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Download valuable PDF articles below.These are hand picked articles that will help guide you through issues with your practice and your life. View article excerpts below, and click the link to download the full PDF article.
Assessing Patient Expectations and Building RetentionDr. Heun The person seeking help from a chiropractor has undergone an internal process of evaluation, introspective question and answer, and perhaps, a bit of investigation with others, before ever contacting an office for help. I contend that by exploring what is in the patient's mind during this discerning process, initially, and then, each day you encounter the patient, insight into how to do a better job of meeting the patient's expectations, and attempting to actually exceed them is obtained.
CBP In Name OnlyDr. Heun The quality and volume of research published by CBP™ provides for a compelling argument for care beyond the resolution of symptoms. The article by the same name published in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiologic Therapeutics in 1998 (Structural Rehabilitation of the Spine and Posture: Rationale for Treatment beyond the Resolution of Symptoms) certainly begged the question to the profession.
Creating A Great First ImpressionDr. Heun The essence of human interaction is communication. Communication is comprised of many elements, verbal, non-verbal (physical), and environmental. Each of these elements contributes to the overall success or failure of doctor-patient communication. This article will deal specifically with the first impression created by a chiropractic office, from the first telephone call, to the doctor meeting the new patient.
Defendable Care Options for PatientsDr. Heun Patients present themselves to chiropractors with a genuine need. Generally, patients are focused on one thing: getting out of pain. Most patients are unaware of the true nature of chiropractic or the legitimate options available to them to address their problem or problems. Our role as doctors of chiropractic is to first investigate the patient's problem (or problems) from our unique health care perspective. Therefore, an examination is performed, conclusions are derived from the data collected, and a care plan to address the patient's needs is formulated. Today, there are many care plans being offered to patients in chiropractic offices, however, one disturbing trend in the profession has been to promote extended care plans with questionable scientific support.
Effective Initial ExaminationDr. Heun There are a number of reasons why an initial examination must be conducted. As a clinician, you must investigate the condition of the person seeking your help. You must compare and contrast the person's presenting complaints and history with your observations. You also must document the person's condition, and elucidate the nature of the person's complaints. The truth is, you are expected to conduct an examination: expectations are held by the governing board that issued your license to practice, your peers, third party payers, and it is the standard of care of the profession. However, arguably the most important expectation you must meet is of the person who presents to you looking for help, who may choose to become your patient. This important choice is often based solely on their initial impressions and perceptions. If you at least meet a person's expectations of what a doctor represents, and establish a good rapport from the start, you have a reasonable opportunity to succeed.
Expectation And RetentionDr. Heun The person seeking help from a chiropractor has undergone an internal process of evaluation, introspective question and answer, and perhaps, a bit of investigation with others, before ever contacting an office for help. I contend that by exploring what is in the patient's mind during this discerning process, initially, and then, each day you encounter the patient, insight into how to do a better job of meeting the patient's expectations, and attempting to actually exceed them is obtained.
Fundamentals of Doctor-Patient Communication: Connecting from Day One...Dr. Heun There is no doubt, the initial meeting of a new person in your practice, and the dialogue with that new person that may choose to become a patient is the most critical step in establishing the doctor-patient relationship. To simplify, the three most important points demanding focus and attention are: 1) Creating a great first impression.
Managing The Acute Patient With Compassion And Common SenseDr. Heun Patients presenting to chiropractic offices in moderate, to greater than moderate pain, (very few patients present in severe pain, defined as the inability to function/get out of bed) present unique clinical and communication challenges. The proper handling of the acute patient in particular often results in the establishment of a life-long relationship. When handled improperly, the result is usually a disappointed or disgruntled patient, forever lost to chiropractic. The acute patient presents in a state of fear: desperation, anguish and occasionally anger dominate the patient's consciousness. Often, any shred of hope is grasped at hungrily. The common thread that unites doctor and patient is hope.
Pre And Post Patient Care HuddleDr. Heun In the final analysis, chiropractic practice is fundamentally very simple. Provide exceptional customer service, in a safe, comfortable environment, give patients what they want, and in so doing, create the opportunity to provide them with what they need, and collect a fair fee for services rendered. In nearly all practice models, the doctor should be the center of this process. It is the doctor that forms the core relationship with each patient. However, the team he or she creates to become an extension of themselves is a critical component in establishing and maintaining a solid, successful, doctor-patient relationship. Focusing a priority on patient care and communication will prevent or eliminate the majority of the issues practices face; patients suddenly quitting care, misunderstandings, scheduling conflicts, as well as disconnects with the practice team. Monitoring the team through the lens of customer service and patient care is essential. The purpose of this article is to teach you the best, time-tested method for creating, building, monitoring, and therefore enjoying success with your patients in practice, day after day, month after month; creating life-long doctor-patient and practice relationships.
Protocol, Procedure, Focus And InstinctDr. Heun It was late on a Friday evening. The week was coming to a close, I was looking forward to the start of my two-day vacation, a mind-set I had cultivated over a number of years striving for balance between my life work, family, and personal growth. When my front-desk assistant, Jenelyn, informed me of the imminent return of a patient I had not seen for quite some time, I took it in stride, I was raised to put the patient's needs first.
Seven Daily Steps To Succeed In PracticeDr. Heun Organization is the underlying structure essential to creating a dynamic, responsive, customer service oriented practice, producing quality patient care. Once the organization and systems are in place, the opportunity for maximum creativity and dynamism is produced. However, in order for the daily practice performance to be optimally successful, the doctor and his or her team must be prepared. The more prepared a doctor and team, the more natural, dynamic, responsive and effective the team will be in providing exceptional, patient-centered care all the while creating a relaxed, comfortable and enjoyable environment for patients.
The Importance of a Clinically Relevant, Patient-Centered, Presentation Of FindingsDr. Heun I have stressed in my teaching and mentoring over the years, that the establishment of a strong, trusting, and honest relationship, is critical to the success of your treatment plan, and ultimately, your practice. When you spend the time, energy, and focus demanded to present your findings in a patient-centered way, to the person who may choose to become your patient, your presentation of findings (POF) will be a pivotal, and critical, component to the progressive development of your doctor-patient relationship. The POF must be sensitive to the wants of your patient, while still addressing the clinical needs of your patient. This honest presentation of fact, and options for addressing the problem, or problems, at hand, must also address the actual clinical needs, and realistic potential for improvement, (based upon current scientific knowledge). The POF must never be coercive, argumentative, or confrontational. All of these approaches destroy, rather than enhance, the doctor-patient relationship. It is ethically wrong to present your findings in such a way as to produce fear, or take unfair advantage of the fact that the person you are presenting to is in pain, and therefore, vulnerable, and all too willing to commit to your care protocol under duress.
The One ThingDr. Heun According to the renowned Nielson organization, as of June 2008 in the US, 72% of the population is using the Internet. In his excellent book, Micro Trends, Mark Penn states that the fastest growing trend in health care is "DIYD" (Do it yourself doctors). The last time you needed information, how did you search for it? I contend that patients have well formed opinions about chiropractic care. Their opinions may not be accurate, or necessarily represent the truth, however, they do in fact have them, whether they voice them initially or not. Face it, patients Google. They text, and collaborate. Facebook, MySpace, LinkedIn allow for the concept of six degrees of separation to take on a whole new level and pace of connection. News travels fast. Two of the essential components of connecting with patients on day one, are; establishing what their expectation truly is, and what they actually know about what you do. Obtaining this information is essential to set the stage for communication going forward. Failure to ascertain expectation and the level and source of their understanding of chiropractic care will impede your ability to connect positively with them and endanger the development of your doctor-patient relationship. Without a solid doctor-patient relationship, you will have poor patient retention, and all the wonderful chiropractic science we can now bring to bear to help our fellow man is effectively, useless.
Thriving In The New Health Care MarketplaceDr. Heun More and more companies in America are changing their approach to providing health care benefits for their employees. According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics the number of employees with
Time In TractionDr. Heun In managing thousands of patient cases in my many years in practice, I observed the following; the more change patients made as demonstrated on re-x-ray, the greater likelihood they were to continue with additional care as needed. Therefore, I began to work patients into rehabilitative procedures including forms of mirror image exercise and traction, as soon as possible in their initial phase of care, usually, long before their presenting symptoms were resolved. Therefore, their total time in traction, as well as their utilization of rehabilitative exercise in phase one of care was optimized. The more time they spent exercising and in traction, the more change was evident on their first follow up radiographic exam. Patients noting change after phase one were usually quite happy with their progress, and were willing to commit to 3-4 weeks of additional care (at 3-4 visits per week depending upon their condition and response to care to date) followed by another re-x-ray. Many patients continued for additional phases of care when needed with this approach. The fact is patients want to succeed. Incremental success is critical to their motivation to continue with care.
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