W e love new patients, right? We certainly want as main people as possible to come through our doors to start chiropractic care. As a provider, you want to help as many people with their conditions as you can fit into a day. but as a business owner, the more new patients you have the better your bottom line. So we will do just about anything to get a new patient on the schedule. But be careful! How you obtain new patients concerns a compliance issue that you don"t want to ignore. When marketing for your patients, you must understand the "cans and cannots" of making a special offer for sen ices as a healthcare provider, whether it's online, at a festival, a face-to-facc referral, or through the newspaper. We arc not selling pics! We can't offer "buy one. get one free." like others can. The difference is we are involved in third-party programs and federal programs such as Medicare. Compliance plays a key role in dictating what efforts are okay, which skate on thin ice. and which are downright unacceptable. Playing risky business could leave you in hot water. Let's look at some marketing practices tliat may work wonders while remaining compliant, as well as some that just don't pass muster: • Free Exams - Did you hear the bells and whistles? That was an alarm warning you to stay far away from this pitfall. Any federally funded insurance plan (Medicare. Mcdicaid. Federal BCBS. Mail Handlers, etc.) considers the act of giv ing away services an inducement violation. You may think that you're in the clear because your office policy states tliat you give all examinations for free to all patients who present to your practice. However, because the examination is a service required to diagnose and begin an episode of care, it just can't be free—this is a serious issue. • Pre-Acceptancc Interview - If you want to help market your self without giving away free examinations and x-rays, utilize the pre-acccptancc interview. Your compliance policy should state that this is a free sen ice for anyone choosing to accept the appointment with the provider. The pre-acccptancc interview allows the provider and potential patient an opportunity to get to know one another and to determine if your practice and the sen ices you offer arc well suited for starting a relationship for ongoing healthcare. If the patient decides anytime during or after the prc-acceptancc interview that they would like to get started with an exam and x-rays to begin care, you notify them that charges start and move into tliat beginning stage of care. This allows for the opportunity to get the patient "in the door" to get to know your practice without performing free sen ices, which could get you dinged! • Online Coupon Websites - Mam states frown upon the use of online coupon sites that allow a practice to determine a discounted rate on healthcare sen ices while the website company keeps a percentage of the sale. This is considered a gray area right now. so you may be on thin ice with this effort. Anti-kickback laws state that you cannot fee split or receive a monetary percentage based on referrals or the amount a patient spends once referred. I would caution you to think twice before delving into this deep end because you may wind up in over your head! • Referrals through Healthy Lifestyle Workshops - One way to make compliant offers to the loved ones of your current patients is through your health} lifestyle workshop (HLW). If you currently do not offer a workshop for new or potential patients, get one in place soon. It is a great marketing and educational tool and we're aware of practices that have built from nothing to powerhouses because of the HLW. Make sure you invite people mentioned by patients to your next workshop by giving a ticket or pass (even if the patient has already attended) for your patient to deliver directly to the referral. During the workshop, create an activity where those in attendance pair up to "look" for different conditions based on some instruction from you. When a partner finds a condition, such as a lowered shoulder or misaligned hips, take each individual back to do a quick "look over." Let them know if their partner was right about a condition being present. If a condition is present, schedule a new patient examination with your team member and get them started with care as soon as possible. This is a no-braincr for the patient's family members! • Seizing Opportunities - This is a great way to markci yourself and receive referrals from those who already know you are awesome! While providing active treatment to your patients, use even,- opportunity that arises to remind them of different types of sen ice you offer. Maybe you have materials or posters in your office that patients can read while between services. Do you treat pregnant women? How many of your patients may assume pregnant women can't be treated? Perhaps a simple poster or pamphlet may alleviate the misconception and encourage your patient to ask questions, giving you an opportunity to explain and maybe get a referral for a pregnant friend or family member. What if you were a little late to sec a patient who had been waiting because some carpel tunnel rehab with the previous patient ran over a bit? Would you be stressed or ready to make this an opportunity? Imagine: Dr. Chiro: "Ms. Jones, thank you for waiting. I was with a patient with serious carpel tunnel issues and I felt he needed a little more rehab than we originally had planned for his appointment. I appreciate your patience."' Ms. Jones: "Carpel tunnel syndrome? I didn't know chiropractors could do anything for that. My husband is thinking about surgery for his pain it's awful." There's the open door that you created. Now walk through and seize the opportunity to talk about chiropractic and the ways you serve your community as a chiropractor. Any way you choose to market, go through the due diligence of making sure you are legal and compliant in that endeavor. Speak to a reputable chiropractic consultant or your state board, and research federal rules and guidelines on any planned marketing systems you arc scheduled to launch. Make sure your marketing and financial policies complement one another and dictate that your practice only markets legally and compliantly. Don't become stuck in a rut of non-compliant marketing out of a desperate need for new patients, or because "the other chiropractors in my community arc doing it." The person responsible for know ing what is acceptable and what won't pass muster when it comes to campaigns for new patients is ultimately you. and that means doing things the right way should be your top priority! Kathy Mills Chang is a Certified Medical Compliance .. Specialist (MCS-P) and, since 1983, has been providing chiropractors with reimbursement and compliance training, ach'ice and tools to improve the financial performance of their practices, kathy is known as one of our profession s lore-most experts on Medicare andean be reached at (855) TK4MK.\/(' or infofSikmcuniversity.com
