Learning to Grow: How Patient Education Will Help You Grow Your Practice
Nancy Singleton
When we opened our first chiropractic practice years ago, we were thrilled to be able to offer chiropractic services to our community. We knew about the life-changing value of chiropractic care and assumed that the good people in our community also knew about and appreciated the value that chiropractic could bring to their lives. At the very least, we thought that they would be convinced after just one visit to our fabulous practice! But we were wrong.
As excited as we were to help everyone live healthier, happier lives, most of the people we encountered didn't value or appreciate chiropractic care the way that we did. They hadn't spent years studying it, and they hadn'tseen its capacity to transform livesforthe better. They simply weren't aware.
We tried to convey our convictions to patients during appointments, butthere never seemed to be enough time (or the right opportunity) to explain the "why" of chiropractic in enough detail. Everyone on our staff made a valiant effort, but when it came down to it, our patients needed more. They needed to knowthat we were here to help, and more importantly, that we could help.
So we started brainstorming and eventually, we thought, "Why not educate our patients the oldfashioned way? With classes!" We began hosting a free class (a new-patient orientation) designed to teach new patients about the benefits of chiropractic care. We included information about why consistent care is so important, as well as information about what patients could do at home to maximize the benefits they received in our clinic. We wanted to drive home the point that great results come from regular visits toourclinic, notthe quick one-and-done method that seems to tempt us in every aspect of life.
As we started holding these orientations on a regular basis, patient loyalty went up. We began to get more referrals from patients, and we found
“Everyone on our staff made a valiant effort, but when it came down to it, our patients needed more.”
that the quality of each visit steadily improved. We didn't have to spend as much time explainingthings to patients (or convincing them of the value of our care), since they had already been to orientation. Our patients (and the larger community) finally understood the purpose of our office—to help people live happier, healthier lives!
Over the years, as we added nutritional protocols to our clinic, we also added more educational opportunities for patients. We started offering classes
on a wider variety of topics, focusing on the health concerns that troubled our patients the most. These courses included:
• How to lose weight the healthy way
• Insomnia solutions
• Eating to avoid diabetes
• Fibromyalgia management
• Cleansing and detoxification
• How to have clear and healthy skin
• Hormone balancing
• How to boost your immune system
• Natural and effective pain relief
• Thyroid health
• Smoking cessation
• Stress relief
• Neuropathy solutions
• General wellness
We found that just about every patient wanted information about one or more of these topics, and usually also knew a friend or family member who could benefit from our classes. Because these issues are pervasive, a lot of people were interested.
Moreover, these lectures didn't just benefit our patients. They also benefited our staff. Because our
staff members had the opportunity to get involved and teach our patients new things, they learned so much more than they would have learned without the classes (and became far better resources for our patients). You may have heard that "the teacher learns more than the students." In this case, we found that staff members who participated in these classes became more energized and passionate about their jobs, and came to play a larger role in our patients' success.
With a little work, you can achieve the same results in your own clinic. If you hold informational classes on the topics that interest your patients, you'll find that they become far more interested in your services and are more likely to stick around. They'll refer more friends and family members, make healthier choices, and get better results from your in-clinic treatments. Teaching these classes will also build your patients' confidence in your clinic. By presenting yourself as an educator, you'll set yourself up as an authority and become the go-to place for your patients to find solutions.
Getting started doesn't have to be difficult. You can simply put up some flyers, create sign-up sheets at your front desk, ask for attendees to refer their friends, or send out e-mails about the event. Any time patients check in or out, you can let them know about the classes and provide a flyer listing the upcomingtopics. To prepare forthe class itself, you only need to create each presentation once, and then you'll be able to recycle it for all future classes on the same topic. This means that you can plan and execute these classes largely within your regular work hours. It's that simple, and the payoff is amazing!
Ultimately, I think it's true that "knowledge is power." When you help your patients understand the invaluable rolethatyou play in your community, they'll become much more interested and be attentive to what you're doing. If you can show your patients how to live a better life, they'll thank you for years to come, and you'll reap the benefits of a busy, thriving practice!
Nancy Singleton is a 1989 graduate of the Los Angeles College of Chiropractic Assistants. She and her husband, Dr. Todd Singleton, have owned and operated multiple clinics, and have been teaching and helping doctors grow their practices for more than 25 years. She and her husband, Dr. Todd Singleton, teach chiropractors how to implement multiple cash systems into their existing practices. For more information, call 801-917-0900, e-mail [email protected], or visit www. Ar tide sByNancySingleton, com.
