I was talking to an established DC the other day and he was concerned that his normal patient flow and the number of new patients has greatly dwindled. I asked if he had kept up with his patient base with timely appointment reminders, e-newsletters or social media presence, he said no. I asked if he kept patient e-mails and phone numbers in a readily available place and he said no. I asked if he attempted to reach out to his active and inactive patient list and he said no. I asked if he has any staff members dedicated to reactivate established and lost patients and he said no. I asked if he planned any cost effective marketing to reach out to his community and he said no. I asked if he has plans to touch base with professionals such as attorneys, physicians, local establishments and he said no. I then asked how he expects to turn the flow of patients towards his office if there are no plans put in motion and he said he didn't know. Doctor, do you?

I explain to my new patients that their schedule of treatment and their results are dependent on two factors repetition and momentum. Physical healthcare requires repetition to create stability and strength and momentum to keep it going. If they miss an appointment or have a delay in scheduling they lose the ingredients necessary to reach their goals. There are variations on this theme but the point is, no plan is a plan and a plan to fail or lose the momentum to succeed.  Doctor, do you have a plan?

Life is a matter of momentum as is your office. I anticipate that patients will follow through and if they don’t, I look in the mirror as the fault lies there. I anticipate my staff to appreciate their purpose and fulfill the needs of our patients by being sure they follow through with their care. Again, if they have not been trained or staff meetings have not been regularly kept, I again look in the mirror. I anticipate referrals from patients and the network of professionals we have kept a relationship with, if not, I look again. You get my drift, the buck stops with the image in the mirror.

Doctor, I can go on. Graduating your alma mater was just the beginning of the journey. Lucky docs find success an easy journey while others need further assistance to gather the tools for patient, practice and staff management. Momentum only works when you have the tools to implement.

If you answered as the DC I spoke with did, your practice numbers are down or on life support then you need to reach for assistance to increase your knowledge and put you on a path towards success. You may have some chiropractic friends that have done well and may share with you their steps up the ladder of success. Often a few tips get the job done but reaching out is the first step. You can always reach out to me, we'll work it out together: joel3639@aol.com