Tag Archives: consulting chiropractors

How to Consistently Grow Your Practice In a Good or Bad Economy

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Best Practice Ahead

 

Our clients are up over 150% since 2008 for a reason. They know what they need to learn and they train their staff and themselves so they master the material. You may use the following outline as a checklist of skill-sets that either you have already mastered; or skill-sets that you will need to master.

The key to growing a practice in any economy is knowing and understanding the micro and macro-economics coupled with good procedures, training, and accountability. Consistency is key!

The following are the top seventy areas that our clients learn to master.

  1. Building a solid infrastructure for the practice
  2. Paperwork
  3. Intake procedures
  4. Telephone procedures
  5. Insurance verification
  6. Advanced testing (speciality practices)
  7. Advanced testing paper work
  8. Consultation
  9. ROF
  10. Recall
  11. Re-exam
  12. PVA skill building
  13. Big picture thinking
  14. Stategic-Based Marketing
  15. Heuristic Marketing Equation
  16. Buying Funnel
  17. Ideal Patient
  18. Creation of a Unique Value Proposition (UVP)
  19. Creation of Budgets
  20. Creation of campaign follow-up
  21. Creation of strategic-based marketing campaigns
  22. Tracking of campaigns
  23. Branding
  24. Staff
  25. Expectation management
  26. Organization
  27. Duties and job description of staff
  28. Training and cross-training
  29. Role playing
  30. Trouble-shooting
  31. Advanced personality typing
  32. Team Building
  33. Communication skills
  34. Staff management
  35. Manuals
  36. Procedures
  37. Office policy
  38. Accounting and insurance
  39. Quick-books
  40. Insurance processing
  41. Compliancy
  42. HIPPA
  43. Generation of financial documents and how to read them
  44. Profit and Loss (P&L)
  45. Balance Sheet
  46. Cash disbursements
  47. Bank Reconciliation
  48. Finances
  49. Debt Management
  50. Wealth Management
  51. Investing
  52. Retirement Planning
  53. Asset protection
  54. Patient Management
  55. How to handle objections
  56. Understanding the patient’s real problem
  57. How to communicate in their language
  58. Personal Growth and development
  59. Affirmations
  60. Visualizations
  61. Journal writing
  62. Goal setting
  63. Accountability
  64. Organization
  65. Balance between practice and family life
  66. Clinical skill-sets
  67. Techniques that deliver spectacular clinical results
  68. Cash-based services
  69. How to get more free time to spend with family
  70. How to take at least 3 vacations per year

In ten years, I haven’t seen one practice that trained and utilized the above procedures that failed to grow their practice. Why am I so confident (100% certainty) that these tips will create better growth and a more successful and fun practice? Two reasons: (1) I utilize this training outline everyday and have seen it work with excellent, duplicatable results and (2) Every single day I get a call, email or text from an existing client telling me that since they implemented these procedures and suggestions, they have more money than they ever had before; they love their staff; they are having more fun in practice; or they had a record day in office visits. Or, they had a record week in collections. Or, they had a record month across the board! Please don’t take my word for it. Click here and find out for yourself how I can help you grow your practice ethically, legally and with integrity; get more free time and have fun again. The consultation is free. We have payment plans that will allow virtually EVERYBODY AND ANYBODY the ability to afford my services. Get to the next level and beyond. Stop wishing, praying and hoping and take the meaningful step that will get you to where you want to be.

Click here or click the book cover below to get a free E-Book.

 

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How to Best Train Your Staff

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Happy Staff

Your staff can literally make or break your practice. The main reason that the majority of practices that I coach have inefficient staff is because of no training or poor training.

Doctor if you pull nothing else from this newsletter, please get this. Like it or not, if you want a great staff then you are going to have to spend A LOT of time training your staff. You have two choices: 1. Train them yourself or 2. Pay to have them trained. If you pay to have them trained I would highly recommend that you invest in personal one on one or personal group training instead of DVD’s or manuals. The reason for that is every one of your staff has a unique personality. That personality is best worked with live instead of through DVD’s or manuals.

Here is an outline that you can use which is how I go about training staff:

  1. Answering the phone and knowing the 9 different type’s of phone inquries to expect
  2. Recall procedures that tie directly and seamlessly to the Doctors ROF which gets amazing results
  3. Reactivation procedures that don’t harass and anger patients
  4. Scheduling procedures that engage the patient and actually work
  5. Office flow from new patient intake to discharge
  6. How to handle any and all objections
  7. How to motivate your staff to refer to the office (without bonuses)
  8. Expectation management of the patient
  9. Advanced communications
  10. Personality typing-know who you are talking to in under 30 seconds

In ten years, I haven’t seen one practice that trained and utilized the above suggestions that did not have an amazing staff. Why am I so confident (100% certainty) that these tips will create a better staff and a more successful practice? Two reasons: (1) I utilize this training outline everyday and have seen it work with excellent, duplicatable results and (2)Every single day I get a call, email or text from an existing client telling me that since they implemented these procedures and suggstions, they love their staff, or they had a record day in office visits. Or, they had a record week in collections. Or, they had a record month across the board! Please don’t take my word for it. Click here and find out for yourself how I can help you grow your practice ethically, legally and with integrity; get more free time and have fun again. The consultation is free. We have payment plans that will allow virtually EVERYBODY AND ANYBODY the ability to afford my services. Get to the next level and beyond. Stop wishing, praying and hoping and take the meaningful step that will get you to where you want to be.

Click here or click the book cover below to get a free E-Book.

 

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Why Health Care Providers have Difficulty Getting Paid

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If you are having difficulty getting paid for your services then you need to evaluate where the problem lies. Once you determine where the problem lies, you need to create a solution. Many of you will answer that the problem is with the insurance companies. As my clients have learned, you must take the problem head on and never give up.

Now I am not suggesting or saying that you must run a cash practice. Far from that, although I am a big fan of a cash practice. What I am saying is you need to identify the problem and then come up with a workable solution that ends the problem. If the insurance companies are your problem, what will you do to fix it? The following steps should help you.

1. Take responsibility for your plight. When a new client begins coaching and starts telling me how unfair life is and the insurance companies are criminal… I stop him and teach him that HE or SHE is responsible for their practice not the insurance company or the town they are in. Once the person stops being the victim they can work on action steps to change things. If you are still blaming the sun and the moon for all of your problems you will never be able to take the first step and that is Take responsibility for your plight.

2. Stop trying to do everything on your own. Ever hear the old adage, an attorney who uses himself as an attorney, has a fool for a client? You did not go to school to become a marketing guru or a CEO. You went to school to get sick people well. Please don’t get me wrong, everyone who is reading this article has the ability to become a master marketer or CEO, however it takes time, money and a learning curve to do so. I too went to school to learn how to get sick patients well. How did I become good at strategic-based marketing? The skills were not acquired by myself or by trial and error. I invested lots of time and lots of money($200,000 + ) to learn the skills. Why did I invest the time and money? That was the solution that I needed to be able to make my practices and businesses thrive.

Don’t be afraid to Invest time and money to acquire the skills that will allow you to reach the goals that you set. If you are going to do it on your own or by trial and error, there is high probability that you will spend and waste more time and money than if you hired the right professional and did it right.

3. Get someone to hold you accountable. All human beings have fantastic potential provided that they follow through on doing the action steps that they say they will do. 95% of those same human beings are unable to hold them self accountable and thus fail to do the action steps that will allow them to achieve their goals.

I am no different than you. I have three separate coaches that hold me accountable to doing the things that I say I will do.(These coaches come at a huge investment too) The results…Life is great. I am very fortunate, not lucky to have a terrific wife, kids, and thriving businesses. Fortunate not lucky because I literally work my butt off everyday and love every minute of it; to get the results that I get. I have great coaches who help me, guide me, and hold me accountable.

I tell you this not to brag, but to show you that if I can do it you can too. Believe me, I am not smarter or better looking than you. What I do possess as Chet Holmes says is Pigheaded discipline. I have invested much time and money in learning new skills that work over and over again; and I care deeply about the results that I help my clients obtain. I have failed many times and each time I dust myself off and make it better till I get it right. YOU CAN DO IT TOO!! Click here to set up a free consultation with me

4. Don’t Ever Give Up. What would have happened if the Wright Brothers, Dwight Eisenhower, DD Palmer, or Colonel Sanders gave up? The world would be vastly different wouldn’t it? If you give up, your world, your patients’ world and everyone that they come in contact with, world would be vastly different too. Pushing on, getting the right advisers, and making your life and practice work are the only options.

5. If you want to get paid, you must posses the following:

a. Certainty

b. An identity

c. A consultation that creates value (Click here for free webinar)

d. Organization

e. Communication skills

f. Leadership skills

g. A report of findings that obtains a commitment

h. A well trained staff

i. Good financial skills

j. Strategic-based marketing

k. Procedures that are created in this economy

l. Someone to hold you accountable

m. Knowing how to run a business

n. An understanding of the Laws of Attraction

o. Banishment of Fear

p. Pig headed discipline

q. Knowing that you will thrive no matter what

Now is the time to act. Now is the time to get off of “someday isle” and take a new and better path. If you can’t grow your practice on your own, ask a friend, colleague, or call me. If you are considering hiring a coach, you may click here to read an article that will teach you how to choose the correct coach.

Click here to schedule a free consultation to learn about our very affordable custom coaching programs without contracts.

 

Click here or click the book cover below to get a free E-Book.

 

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How to Find and Train the Best Chiropractic Assistant

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I wrote this article for The American Chiropractor in March of 2013.  If you are a Chiropractor (not a CA) reading this article, use the article to teach you what qualities to look for when you hire. Next when I describe to the CA how to improve her skill-sets you can use the information as a training guide. Enjoy the article!

 

After practicing for thirty-one years, I can honestly say that a well-trained Chiropractic Assistant is one of the most valuable assets that a practice can have.  Understand though, it is a two-way street. A poorly trained CA can be the largest liability to a practice.

In this economy it is vital that you, the CA, create ongoing value for your doctor. This will not only ensure the profitability of the practice but it will ensure job security for you.

Before I get into some of the specifics of the job, let’s investigate some of the general qualities that a top-notched CA will have. If you find some of the listed skill-sets or qualities are lacking, now is the time to start improving upon them.

To be a top-notched Chiropractic Assistant you, will want to start with these important qualities:

  1. Be a phenomenal people person. If you do not LOVE people this is the wrong job for you.
  2. You must have a great phone voice and a great phone presence.
  3. You must possess fantastic organization skills.
  4. You must be able to multi-task efficiently.
  5. You must be a team player and be able to get along with others.
  6. You must have confrontation skills. For example, you must be able to ask patients for payment.
  7. You must be likeable.
  8. You must portray empathy and a caring attitude.
  9. You must be genuinely interested in helping others.
  10. You must be a self-starter.
  11. You must be loyal to your doctor, practice, and team mates.
  12. You must be willing to smile until your face hurts.
  13. You must be able to detect and anticipate problems with patients.
  14. You must be willing to come early and stay late.
  15. You must be willing to do outside events, outside normal business hours.

Let’s go over how to improve your skill-sets so you can deliver better service to the patients.

  1. You should not have to be told how to be a great people person. That trait, you typically either have, or you don’t. To better facilitate those skills, genuinely put other people’s needs before your own. For example if you are just to take a bite out of your sandwich and the phone rings, a people person, will happily put their sandwich down to attend to the person on the phone.
  2. A great phone voice and presence is essential to being a great CA. Always answer the phone with a big smile on your face. Believe it or not the person on the other end can see that great big smile. Next, listen carefully to what the person needs and repeat back for confirmation. Then be a great people person and take care of their needs as you would like someone to take care of yours.
  3. Organization is the hallmark of success. To get better organized, have your desk 100% cleaned off every evening before you leave. That means that all of the day’s work must be completed that day. Don’t leave filing or insurance claims for tomorrow. Do everything the same day and watch how easy and effortless your job will become.
  4. If you can’t multi-task you should not work in a Chiropractic office. Working as a CA means that you should be able to answer the phone, while making copies and asking a patient to go into an adjusting room. If you are not good at multi-tasking, practice by doing several things at once. Start with having a phone conversation and filing. Or, have a phone conversation and make copies. Then move on to other tasks and practice doing them simultaneously. Here is the good news, anyone can learn to multi task with continued practice.
  5. Chiropractic practices are team player environments. If you can’t get along with others, a Chiropractic office is not the place to work. Remember, if you are a people person, working with other team mates becomes an easy task.
  6. Confrontation does not mean having a “knockem-dragem” out bloody fight. Confrontation by definition means the clashing of forces or ideas. To collect fee from patients, you sometimes must be able to clash your idea of “You need to pay for your services now”, vs. the patient’s idea of “I’ll pay you next week”. This is a very important skill to have, not only in the office but in life. A good way to develop this skill is to role play with your teammates.
  7. Being likable is easy. Smile and care about the other person while being selfless in your acts. Be kind and do the things that you say you will do, will make everyone like you.
  8. At all times a CA must portray a caring and empathetic attitude. Remember when people come to the office they are often in pain and not feeling their very best. This can cause people to become nasty. You must not take it personally but help your doctor with the healing process. A truly caring attitude complete with empathy (putting yourself in their shoes), will go a long way to helping that patient heal and having the patient feel good about you and the office.

 

  1. Chiropractic is a helping business. If you do not like to help people then you need to find another job. To get good at being a helping type of person all you need to do is put the other person’s needs first.

 

  1. A self-starter is someone who shows initiative. Don’t be afraid of making mistakes that is how we learn. Show your doctor that you are not afraid to lead and think outside the box and on raise day, you will be very happy.

 

  1. No matter what happens you must be loyal to your doctor and teammates. That is what makes a successful team. One for all and all for one. Live by that rule and your office will become a great source of security and joy.

 

  1. Healing begins with attitude. Nothing exudes a great attitude of caring than a genuine warm smile. Smiling can even help to heal yourself and others. Smile often and watch others smile back at you.

 

  1. You must be the eyes and ears for your doctor. Patients will tell you things that they are afraid to share with the doctor. You never want to break a patient’s confidence but you do need to alert your doctor if a patient is doing things, or might do things to harm their recovery.

 

  1. You will find that working in a Chiropractic office is not just a job. It becomes a way of life. You should be willing and able to come early and stay late.

 

  1. Outside events and lectures are one of the major methods used to grow the practice. You must be willing to participate to help your office to grow.

A Chiropractic Assistant can be one of the most fulfilling and exciting careers on the planet. How great do you think your day would be knowing that you are helping sick people get well? How great do you think your day would be if it was spent putting a smile on other people’s faces? By being great at your job and following these simple suggestions, you will have greater job security and career fulfillment.

For over ten years I have had the privilege of training some of the best Chiropractors and chiropractic assistants in the country.  We teach our clients how to get and keep quality new patients; how to choose the best chiropractic consultant and coach; and how to hire, train and keep an “A” staff. Our clients practices have grown on average over 150% since 2008. To learn more about our strategic methods please click here to set up a free, no-obligation consultation. You will learn specifically how I can help you with a custom-created coaching plan that will be created within your budget.

Click here or click the book cover below to get a free E-Book.

 

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Why New Chiropractic Patients Leave Care

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Isn’t it is so frustrating to have a new patient agree to care and then leave after their second or third visit?

In this environment of high deductibles and co-payments you will only get ONE chance to make a great first impression and get a solid commitment. The following suggestions should help you.

1. The primary reason that patients leave care is they feel that the doctor did not hear them and failed to address their complaints. Are you treating a patient based on YOUR agenda or THEIRS? Make sure that your consultation uncovers the real reason that the patient is there and that it addresses their needs.

2. The second most common reason that patients leave is the staff failed the patient in some way. Are you training your staff consistently? Do you role play situations with your staff. Our clients are taught to use the Disney approach of customer service. Disney has the right idea and their methods can be applied to any business especially health care.

3. The most common reason that long-term patients leave is because they feel the doctor took them for granted. Change up your techniques. Create value added services for your patients. Click here to watch a short webinar on PVA skill building.

4. Another common reason why patients leave is that you attracted the wrong buyer to your clinic in the first place. All patients are NOT created equal. Learn how to scientifically market using the buying funnel, ideal patient, and unique value proposition. Then add strategy, tracking and follow-up and watch how your practice statistics change for the better. Our clients learn to master strategic-based methods which has yielded them a 150% rise in their income since 2008.

5. Failure to communicate with the decision maker is another reason for patient loss. If you do not know how to elicit who the decision maker is and communicate with that person the likelihood of continued patient follow through is greatly diminished. Our clients learn advanced communication techniques so they elicit the commitment from the decision maker. The result is our clients have enjoyed substantial increases in PVA even with a high deductible and co-payment environment.

By this time you are probably wondering how I know with 100% certainty that these tips will bring you more quality new patients. The reason I know is every single day I get a call, email or text from an existing client telling me that they had a record day in office visits. Or, they had a record week in collections. Or, they had a record month across the board! Please don’t take my word for it. Click here and find out for yourself how I can help you grow your practice ethically, legally and with integrity; get more free time and have fun again. The consultation is free. We have payment plans that will allow virtually EVERYBODY AND ANYBODY the ability to afford my services. Get to the next level and beyond. Stop wishing, praying and hoping and take the meaningful step that will get you to where you want to be. Also take advantage of some amazing incentives that will be expiring shortly.

 

Click here or click the book cover below to get a free E-Book.

 

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