Creating a Personality-Driven Chiropractic Practice
FEATURE
MANAGEMENT
Brian Rector
DC
Chiropractic care is about more than simply creating a successful business plan. Business management companies have recently argued that creating a “personality-driven practice” is detrimental to the success of a business. Although this may hold true for large corporations, this is not the case for chiropractors. In fact, the foundation of a chiropractic practice should be personality driven and based on building relationships with patients. The quality of relationships built with patients will determine the success of a practice. The personality developed by the CEO chiropractor should be evident in the procedures of the office and the behavior of the employees. By creating this type of practice, chiropractors will attract their ideal patients, and the patients will be satisfied with their quality of care.
When patients walk through the door of a chiropractic office, they should experience a doctor who is attentive, caring, and personable in addition to providing quality care. Doctors who can incorporate their own personality into their practices cultivate offices that are welcoming, safe, and healing for patients. In fact, patients have often explained to me their dislike of previous doctors based on their “lack of personal touch” or lack of relationship. If there is no doctor-patient relationship, they will not feel the same degree of loyalty and will be more likely to discontinue care. As demonstrated in a study conducted by B. Prakash in 2010 on dermatologists5, patient satisfaction in their quality of care and likelihood of retention is largely determined by their relationship with their doctor. The relationship between the doctor and patient is crucial to the success of a chiropractic practice.
What patients want when they enter a chiropractic office
In his book Today Matters, John Maxwell describes seven “bridging actions” when developing a relationship. His “bridging actions” outline what people want and expect when they build a new personal relationship, which can be applied to the doctor-patient relationship. Each of these assumptions about people and their actions can be applied to chiropractic care. As Maxwell states in his book, “1) People are insecure...give them confidence, 2) people want to feel special...sincerely compliment them, 3) people desire a better tomorrow...show them hope, 4) people need to be better understood...listen to them, 5) people are selfish...speak to their needs first, 6) people get emotionally low...encourage them, 7) people want to be associated with success...help them win.”4
First, patients are insecure. When they enter a new office, they are unsure if they are in the correct place and whether chiropractic care can be a solution to their ailments. In order to address this, doctors should instill confidence in their patients, and educate Socratically about the importance of chiropractic care. Be attentive and ask pertinent questions in order to assure that the patient understands the concepts being explained.
All people want to feel seen and special, and patients are no different. Doctors should uplift their patients and assure them that they are a solid support system. Doctors should be fully present and engaged with each patient in order to make him or her feel known and important.
Patients enter a chiropractic office because they want to improve their lives. To address this, doctors should instill hope that they are capable of improving their health and wellbeing. Tactics that guilt patients into following a strict plan should be avoided, and guilt should never be used as a persuasive measure in a practice. Hope is key.
Another vital aspect of a relationship with patients is making them feel understood. In order to accomplish this, chiropractors must actively and attentively listen to their patients. In order to enhance listening skills, use the same words when speaking with patients. Describe their issues and paraphrase what they have said in order to make them feel cared for and understood.
Patients are concerned with their own needs. The emphasis should be placed on them and their treatment. Although self-disclosure can be beneficial in some scenarios, it is often not needed in the patient-doctor relationship. Doctors should use discretion when providing information about themselves and keep the focus of the conversation on the patient. Patients look to their doctor as a guiding figure and a source of comfort, so providing too much information about the doctor’s personal life can make patients uncomfortable.
Patients need encouragement. Patients’ personal lives, poor habits, or other circumstances can become overwhelming and emotionally draining for them during their treatment program. They may need help and encouragement to continue their treatment plans and attain their goals. Doctors should uplift their patients if possible and provide strategies to improve their health.
Celebrate the successes of the patients and acknowledge their accomplishments. By praising patients in their wins, the chiropractor encourages patients to continue their progress. Verbal encouragement has been demonstrated to increase success in academic settings, and the same concept can be applied to doctor-patient relationships.
By applying John Maxwell’s seven bridging actions in personal relationships to doctor-patient relationships in a chiropractic office, doctors will have increased patient compliance, referrals, satisfied patients, and cultivate a more fulfilling practice.
Additionally, a concrete understanding of the variety of personality types and communication types is essential for interacting with patients of all backgrounds and identities. Personality assessments such as the Maxwell DISC Certification provide a framework for the common personality types and how to communicate effectively with each type of person. By educating both the doctor and the staff about the DISC Personality Profiles, communication will be enhanced within the practice.
Once a chiropractor has mastered these skills in creating successful relationships with patients, it is crucial that the staff develops the same skillset. Consistency within the office is key to the satisfaction of patients. The staff must treat patients with the same level of respect and care as the doctor to create an overall healing atmosphere. As your employees leam the personality skills of communication, they will also have a more fulfilled work environment and in return become loyal to you and your practice.
By incorporating interpersonal skills, enhancing communication, and creating a healing environment for patients, the potential of a chiropractic practice to flourish is optimized. As your practice develops these skills of incorporating your personality, your practice will grow into the ideal practice you have always dreamed. This ultimately increases the number of patients to each chiropractor because people are attracted to people like themselves. Doctors and staff will feel comfortable and fulfilled by their work. Patients will feel valued, cared for, and understood, creating an overall positive attitude within the office.
BRIAN RECTOR, DC, owns and operates ln8coach and Consulting Group, LLC. He also is CEO and owner ^°f Monterey Chiropractic Group, a B multidoctor clinic for 24 years. He has worked with numerous offices throughout the U.S. for the past 10 years on business leadership and development resulting in average growth rates of 30% within the first year. He can be contacted at 831-601-9510, [email protected], or through in8coach.com.
References
1. “DISC Theory: What is DISC?” PeopleKeys. (2015). https://peoplekeys.com/about-disc/what-is-disc/
2. Egan, G. “The Skilled Helper: A Problem Management and Opportunity-Development Approach to Helping.” (2007). Belmont, CA: Cengage Learning.
3. Gueguen, A., Martin, A., & Andrea, C. (2015). “I am sure you’ll succeed: When a teacher’s verbal encouragement of success increases children’s academic performance.” Journal of Learning and Motivation. (52) 54-59.
4. Maxwell, John. (2005). Today Matters. New York: Time Warner Book Group.
5. Sabin, J. “Is Physician Self Disclosure Ever Appropriate?” AMA Journal of Ethics. (2011) (12) 852-855.
6. Prakash, B. “Patient Satisfaction.” Journal of Cutaneous and Aesthetic Surgery. (2010). (3) 151-155.
