concerns first.

Then address those.

Having the above studies will help in punching a hole in their faulty premise or belief system of, “Chiropractic adjustments can cause strokes.” But my experience is if you get defensive or offensive they cannot HEAR what you have to say.

Hope that all helps!

Much love and aloha and thank you for being on the front lines and for all you do!

Russ and Angie

Making Health Screenings & Outside Talks Work for Your Chiropractic Business

By Dr. Russ Rosen | Chiropractic issues , Communications

We have all heard the quote, “Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime”.

Can we really do well with outside talks and screenings? In this day and age do they still work?

YES! Emphatically yes! But you need to know HOW to get in and HOW to do them.

I speak with docs all the time that first don’t know how to set them up and second don’t know what to do if they do set them up. How about you?

I personally did not realize that “The Amazing Dave Mager” not only came out and did screenings and talks and taught offices how to do them, but he ALSO sets up talks and screenings with Corporations and nearby companies and teaches you how to do it!

In this interview Dave Mager and I talk about:

• How to set up talks and screenings
• What information to give to businesses
• What handouts we recommend giving at talks and screenings
• And what your mindset needs to be

Not only that, but Dave has offered to give you FREE OF CHARGE examples of:

• Cover letters, introduction letters and letters to the businesses
• Flyers
• Spinal Health Survey
• Basic instructions for screening flow using the substation
• Information on Corporate Wellness programs
• Checklist for doing screenings
• Before contacting businesses you MUST do the following list

Did I mention that he gives you all of that for FREE?!

 

Listen to my interview with Dave Mager where we talk down the subject!

 

We also did an interview together where we discuss HOW to do screenings.

 

You can contact Dave at [email protected] to receive his special package of FREE content that he put together for our doctors.

And as a SPECIAL OFFER to our doctors, you can save $150 when you ask Dave to come out to your office to:

• Set up talks and Screenings
• Perform Talks and Screenings
• Teach your team to set up Talks and Screenings
• FIRE UP your team and rock your world!

Nothing to it but to do it! Take action!

When Life Gives You Lemons

By Dr. Russ Rosen | Chiropractic issues , Chiropractic Strategies , Communications

When life gives you lemons: Every moment contains the ingredients for a positive lesson and an epic new adventure.

Recently my daughter posted this in her blog.

I thought we could all find value in it. Has life given you any lemons recently?

Hope you enjoy…

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When life gives you lemons… squeeze out all the juice you can possibly get!

Life throws (sometimes hurtles, sometimes aggressively catapults) experiences our way in hopes that we will grow from them. But at the first sign of discomfort, we often wriggle out of the lessons’ hold, squirm out of the teacher’s reach, and head to safer ground.

Phew! We made it. “Think again!” life chuckles as she gently taps on another domino nearby–watching with upturned lips as the chaos gracefully makes it way into our unknowing lives.

And there it is again–cloaked in different colors and shapes, but the underlying lesson is the same. And it will come and find its way into your life no matter how many times you escape its terrifying grasp. That is, and this part I hope is true, that is unless you give in, let those arms pull you in to the dark depths of the unknown, learn that damn lesson, make it your bitch (so to speak), and become the master. Once you have mastered the lesson, it will no longer be hungry for you. It will no longer seek you out.

And then… as life goes on… the lessons will continue. New lessons will keep rolling in, all brilliantly disguised that you may forget they are simply lessons, and you will just see them as the brightly colored masks they put on. They may appear to you wearing the tearful mask of a tragedy or the grief-stricken mask of an epic heartbreak. They may turn up one day as a loss of a job, and the next day a gut-wrenchingly difficult decision.

I believe the key is to first recognize it is only a mask, and second, to look inward and decide for yourself what priceless and life-altering positive lessons we can learn from them. The tragedy slips away to reveal inner-strength. The heartbreak flutters lightly on leaving the wing-prints of maturity and self-love. The decision that kept you up at night pushes you to take command, be purposeful with your life, and choose a direction.

Take off the masks that greet you. Don’t run in fear. Smile and embrace them as moments given to you to help push you up, reach greater heights with even greater perspectives, and become more powerful and whole versions of yourself.

When life gives you lemons–thank life for her sweet gift. Even when it stings and even when it burns, do everything you can to get every life-altering drop out of them. Each drop will stimulate you and inspire you to evolve. So if you truly squeeze every lemon’s lesson out, you will never have to look back on an experience with sorrow or anger. You will be able to look back, smile, and say, “I am so grateful this happened. Look what it taught me. Look who I have become.”

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Wow! I am so impressed with my little baby! Clearly she got the writing gene from her mom!

So here are my questions to you…

• What lessons have you learned recently? What lessons are you in the middle of learning right now?
• What lessons have you shied away from that keep rearing their same heads cloaked as different experiences but truly they are the same?
• What will you embrace this year to make it your best year ever?

Know that we are always here to help. If you want the rest of 2017 to be as good as it can get, please contact us for a free consultation. You will be amazed at how we can help you make SWEET LEMONADE with more ease, less stings, and fewer burns!

Engaging Patient Communication

By Dr. Russ Rosen | Communications

I was speaking with Dr. James Stubbs: one of our great “thinkers”.

He uses a whiteboard to puts up ideas to talk with patients about.

We were discussing the concept of framing things from a “Vitalistic” versus mechanistic perspective.

We were talking about putting up questions like, “Fever: good or bad?” (If you would like a great discussion on Vitalism vs. Mechanism just click here)

That would lead to discussions like:

If you were camping and knew that the stream water was bad and full of bacteria, what would you do before you drank it?

Of course, you would boil it.

Why?

You would boil it to kill off the bacteria and bad things in the water.

Did you know that bacteria can only live to a certain temperature and that is why innate wisdom or innate intelligence (not innate stupidity) causes a fever?

James and I were talking about putting up a poster with these three basic tenets (which are from the Five Branches of Philosophy that we learn from Pat Gentempo)

1. What do you believe to be true?
2. How do you know it is true?
3. How do you act or behave because of what you know to be true?

Then we could have discussions such as: “Do you believe that fevers are good or bad?” Odds are they will say “bad”. That would be their basic premise or belief, (what you believe to be true?).

We could then have a discussion like this story above which would “poke a hole” in their belief system or “B.S.” causing them to reevaluate what they believe to be true. Realize if you argue with step three, or how they behave (I take aspirin to reduce the fever) because of what they believe to be true (their B.S.)  you will only find resistance!

But if you poke a hole in their belief system first they will realize that if their belief system (B.S.) is not true. Then we can install a new belief system which of course would lead to new behaviors.

Obviously if they now realize that innate intelligence (not innate stupidity) causes a fever to get rid of the bad stuff so we can heal, then what they choose to do when they get a fever would be different than if they believe that the fever was bad.

We were looking at other concepts we could bring up like this. Such as, “Swelling: good or bad?”

The downside to swelling is it hurts, it limits our range of motion, and it may take longer before we can go do the thing we want to do, like play basketball.

The upside, again from a “Vitalistic” perspective, would be to ask the question, “Why would innate intelligence do such a thing?” The swelling does several different good things.

• First it is a natural brace and keeps us from moving the injured area.
• Second it brings white blood cells to the area to initiate healing.
• Third it brings blood and nourishment to the area so it can heal.

I think these are great conversations to have with our patients that could really shift their paradigm and consciousness leading to long lasting change.

Here is another good example: Why do we see lipping and spurring on X-rays and are they good or bad?

You would discuss the downsides to lipping and spurring AND from a VITALISTIC perspective why would innate intelligence (NOT innate stupidity) start to lay down calcium and eventually bridge the areas? Clearly to brace the area and stabilize the area. Mom nature is ALWAYS choosing the lesser of two evils. “Hmmm, I could just let this area continue to degenerate eventually severing my spinal cord, not a good thing! Or I could lay down calcium and brace the area. Yes I will have limited range of motion and pain but at least I won’t be paralyzed or die!” Do you start to get the idea?

I sent out an email and posted this on FB and got some really great other metaphors and stories.  I’ll be sharing them over the next few weeks, to spur along the conversation. if you have any you would like to add would you please add them in the “Comment” section of this blog? 

Here’s the first one:

From Dr. Lance Cotteril

Vomit, cough, sneeze, diarrhea…

Hi Russ. Back at school we used the examples of sneezing and vomiting as the base for the question of expressing health or expressing sickness. We had great debates in philosophy class on this. The question can be asked that when the body sneezes: “Is it expressing health or illness?” Our initial answers were that sneezing was a symptom of disease. However if the body was working well and in a healthy state and detected that there was something present in the body that would stop the body from expressing full health, then it would be in the body’s best interest to remove it. If there is a particle or irritant in the nose or throat then the body’s response is to expel it by sneezing. The exact same is true when thinking about vomiting, diarrhea and coughing; although it would be different toxins and irritants that the body is trying to expel. The more pertinent question can then be asked would it be more concerning if the body wasn’t sneezing, coughing or vomiting when there are toxins and/or irritants present in the body? (Dr. Cotteril, I agree 100%! Remember it is innate INTELLIGENCE not innate STUPIDITY! Innate wisdom is ALWAYS making choices that will lead to survival even if it does not look that way. It is ALWAYS choosing the lesser of two evils… until it cannot… – Russ)

Staff Suggestions for Improving PVA and More

By Dr. Russ Rosen | Chiropractic Care , Communications

Dr. Jake Smith in Spain asked his team to come up with ideas to help improve the retention or PVA. In essence how do we get patients to stick around longer so they can get amazing results?

This was their response in black and in red are the comments I made.

Do you or your team have anything you would like to add to this?

If so please put them in the comments section.

Tasks to improve PVA and overall numbers (1-27 my C.A.’s ideas/ 27- 38 are my ideas)

1. If one of our patients has a business, try and use their services or purchase items from their businesses.
2. Believe in what we do and never give up on our patients.  Never stop encouraging them to continue with care.
3. Develop our Facebook page more
4. If possible, reduce the frequency of care so that the patient does not “throw in the towel” due to economic problems.  (i.e.  I understand that you cannot come in 3 times a week, but due to your speedy recovery I believe we can go down to once a week and achieve your health related goals.)
5. Do not classify new patients as “new patients” if we know that they will only be here for a few weeks or if they are already under maintenance care with another chiropractor and want to switch to us (this happens often as I used to work for another chiropractor in town six years ago.  Some people are just finding out that I am still here, and others are unhappy with his new associate so they seek me out.)  The intention is to have a more realistic appraisal of our PVA.
6. Revamp our phone calls.  Our current system is that we call the patient 3 times.  If we do not get a response we stop calling.  If they are in the first phase of care we send them a letter within one month.  If they are beyond the first phase of care we send a letter within 3 months. Any ideas??? You can check out my system 4, module 1 REACTIVATIONS section. But for sure Listen to System 2 module 2 dive deep “Missed Appointments”
7. Inform our clients about our facebook page and tell them they can receive important info about their health if they “like” us.  Maybe there is a way we can request they “like” us, via FB after we inform them??? Create a tribe (Listen to Tribes,system 4 dive deep section) and community! Regular internal series of talks goes a long way
8. When I am the “runner” work harder to talk to the patient to figure out what their habits are, and how they could be affecting their progress.  (We could also find out positives as well.)
9. Remember to ask patients for recommendations when they tell me how happy they are with chiropractic and their results.
10. Insist more that patients schedule their appointments in blocks of 10-12.  Pre-paid plans should help with this (her words.) In Doc Handoff to CA use that scripting and form. Let them know up front that we will support them every step of the way but they need to do their part
11. When a patient calls to tell us that they are quitting care, insist more that they do not quit care. Use LAASR system 3 module 11. Find out why? See if there is anything we can do to fix or help? Get the doc to call and check in as he will be concerned.
12. Develop blog and social networks more. Write articles in first person. This will bond them to us more and condition them to ask questions. Post more photos of seminars that I attend, the Barcelona College of Chiropractic (I sit on the board) meetings, events etc.  Posts outside of chiropractic such as nutrition and exercise to get more hits on Google.
13. Post Big Idea video on website
14. Post other video (don’t know name but I have it) shows split screen of same older man.  One is sick the other healthy.  Emphasizes quality of life.
15. Once a year, hold a seminar for our patients (Saturday morning)  basically an advanced talk.  Also let patients share their experiences with others. Have the event catered. I did a few advanced talks a year. Biggest had 175 people. We can talk these down
16. Create more handouts on how to improve habits.  We have on sleep.  We should make one about diet, exercise, mental health. See the ones I have system 3, module right after overview
17. Encourage parents to bring their children.  Create a “Path to optimal health” for kids.  Make a game out of it.  Give them prizes along the way (we do a bit of this now)  Give them a medal when they reach maintenance care/optimal health. Go through system 4, module 4 no stress secrets to easy and instant referrals. And module 1, marketing, internal, family referral program. Brock did this and killed it
18. Order gowns for kids
19. Keep our patients engaged all year with nice touches and details such as:  Have a hot chocolate machine during Christmas, eggs for kids at Easter, Give out pens, t-shirts etc. with our name and logo to celebrate our anniversary. make it a fun place to come!
20. Nice gift when patients reach 5 years 10 years etc. under care
21. Give stretching exercises to everyone in first re-exam
22. In second re-exam re-visit their worst habit and see if they have improved it tons we can do on this…
23. Show them where they are on the path to optimal health keep talking about where they are, where they want to be and what they need to do to get there… and of course WHY they want to be there. Make sure we do meaningful re exams and re reports. Make sure the entire team utilizes the whole story brochure!
24. Third re-exam.  If they have improved a bad habit, praise them. If not inspire them to do so.
25. When patient achieves maintenance care (once a month) the whole team congratulates them and encourages them to continue care.
26. After one year of maintenance care give them a bottle of nice olive oil (it is common to give bottles of wine but many people do not drink so we found oil is better and is more in congruence with health) to show them we still care and are here for them on their path to health.
27. Force myself to ask everyone that accompanies a new patient to start care.  Sometimes I don’t do it because I think they can’t afford it or I feel like I failed to make a connection with them and they will say no. review no stress secrets to easy and instant referrals and learn HOW to ask for referrals
28. Network more.  Take advantage of opportunities to meet new people.
29. Improve Daily Interactions / Incorporate Path to Optimal Health.  Where do you think you are now? When patient wants to reduce care. And who do you know? And nail the TTAT Whole story brochure
30. Keep refining first visit.  Get it locked in. and keep reviewing it forever!
31. Schedule new patients better (i.e. so I am not rushed)if we are rushed or run behind people will put up with it until they are out of pain, but not after that
32. Improve re-exams and health talk
33. All of us need to watch Big Idea video and my health talk then critique them to make sure they are congruent and useful.
34. Help patients more with their habits. Publish info in FB
35. Start emailing patients once a month with useful info.  Encourage patients to “like” FB page.  This keeps us on their radar.
36. Be more consistent with making calls to patient after first visit to see how it went. 100% of the time, First impressions!
37. Be more consistent with keeping up with patients who dropped out of care for medical reasons (car accident, broken bones, in the hospital, surgery, heart attack etc.)
38. Have an annual event that coincides with bank holidays something like a 4^th of July BBQ.
39. Testimonial week! System 4, module 1, internal, testimonials
40. In essence,
    1. if we all do our job, if we do a great job, if we continue to improve people will stay, pay and refer!
    2. Get our patients to REALLY see the value of long term chiropractic care.
    3. Make sure everyone on the team understands how to use the TTAT brochure and discuss the whole story and make it personal with each patient.
    4. Make it about THEM vs. making about YOU or your “Numbers”.
    5. Love these people, give them a Red Carpet Experience, (see Red Carpet article in system 3, first contact process, CA Communications)
    6. Take the team through “Get the team to grow the practice” System 2 module 1. Get them philosophically on board and make sure they have regular quarterly objectives that you review in the brag session in your weekly meetings.
    7. Make sure your team has been to your talks and REALLY get the value of long term care.

Now obviously a lot of this feedback I gave Dr. Smith was referencing our 3 Pillars and 5 Systems content. If you don’t know what that is, take a look at this video introduction and start to learn about the program we have – it’s thorough, it’s constantly evolving, and it works.