Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Staff Infection
The other day while grocery shopping I overhead a couple of the employees complaining about a co-worker that called in sick again and their frustration of having to cover shifts. It makes me think back to when I was a Deputy Sheriff and had to cover shifts for other deputies who didn't feel like going to work OR if it was a quiet shift they asked to leave early. Then it would happen...things would pick up and those few remaining on shift were left to pick up the slack. Everything became hectic. A system designed to be run by 3 or 4 people doesn't run as smoothly with only 2.
Do you have a staff infection? Does your staff ask to leave early because it's quiet? Do they bring their personal problems to work with them? Give me a break, they are there to do a job. If I ever would of asked to leave early because there was no one scheduled for a re-exam or no new patients were on the book Dr. Sovinsky's response would of been, "You can do anything once!" When I finally decided to get a divorce from my husband, Dr. Sovinsky was shocked, didn't even realize that there was a problem.
If you have these problems, then YOU have a staff infection. A staff infection can boil, get infected and irritate your practice and your growth.
Do you have a staff infection? Does your staff ask to leave early because it's quiet? Do they bring their personal problems to work with them? Give me a break, they are there to do a job. If I ever would of asked to leave early because there was no one scheduled for a re-exam or no new patients were on the book Dr. Sovinsky's response would of been, "You can do anything once!" When I finally decided to get a divorce from my husband, Dr. Sovinsky was shocked, didn't even realize that there was a problem.
If you have these problems, then YOU have a staff infection. A staff infection can boil, get infected and irritate your practice and your growth.
Friday, April 17, 2009
Insurance No More
Well it has happened again! – But this time to the richest of all provinces. The Axe has fallen on provincial chiropractic insurance and without much warning. Don’t stop reading if you think this doesn’t apply to you! This week the Alberta government released their 2009 budget and it stated that they have chosen to de-list chiropractors in Alberta, Canada to the tune of 53 million dollars. Although this number doesn’t sound like much it affects 800,000 users of chiropractic per year. The Government paid $200.00 per year or $14.00 per visit – no questions asked! This was a huge thing in the eyes of the public – because to them the money that they received each fiscal year was a big deal! The mentality is such that Canadians feel someone else should pay for their healthcare ........so if the government isn’t going to do it then WHO WILL? Guess what decision they make? They choose to seek other forms of health care that are covered by their governments. This is not new to Canada - in 2004 when Ontario Chiropractors were de-listed - 26 million dollars was taken from the budget and spent on a vaccine for chicken pox and some other life threatening illness. Chiropractic visits were on a decline; patients altered their own schedules; and the number of new patients entering into the offices definitely decreased. Unfortunately there is no way of tracking these numbers exactly but just ask the chiropractors! But after the dust settled and you can ask anyone – it all got BETTER! Personally I like not having to wait two months for the Government to pay for these services. In Canada there are only 2 provinces left to go!
Wake Up – Your financial independence depends on YOU!
How Can I Bullet Proof My Practice? First - just BE Aware of your situation and ask - How dependent is my practice on insurance? Second - you don’t need to buy in to the doom and gloom of the economy – remember it is during these times that many of the rich get richer! (People need somewhere to go) Third - Pick a fair fee for service and charge THAT fee! Fourth and most importantly SERVE THE PEOPLE with the passion and fervour that they deserve. That is Patient Centered Care!
Wake Up – Your financial independence depends on YOU!
How Can I Bullet Proof My Practice? First - just BE Aware of your situation and ask - How dependent is my practice on insurance? Second - you don’t need to buy in to the doom and gloom of the economy – remember it is during these times that many of the rich get richer! (People need somewhere to go) Third - Pick a fair fee for service and charge THAT fee! Fourth and most importantly SERVE THE PEOPLE with the passion and fervour that they deserve. That is Patient Centered Care!
Friday, April 10, 2009
Chiropractic rates high in Consumer Reports article:
In the May 2009 issue of consumer reports there was a very favorable article on the utilization, satisfaction and success of patients using chiropractic care for management of low back pain. The link for the article is:
http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/magazine-archive/may-2009/health/back-pain/overview/back-pain-ov.htm
The patients in this article ranked chiropractic care the highest at 59% being completely or very satisfied with their care!
I believe studies like this enhance the structural authority our profession.
We plan on referencing this link in our upcoming E-Newsletter for our patients. Sending email newsletters is a great and inexpensive way to communicate with your patient base; this may be something to consider doing in your practice if you are not doing so yet!
In the May 2009 issue of consumer reports there was a very favorable article on the utilization, satisfaction and success of patients using chiropractic care for management of low back pain. The link for the article is:
http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/magazine-archive/may-2009/health/back-pain/overview/back-pain-ov.htm
The patients in this article ranked chiropractic care the highest at 59% being completely or very satisfied with their care!
I believe studies like this enhance the structural authority our profession.
We plan on referencing this link in our upcoming E-Newsletter for our patients. Sending email newsletters is a great and inexpensive way to communicate with your patient base; this may be something to consider doing in your practice if you are not doing so yet!
Monday, April 6, 2009
Change Is Inevitable, Growth Is Optional
I don’t have to tell you this but I will. There is no tenure and no formal security for Chiropractic Entrepreneurs. It doesn’t matter if you have been in practice 18 months or 18 years. Length of service is not rewarded in the real world. Your chances for success in the next few years will be determined by your level of Emotional Intelligence (EQ). This blend of self -awareness, willingness to change and ability to act sets the course. Your security rests solely upon your ability to shoulder challenges and to learn from them.
The more formal definition is this. Emotional Intelligence (EQ) is the ability to sense, understand and effectively apply the power of emotions to facilitate high levels of collaboration and productivity. It is the foundational competency every leader needs to grow.
Did you know that on average you are impacted by 80 substantive experiences a year? A substantive experience is defined as an event where the possibility for growth and learning is high. These are the “aha” moments that can lead to substantial growth in your practice. Shift happens and while change is inevitable, growth is optional. The reason for this is pretty straight forward. Although we are impacted by these 80 experiences the average human being only processes three of them. That’s right, only three! This explains how otherwise intelligent people (High IQ) struggle at times to reach their goals. They don’t learn from their mistakes, they continue to make poor decisions or fail to act on the good ones. Emotional intelligence trumps all other gifts and this brutal fact fully explains why the length of time that a doctor has practiced has very little to do with how much growth and success he/she achieves.
Get your FREE Emotional Quotient assessment by emailing with "EQ" as the subject or phoning Ellen toll free in the US, 800-570-5272. (or +1 530 584 1900). Offer is good until April 21, 2009.
Substantive experiences are both positive and negative events. We have the potential to learn from both if we choose to. Since success is a process the more effective we are at processing them the faster our progress. Studies suggest that mentoring dramatically improves the amount of SE’s processed each year. This increases your chance for success and guarantees that you are working on the things that will make a difference. Let’s look at a common substantive experience.
A new patient cancels her appointment after the first adjustment because she felt sore afterwards. You can shrug it off and tell yourself that, “She doesn’t care about her health” or that “She doesn’t get it.” A better approach is to process this moment by getting feedback from a skilled mentor. The truth is you can’t see what you can’t see. We all have overactive psychological immune systems that protect us from the pain of rejection or criticism using self denial and blame storming. This overactive immune system must be balanced with a voice of reason. A mentor will ask a series of questions to help clear your emotional bias in order to get at the truth so that you can prosper from this event. As an example:
We created Chiropractic Possibilities Summit to help you see the possibilities and to show you exactly what is blocking you. We scheduled it in the beginning of summer so that you can have tangible things to work on throughout the summer months. If you attend and immerse yourself in the process you will have a bountiful fall harvest.
This is your time, a time to be more than a name or face in the crowd. It’s time for you to surround yourself with like minds and immerse yourself in a leadership training program that gets results. I know you’re ready to take the next step and grab a handful of prosperity.
See you there!
The more formal definition is this. Emotional Intelligence (EQ) is the ability to sense, understand and effectively apply the power of emotions to facilitate high levels of collaboration and productivity. It is the foundational competency every leader needs to grow.
Did you know that on average you are impacted by 80 substantive experiences a year? A substantive experience is defined as an event where the possibility for growth and learning is high. These are the “aha” moments that can lead to substantial growth in your practice. Shift happens and while change is inevitable, growth is optional. The reason for this is pretty straight forward. Although we are impacted by these 80 experiences the average human being only processes three of them. That’s right, only three! This explains how otherwise intelligent people (High IQ) struggle at times to reach their goals. They don’t learn from their mistakes, they continue to make poor decisions or fail to act on the good ones. Emotional intelligence trumps all other gifts and this brutal fact fully explains why the length of time that a doctor has practiced has very little to do with how much growth and success he/she achieves.
Get your FREE Emotional Quotient assessment by emailing with "EQ" as the subject or phoning Ellen toll free in the US, 800-570-5272. (or +1 530 584 1900). Offer is good until April 21, 2009.
Substantive experiences are both positive and negative events. We have the potential to learn from both if we choose to. Since success is a process the more effective we are at processing them the faster our progress. Studies suggest that mentoring dramatically improves the amount of SE’s processed each year. This increases your chance for success and guarantees that you are working on the things that will make a difference. Let’s look at a common substantive experience.
A new patient cancels her appointment after the first adjustment because she felt sore afterwards. You can shrug it off and tell yourself that, “She doesn’t care about her health” or that “She doesn’t get it.” A better approach is to process this moment by getting feedback from a skilled mentor. The truth is you can’t see what you can’t see. We all have overactive psychological immune systems that protect us from the pain of rejection or criticism using self denial and blame storming. This overactive immune system must be balanced with a voice of reason. A mentor will ask a series of questions to help clear your emotional bias in order to get at the truth so that you can prosper from this event. As an example:
- Did you connect with her reason for being there (her problem is not her pain; it is how the pain is limiting her life)?
- Did you data dump or provide context?
- Did you explain during your report of findings that she might experience some discomfort and that it was normal?
- Did you call her after her first adjustment to show you really do care?”
We created Chiropractic Possibilities Summit to help you see the possibilities and to show you exactly what is blocking you. We scheduled it in the beginning of summer so that you can have tangible things to work on throughout the summer months. If you attend and immerse yourself in the process you will have a bountiful fall harvest.
This is your time, a time to be more than a name or face in the crowd. It’s time for you to surround yourself with like minds and immerse yourself in a leadership training program that gets results. I know you’re ready to take the next step and grab a handful of prosperity.
See you there!
Friday, March 13, 2009
Are you a Leech
So I’m up early this morning watching the CBS Early Show and they start talking about a great way to cure Arthritis . . . with a Leech! You have got to be kidding me. They attach these leeches to the area that has been diagnosed with arthritis for about an hour and it sucks out your blood and falls off. I have heard before that they have been used for some medical treatments but how in the world does sucking out your blood help your arthritis? To top that off it takes a couple of hours before you start feeling any kind of relief and the cost can start at over $600.00 a treatment! Exactly how many times do I have to endure those creepy things attached to my body?
I don’t know about you but I’m not letting any leech suck out my blood. Are you attaching yourself to your patients when they start whining about having to come in all the time or that it is too expensive OR are you explaining that they are worth the money and time it will take to maintain a healthy body and have a healthy life?
I don’t know about you but I’m not letting any leech suck out my blood. Are you attaching yourself to your patients when they start whining about having to come in all the time or that it is too expensive OR are you explaining that they are worth the money and time it will take to maintain a healthy body and have a healthy life?
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Trying to be a Patient
I recently moved to Midway, Utah, population approximately 3500. I realized that I was going to need to find a chiropractor for myself and my fiancé. First I went onto Activator’s website to find an Activator doctor and realized that there were none in my area so I opened the phone book and started making phone calls.
The first one I called I explained that I was new to the area and looking for a new Chiropractor. I asked what technique the doctor used and, oh my, the response was unbelievable! She said, “Oh well, I just recently started with him and I am not sure of his technique. I know he has some sort of equipment he uses, but I can’t remember the name.” I honestly can’t even remember all that she said because she just rambled on and I immediately thought about the recording the coaches play at the seminars where they secretly recorded an office and the front tech just rambled on. Then I asked about the fee, mentioned that I didn’t have insurance, and she again rambled on about it depends on this test or that test. Mind you, I’m thinking back about my own training and what SHOULD be said . . . she never once tried to just get me to schedule an appointment or explain that the fees would be discussed at the time of the visit, after the doctor had a chance to review my case, and before the exam would proceed. So I went ahead and said, “Well I would like to schedule a time for me and my fiancé to come in.” The first appointment she gave me was a week away. You have got to be kidding me. All I could picture was this small appointment book with enough room for one name every half hour. Man, working as a tech in that office would be boring. So I gave up and called another office.
The second one was even funnier . . .
So again I started with that I was new to the area and looking for a new chiropractor. When I asked about the Activator they informed me that he can use it if needed. BUT the funniest part was when I asked about hours. I said, “What are your hours?”
She replied, “It depends on if we have patients or not. Could be either 4:00pm, 5:00pm, or even 6:00pm.”
So I had to ask, “You aren’t open until 5 or 6?”
She reiterated, “It all depends on when our last patient is.”
So I decided to play the game. I said, “Well, when would be the soonest I can come in?”
She did offer me a time for that evening, but the last time was at 4pm. I explained that my fiancé’ doesn’t get off work until 6:00 so unfortunately that wouldn’t work. She actually offered to close the office at 4pm because that was the last patient schedule, go to dinner and come back to the office at 6:30.
All I kept thinking was, “WHAT!?”
After hanging up again without scheduling I couldn’t help but wonder, “Where in the world did my fiancé bring me? And . . . how do these people stay in business?”
The first line of contact for practically every new patient in any chiropractic office is the phone. Does your front tech know how to answer a prospective patient’s questions effectively AND get them in to your office without using scripts, but using genuine conversation with guidelines?
The first one I called I explained that I was new to the area and looking for a new Chiropractor. I asked what technique the doctor used and, oh my, the response was unbelievable! She said, “Oh well, I just recently started with him and I am not sure of his technique. I know he has some sort of equipment he uses, but I can’t remember the name.” I honestly can’t even remember all that she said because she just rambled on and I immediately thought about the recording the coaches play at the seminars where they secretly recorded an office and the front tech just rambled on. Then I asked about the fee, mentioned that I didn’t have insurance, and she again rambled on about it depends on this test or that test. Mind you, I’m thinking back about my own training and what SHOULD be said . . . she never once tried to just get me to schedule an appointment or explain that the fees would be discussed at the time of the visit, after the doctor had a chance to review my case, and before the exam would proceed. So I went ahead and said, “Well I would like to schedule a time for me and my fiancé to come in.” The first appointment she gave me was a week away. You have got to be kidding me. All I could picture was this small appointment book with enough room for one name every half hour. Man, working as a tech in that office would be boring. So I gave up and called another office.
The second one was even funnier . . .
So again I started with that I was new to the area and looking for a new chiropractor. When I asked about the Activator they informed me that he can use it if needed. BUT the funniest part was when I asked about hours. I said, “What are your hours?”
She replied, “It depends on if we have patients or not. Could be either 4:00pm, 5:00pm, or even 6:00pm.”
So I had to ask, “You aren’t open until 5 or 6?”
She reiterated, “It all depends on when our last patient is.”
So I decided to play the game. I said, “Well, when would be the soonest I can come in?”
She did offer me a time for that evening, but the last time was at 4pm. I explained that my fiancé’ doesn’t get off work until 6:00 so unfortunately that wouldn’t work. She actually offered to close the office at 4pm because that was the last patient schedule, go to dinner and come back to the office at 6:30.
All I kept thinking was, “WHAT!?”
After hanging up again without scheduling I couldn’t help but wonder, “Where in the world did my fiancé bring me? And . . . how do these people stay in business?”
The first line of contact for practically every new patient in any chiropractic office is the phone. Does your front tech know how to answer a prospective patient’s questions effectively AND get them in to your office without using scripts, but using genuine conversation with guidelines?
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