FOR YEARS, CHIROPRACTORS HAVE RELIED on their patient visit average (PVA) as a key performance indicator of practice success.
“The assumption is that a higher PVA indicates better patient commitment and understanding of care.”
PVA is calculated by dividing the total number of weekly visits by the number of new patients, offering a general sense of patient retention.
The assumption is that a higher PVA indicates better patient commitment and understanding of care. While this metric provides a surface-level assessment, it lacks the depth necessary to pinpoint where a practice may be losing patients and why.
A more insightful approach to evaluating retention and practice growth is visit drop analysis (VDA). Unlike PVA, which provides an average number that may obscure critical details, VDA focuses on tracking when and where patients discontinue care. By identifying specific drop-off points, chiropractors can take proactive steps to refine patient communication, enhance education, and address any barriers that may cause premature disengagement.
One of the major shortcomings of PVA is that it can be misleading. A practice with a high PVA may appear to be thriving, but if new-patient retention is low, long-term sustainability is at risk. Conversely, a practice with a lower PVA may actually be growing if it effectively maintains a steady influx of engaged new patients. More critically, PVA does not offer actionable data because it does not reveal the underlying cause of the retention issues that it reveals.
In contrast, VDA is a highly actionable metric. It involves systematically tracking each new patient over an eight-week period, categorizing them as active or inactive, and identifying the specific visit at which they discontinued care. Such data allows chiropractors to determine patterns of disengagement.
For example, a significant number of patients dropping off after the second visit may indicate a need to improve early-stage patient education or refine initial consultations. If losses frequently occur around visit six or seven, it may suggest the need for better reinforcement of long-term care benefits.
By implementing VDA, chiropractors gain precise insights into patient behavior, allowing for targeted improvements that directly impact retention and practice growth. Rather than relying on an abstract number, practitioners can make data-driven decisions that foster stronger patient relationships and a more resilient business.
For chiropractors serious about sustainable practice expansion, understanding when and why patients leave is far more valuable than simply tracking how many times they visit. Visit drop analysis provides the clarity and control necessary to optimize patient retention, ultimately leading to a thriving, growth-oriented practice.
To learn more about how this approach can transform your patient engagement strategy, take the next step in refining your retention analysis today.
Dr. Moe Pisciottano is the CEO of the Pro-Adjuster Group and has been a practicing chiropractor in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, for 35 years. Dr. Pisciottano is the first and only chiropractor to receive the coveted Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year award. To learn more, visit www.LearnProAdiuster.com.
