Patient Acceleration

Creating a Culture of Excellence

Dr. Drew Stevens — Sun, 17 Mar 2013 19:45:25 +0000

When we speak of excellence we mean defining, exemplifying and creating a culture where communication, feedback, recognition and achievement abound. Excellence begins with hiring the proper individuals. There is a certain set of innate criteria necessary for particular positions. This requires recruiting, hiring and onboarding the right individuals. Talent is innate and cannot be learned so doctors need to be on the constant hunt for the right people for the job.

Second, excellence stems from proper coaching, counseling, mentoring and training. While I do not advocate that practices must provide all training and development, they must still provide some initial foundation so that staff are more knowledgeable and use their cohesive power to build patient centered relationships. That said training does not live in shell. Training is an event not a process. Therefore, additional resources are required to better the process, which includes coaching, counseling, and mentoring. Doctors, chiropractic assistants, and office managers need to illustrate to staff how to move from first to fifth gear while also learning to downshift when needed. My mentors Richard and Box would do this frequently. Each would evaluate my methods and show me short cuts when needed such as better questioning skills or using current events to build better relationships with patients. They also pulled my head from the clouds when things were going well and I got a bit cocky. As Richard once told me confidence is good cocky he can live without.

Finally, service is a large part of team excellence Patients today are much smarter than sales people think. Patients today are most specifically concerned about value and trust. With numerous parties to choose from the key differentiator today is patient service. Patients want to ensure that they are treated right from the moment that they are serviced. This means that everyone from the front desk to the therapist invest in the practice’s most vital asset. In fact, what patients really expect is that they are treated as the purpose of business and not an interruption of it.

When Your Esteem is Shot

Dr. Drew Stevens — Thu, 07 Mar 2013 16:23:35 +0000

I was a decent high school track athlete and thanks to good fortune I was able to attend university because of my athletic achievements. However, as a former sprinter, one must learn to run relaxed. Typically sprinters as well as long distance runners get stressed and need to learn to relax during their competition or exercise runs.

What I’ve learned over the years is that business professionals including doctors tend to get very stressed about their practice. This includes infighting among staff or low patient volume. Their stress affects their self-esteem and work ethic. They need to learn to relax by recasting their self esteem.

Research proves that if your self-esteem and confidence are shot you absolutely must change your state. Your attitude will provide you either a low or high altitude. Don’t believe me? Think of the times when you are stressed, everything annoys you. From less ice in a beverage to conversations you have with friends and patients. However, when you are flying high you often say “…and this is the way it gets done exclamation!”

Self-esteem is about selling yourself first. You have to look into the mirror every day and believe in yourself. You need to diminish limiting beliefs. You need to believe in your self worth and your self-image. You have to look in that mirror and say that you are the force of good and you are the force that controls all of your emotions. Believe in yourself and you control your destiny.

Stop reading the motivational and self-help books. If they really helped there would not be so many of them. Stop listening to unsolicited feedback and stop comparing yourself to others. Look at what you bring to the table, look what your creator has developed and look at all the good in your life. Take control, look at the mirror and realize the wonderful gifts you have!

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How Reposition Your Chiropractic Marketing

Dr. Drew Stevens — Fri, 01 Mar 2013 17:53:39 +0000

The Power of Stereotype

Our global world creates a multitude of beliefs. Unfortunately some of these come from stereotyping. This is nothing more than a generalized belief about a particular group or class of people. Stereotyping can form prejudice, misjudgment and miscalculation.

Stereotyping occurs all the time and in many forms such as when a chiropractor introduces himself or herself another party may say they crack backs. Some think acupuncturists are glorified masseuse while others think that lawyers are philanderers and politicians. No matter by race, by profession or by culture stereotyping is bad.

So what is a method of ending stereotype especially for a doctor attempting to separate from competitors or establish a new office. The power lies in what you say and how you say it. Vital to the success of the practice is speaking in terms of value and differentiation. Doctors must speak in terms of output and results and what other achieve in doing business with you. Therefore never do I mention I am a speaker or coach, I state simply when initially introduced that I “transform struggling doctors into wealthy doctors!” Naturally the next statement is, “ how do you do that?”

At that point I turn the conversation over to them. This little technique is known as the value statement, the audible value or the positioning voice. If you want to separate from competitors and rise above you need to speak in terms of value. To help you here is a simple step by step formula.

What do you do that is different from all others.
What is the demographic that you serve specifically?
What is the issue that they have that you can help alleviate or eradicate.
How do you do this differently from others?
What adjectives help identify with this eradication for example, accelerate, transform, excel etc. Use a good dictionary or thesaurus to assist.
Write this information down in the form of a sentence
Now look at the sentence and attempt to make it succinct. In other words transition it to no more than 15 to 20 words.

That is it now you have a positioning voice. When you position what you do in the form of value, there will be a lessening of stereotype and more interest in what you do and what you offer. As you discuss information with others you have to make it about them not about you. Your interest must be less self-centered and the focus then becomes on the other party. This is how patient centered relationships are formed. When you build rapport and they trust you they will want none other but you to treat them. That is power, that is conviction and that is positive results.

Drew Stevens Ph.D. is a world-renowned marketing mentor for doctors. Drew is one of those very rare practice management marketing experts who not only has 30 years of practical experience but also advanced degrees in strategic marketing and branding. Not many can make such as claim! Dr. Drew works with physicians and medicos such as chiropractors who struggle with revenue and transforms them into wealthy professionals. Dr. Drew has aided thousands of professionals to reach billions of dollars in new revenue by strategically implementing processes that make the practice more efficient and give back medicos their financial freedom! He runs one of the most prominent, respected and visible practice management firms in the United States!

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Are they Running or Retaining

Dr. Drew Stevens — Wed, 27 Feb 2013 16:27:14 +0000

Do you know that who answers the phone, how the phone is answered and your rapport with patients is all part of practice building? There are nuances to your practice to help retain patients. This means that the practice must provide a 5 start treatment from the moment of reception to departure.

I recall a time when a doctor called his own office to book an appointment for his wife whom was in dire pain and the receptionist could not even take a proper message!

What type of attitude does your practice provide? How thoughtful are staff and you? How well are you at providing rapport? Are you retaining patients or chasing them away like roaches when the light come on? Send us your replies below.

Drew Stevens transforms struggling chiropractors into wealthy chiropractors. And he operates one of the leading practice management firms in the country. His knew book “Practice Acceleration” is available through Greenbranch Publishing. He can be reached through his website at www.stevensconsultinggroup.com

The Importance of Patient Care

Dr. Drew Stevens — Wed, 13 Feb 2013 18:08:08 +0000

My wife recently had an issue where she needed to visit a physician for some medication. After three months of waiting to see this particular position she was told to wait in the waiting room for a few moments for her appointment. 45 minutes later she was told that the doctor was held up in surgery and she must wait at least another two and half hours! My wife works full time so naturally she left.

Several days later she made another appointment and was told that the physician was out of the country for the next four months. However she really needed this medication! The office person that answered the phone told her to take aspirin and make an appointment to visit with the doctor on his return to the country.

Not only was it incredible that she had a make an appointment, but that the nurse was prescribing medication!

After yet another four months my wife returned for an appointment, walked into the waiting room and was once again was told that there would be 2 ½ hours before the physician would see her because he was held up. She subsequently left for another physician.

Just like any other business, a patient to a practice is the most important asset of any doctor, no matter what! When you treat your patients like yesterday’s news then you will not have a full waiting room. Patients must be treated as your greatest asset not your adversary. They assist you with the health of your practice by providing complements to others about the health of your practice. Good patient care will aid the success of any practice small, medium or large. Yo help you from suffering roller coaster revenue you will shop your practice more often and ensure that you and your staff treat your patients like platinum.

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Chasing Your Tale – A Tip for Chiropractic Marketers

Dr. Drew Stevens — Fri, 01 Feb 2013 15:22:52 +0000

For almost 40 years I have had dogs in my life. I love their personality, their love and their habits. To that end, two of my dogs Holly and Wags when bored or in a very playful mood would chase their tale. Tale chasing is common in puppies that do not know it is attached or adult dogs because of some behavioral or neurological order.

With over 30 years of practice management activity I see many doctors chasing their tales. This includes bromide tactics of advertisements in newspapers, Yellow Page™ advertising, bulletin boards, or the ever present, “Now Accepting New Patients” signage. In addition, many doctors that desire a thriving practice tend to throw good money after bad by investing in website subscription sites, internet marketing and a myriad of other wasteful ideas.

Doctor’s behavior to chase their tale is driven by:

Fear
Elimination of Risk
Lack of Knowledge

To augment tale chasing and irrational behavior you must begin to:

Seek advice from those you trust
Ignore unsolicited feedback
Ensure vendors you choose offer value and not “false promises”
Ensure that outside help illustrates output and results not just facts
Have assistance that holds you accountable and walks you through processes
Has a track record

Doctors whose practices are not growing must find help they can trust and have a track record of success. Finding the right help will take time and energy but at least the end result will be worth it. By not finding the right help and getting no results you simply chase your tale. Are you chasing yours?

Chiropractic Marketing Tip – Tough Decisions for Tough Times

Dr. Drew Stevens — Tue, 11 Dec 2012 15:07:26 +0000

With numerous changes in healthcare the time is now to think about your future and the future of your practice. Too many chiropractors are uni-focused in one market such as personal injury. Yet as lucrative as it has been change is coming.

For many, change is scary, change is uncomfortable and change is grotesque. Yet change also means renewal and innovation.

In tomorrows changing market now is the time to seek out new alliances, new demographics and new services. You need to look forward and not back. Now is the time to think about what your practice will look like not only tomorrow but six months from now. The question then is what are you doing to make a different tomorrow?

Drew Stevens Ph.D. is a world-renowned marketing mentor for chiropractors. Drew is one of those very rare chiropractic-marketing that transforms struggling chiropractors into wealthy professionals.

Not enough patients? If you Need Patients Fast, get more cash now for free!

Just in time for Christmas read Patient Acceleration by Greenbranch Publishing– the new book for chiropractors that need more business now! Get a free preview now!

When Opportunity Escapes

Dr. Drew Stevens — Wed, 07 Nov 2012 22:52:25 +0000

There are many individuals angered about winning politicians yet they have not taken ownership with expressing their democratic right of voting.

And, there are many doctors that complain about how low their margins and waiting rooms are but spend no time marketing. A mentor of mine has a great term for this – victimhood. I call it ownership. One cannot expect any change with life if there is no ownership. There will be a need to work continuously to create change and there is much need to remove oneself from the comfort zone but when there is activity there is change.

From time to time I adjunct at universities and spend quite some time developing syllabi. Incredibly students continually ask me about assignments because they do not take ownership in reading the syllabi.

As Martin Luther King stated, “Change does not roll in on the wheels of inevitability, but comes through continuous struggle.” That struggle comes from owning the issue and creating the solutions to resolve it. So, if there are few patients – market. If there is a lack of revenue – create ancillary income. If receivable’s are slow – hire outside resources to help you. If there is no time to call associations and organizations for health presentations – use your staff. Yes, there is a solution for anything, but you need to own the issue.

The next time life seems to throw you an issue, develop the proper strategies for resolutions rather than festering in the spirit of being the victim.

Chiropractic Marketing Lessons from Steve Jobs

Dr. Drew Stevens — Fri, 02 Nov 2012 15:37:27 +0000

Walter Isaacson’s “The Biography of Steve Jobs” is an incredible work depicting the revered CEO and founder of Apple. One does not have to be a consumer of Apple equipment in order to admire the personality of this driven icon. After reading this work it is easy to see the three ideals that drove Steve Jobs and immediately apply them to your chiropractic practice.

Passion – Much is written about the power of passion in any chiropractic practice or business for that matter. If it aint’t worth doing, it ain’t worth being passionate about. Chiropractors that are not excited about helping others can hurt their practice. The apathy clearly shows in customer service, in practice building and in conversations with staff. Lethargic chiropractors are simply bad for the practice since they do little to acquire, and retain staff patients and even family. Jobs was driven everyday by helping to find the next best widget for his consumer, his passion drove him daily; he ate, slept and drank innovation. If your chiropractic practice is not your purpose then why practice?
Persistence – A visit to a physician when I was 17 changed my life forever. Due to an upper respiratory infection I lost a good amount of hearing in my left ear. The physician at the time stated, “Well at least you have another ear!” No doctor should ever or would ever state this to a patient unless they exhausted all circumstances. I know of an oncologist who quit his practice after exhaustively attempting to save one of his patients for well over three years. Good chiropractors are like the gold miners of the Old West they persistently seek the gold they are attempting to find. Giving up because one is too busy, or cannot be bothered is not in the best interest of patient care.
Focus – The most fascinating ideal for me reading the Steve Jobs biography is the amount of focus on the consumer. “We do them because we want to make great products, because we care about the user, and because we like to take responsibility for the entire experience…” (Walter, Isaacson. ³Steve Jobs.² Simon & Schuster, 2011-10-23T21:00:00+00:00. iBooks) This is congruent with our philosophy of patient centered relationships. The patient is the reason for the practice and all focus, energy as well as experiences is for the most important asset – the patient. The patient exists for the purpose of the practice.

Jobs demanded the best and so should you. He had passion and purpose and hired those that did too. Jobs embedded customer centrism that continues today. Similar principles should be embodied in your chiropractic practice to provide consistency and relentless focus on your existing and prospective patients. This is the only way to ensure a thriving practice.

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The Power of Emotions in Chiropractic Marketing

Dr. Drew Stevens — Tue, 23 Oct 2012 14:42:30 +0000

I love sports and have competed in something since I was 6 years old. For many competition is very exhilarating and brings about many emotions. These stem from the agonies of defeat to the thrills of victory. The same emotion is used in business and operating a medical practice. Consumers and patients make investments because of emotions. In fact, all acquisitions are emotional. No customer makes a pragmatic decision, like sports they do so because of the emptions. What psychological emotions are you using in your practice? Do you use emotion? If you look out the door and see an empty waiting room, you just might have your answer.