PATIENT RETENTION TIPS by Susan Hoy LadyDusty@aol.com Recently, I attended a marketing seminar where I heard it takes five times more time and money to get a new patient than it does to keep a patient! In our offices, we are conditioned to think "new patients". Often, the entire emphasis is put on getting them. While I agree that new patients are very important to our practices, we need to change our interpretation. The most important patient in our office is the "regular" patient. I even hesitate to call them regular patients. I choose to call them V.I.P. 's (very important patients). Regular patients are like gold. They've been through the test and stayed with us for the health of it. Additionally, I personally believe that new patients take five times the amount of energy than regular patients. The moment the new patient settles in to become a regular patient (about three visits or so) we start directing our energy to getting more new patients. The minute we start taking our regular patients for granted and stop treating them like celebrities, there is danger of dropout. Our task is to continue to direct our energy and enthusiasm to the patient who has made the choice to stay with us. In order for them to make that choice, we must perpetuate the feeling we gave them in the first place. Which would you rather have, an office schedule full of regular patients or an office full of new patients? Certainly, we all need new patients, but regular patients make life in the office so much easier! The reason we need so many new patients is because we are not keeping current patients through the correction and wellness phases of care. This is the responsibility of every staff member. I have found that once a new patient is established, there is some degree of "letdown". It seems like we use up all of our energy in the first three visits and lose it after that. This is very dangerous. Sometime during the first few visits, the patient makes the decision either to continue care or drop out. Those first few visits are critical. It is vitally important to keep track of the new patient throughout these visits and to be aware of any red flags that may tell you that a patient is discouraged and about to drop out. The danger is both with patients who improve dramatically right away and with patients who do not improve immediately. Either way, the danger of dropping out is always looming. It is vitally important to remember that some patients improve immediately, but some do not. It takes time. Some patients actually get worse before improvement begins and still others get pain elsewhere in the spine. All of this is quite normal during the spinal conditioning (corrective) process and the patient needs to know that. We, as staff members, must not give our patient false expectations. Our job is to give encouragement throughout all phases of care. 15 Tips for patient retention: 1. Communicate with your patients. Tell them honestly and simply what is wrong and what your treatment plan will be. Your patients are looking for a health care partner, one with whom they can trust with their most valuable possession, their health. 2. Let your patients know what amount of time you will need initially to get results. Then tell them what you will do if there is no improvement. They need to know that you will help them get to another specialist, whether medical or chiropractic, if there is little or no improvement. 3. Give a written report of findings. Promise patients a personalized written report on their next visit. This will ensure their return for the results of the first visit. Let them know that the first visit payment includes this written report. Therefore, there should be no charge for the next visit unless a commitment for treatment is received. 4. Ask for an initial commitment. Let your patient know it will take several visits to get results and that they should not expect immediate results. They need to know that recovery takes time, especially if their condition is chronic! 5. After you have a commitment for a certain amount of care, ask your patients to schedule all of the appointments that are needed. Once they are in your schedule, at their convenience, it will be easier for them to follow through! There should be specific scripts that you and/or your staff should use. The way you or your staff presents multiple scheduling is vitally important. Your purpose should be to serve the patient, not to make it easier for you and your staff. 6. Ask your patients to pay in advance for the initial commitment. There is no better way to keep them following through than if they pay in advance for the care. When your patient schedules in advance and pays in advance, they can enjoy the initial phase of care without the negativity of scheduling and paying. For those of you who are unsure of this procedure, you will not be successful until you believe this is for the good of your patient. Once you believe you can achieve. 7. Give your patient written instructions so they don't have to remember everything you said, because they won't! Always reiterate your instructions. Make sure your staff does the same. Patients misinterpret and misunderstand frequently. If the instructions are repeated over and over they will begin to get the message that they are important to healing! 8. After your patients have committed to a schedule of care, communicate! Let them know how they are progressing. Say things like, "Let's see how you're doing today." or, "You're looking much better today!" Tell them how they're doing. Use your objective findings to communicate improvement and progress. They will feel more encouraged. 9. Educate your patients! If they are going to commit to ongoing care, they must know why! Have a educational program of videos and pamphlets. Make sure they patient know that their chiropractic care includes some responsibility from them, you can't do all the work! Give them a pamphlet and ask them to read it and to tell you on their next visit what they learned. This will give you interactive educational opportunities. Scripting is very important in this process too. "John, I am going to ask that you take this pamphlet home and read it. It is very important that you understand this concept. On your next visit, we'll discuss it." 10. Resist the urge to give patients everything right away. For instance, if your recommendations include an exercise program, a nutritional program and orthotics, let them know that each will be given as they progress. Don't try to save the entire patient all in one week. Always keep them looking forward to what's next. 11. Your patients will show you how they're doing! Even though it may be in body language, pay attention. Look for "red flags". Comments like, "When should I start feeling better?", will let you know they are getting discouraged. Often they will ask the staff, not the doctor. Make sure your staff is able to recognize these signs and communicate them to you! Each staff member must know what to say when a patient asks a question. Here again, you must have scripts so your staff does not say the incorrect thing. For instance, your staff should never ask the patient, "Do you feel better now?" The patient will think that is what they are supposed to be feeling and be disappointed. In other words, educate your staff! 12. Be willing to let go! Don't try to keep patients when they're not getting results. There is a time to let go. Refer them to another chiropractor for a different technique, or to another specialist. Remember you are a health care partner. The act of referring will reap you many rewards including referrals from other practitioners and even referrals from the patient you referred. If you do refer your patient to another specialist, follow up on the results regularly and you will probably get your patient back. 13. Never blame a patient for dropping out! Remember that your job is to educate them so they can make informed decisions. If a patient drops out of care, for whatever reason, let him or her know that he or she will be welcomed back to your office at any time. This happens several times until finally they get the message that it is better to stick around for the "wellness" care. Always be happy to see them when they return and never make them feel guilty! 14. Fortunately, most patients respond well to chiropractic care. However, they do need to be managed very closely during the first twelve visits or so. The tendency to return to old habits is very strong. As your patients improve, make sure you tell them to thank the person who referred them. Be sure to ask your patients for referrals, too. This is the responsibility of the entire office staff. 15. Finally, remember that it is not only the patient who makes the commitment. When you accept a patient into care, you and your staff must make a commitment too. Your commitment is to serve this patient and do whatever it takes to help. It is a great responsibility that must not be taken lightly by anyone. When your motives are to serve your patient, your practice will thrive and your staff will be proud to be a part of your practice. Success will be yours. You may order our new TEAM TRAINING AND PRACTICE MANAGEMENT MANUAL package, from which this article is taken, by calling 800/937-3113 today.