Issue #17 - July 2010
Developing the Generational Practice
Nothing is more exciting than hearing the laughter and buzz of a busy office. The music playing in the background, with various conversations going on between patients, the movement of people of all ages coming in and leaving the office, the overall feeling of healing taking place that creates an atmosphere that is not only enjoyable but rewarding as well. This is what the family practice looks like. From little babies and small children being checked all way up to the patients that have worked hard all their lives and are into their retirement years.
Chiropractic can be specialized, from sports performance, geriatric care, to children’s care but realistically everyone that has a spine and a nerve system should have a spinal check-up to make sure that they are living and performing at their peak levels. Think about the magnitude of your practice if indeed everyone that came into your office brought in their children, their parents, their spouses, and all of their friends for a spinal check-up to determine whether or not they needed chiropractic care to boost their level of good health. Statistically most people that come into your office know between 35 and 48 people, some know more some know less.
The idea is how many of your patients are bringing in their family members in because you told them that you were offering them the opportunity to get checked. I’m not expecting you to do a free examination, X-rays, report of finding, adjustment and chicken dinner. Let your new patients know that you offer them an opportunity to have family members checked at the clinic’s expense for the first two weeks that this patient is under care. You have to determine what a check-up means in your clinic. It should be a simple consultation, postural check with full spine palpation and education so that the person you are checking understands the what, where, how, why, and when of chiropractic health care.
Chiropractic is a family affair and it is our duty and obligation as doctors of Chiropractic to help as many people as possible. Chiropractic is not for one member of the family it is for everybody. Having specialized classes in your office on osteoarthritis, back pack safety, posture and exercise, stress management, whiplash injury, carpal tunnel syndrome and the list goes on and on, this gives you a wider patient demographic. If you don’t have the time or want to do these various health talks someone should be hired and utilized to teach these classes in your office. There are several hours a day that your office is not in operation such as in the evening and on the weekends.
Whether this time is used for speaking engagements or allowing other types of professionals to come in and either rent or occupy your office to do relaxation techniques, yoga, or Palates How about showing movies on Saturdays once a month for children. How about having a specific time on Saturdays to check children under 10 or spouses over 60? Many of your offices lie completely dormant on the week-end and could be occupied by an assistant creating various classes so that patients that want to learn exercises, stretching or stress relief would have a place to go and maybe invite family or friends to come with. Doing something that continues to cause interest in all age groups will help you to expand your practice and at the same time involve all ages.
Expanding your office hours and developing an extra curricular calendar of events for your office engaging all age groups would maximize your office hour capacity and at the same time build your practice without you being there. If you want a practice for all ages you have to appeal to all ages and the best way to do that is by making sure that everyone is included and represented in your practice. Information centers that have a variety of topics pertaining to all kinds of health problems that reaches all ages and health types.
Having a diverse practice simply means that the more patients that fit into all of these categories the larger your practice becomes with out a bunch of gimmicks, or lures of free this or free that. People feel your intention and will see that you have a genuine care for each and every individual that comes to your office. It doesn’t matter at what age they are they will feel like they are in right place to get the care that they want and more importantly need.
