One of the major requirements for maintaining a successful chiropractic practice is building strong patient relationships that result in lifetime advocates of chiropractic and strong referrals. To accomplish this, it is necessary to engage in techniques that build patient loyalty.
What is the best way to build patient loyalty? First it is important to consider the patient experience at your practice. This begins with anticipating the wants and needs of your patients, and managing their perception of your practice to ensure a positive take-away. One of our INSiGHT doctors, Dr. Dave Hanson of Hanson family Chiropractic sets the bar high at doing just this. Watch this video if you want to see a great example of patient loyalty.
Obviously, you’ll need to ensure that your office is clean and welcoming, as well as make sure the environment reflects your practice’s commitment to whole-body wellness. Offering healthy refreshments to guests and patients can help them feel like they have entered a place that wants the best for them and their health. Providing fun and simple activities for children can also signify your care and commitment to wellness for all generations. Something as simple as a coloring book and a few crayons can provide a very open and welcome atmosphere without cluttering or taking away from your practice environment.
First impressions are important, and a consultation is the first opportunity for a chiropractor to start a relationship with potential patients. Addressing any of the patient’s misconceptions of chiropractic care and emphasizing its importance is an important part of the consultation process and initial meeting. Stressing the need for a healthy nervous system through the benefits of adjustment can help to build faith in the chiropractic process and set the stage for a healthy, long-lasting relationship. Ideally, the patient should walk away from their consultation with a sense that your practice can help guide them to more complete whole-body health, and be excited about the possibilities of chiropractic care.
If during the consultation you feel that the patient may have any reservations, or is not understanding any important concepts, then it is advised to ask them questions on their own health and wellness philosophy and concerns. If the patient feels like their concerns were listened to and addressed, they will be much more likely to take advantage of your services.
Networking with community health organizations can also be an effective means of both increasing visibility and showcasing to patients your practice’s commitment to building a healthier community. For example, hospitals in Vermont have partnered with local farmers’ markets in “prescribing” fresh fruit and vegetable to patients. This system is a win-win-win for providers, patients, and farmers, and can be adopted by your practice to aid patients who need nutritional coaching.
Of course, chiropractors need a means of being able to show their patients concrete evidence that their care is improving the patient’s health. Chiropractic care can take time to have an impact, leading some patients to doubt its efficacy. Fortunately, these is a solution to this challenge with the COREscore™ provided by CLA’s INSIGHT™ system. The COREscore™ allows both the doctor and the patient to track the effectiveness of treatment and produces a detailed chiropractic report of findings that patients can use as a building block to map their progress as they pursue a healthy lifestyle.
Thanks for reading!
