Running your own chiropractic practice is no walk in the park, from staffing to taking care of clients to billing…and so much more! It’s easy to get wrapped up in the day-to-day tasks you need to accomplish, and we don’t blame you. When is the last time you really looked at your overall procedures and checked in with how your practice is running? Let’s get back to basics for a moment in check-in with your practice!
1. Focus on your patients
Provided excellent chiropractic care is why you started your own practice after all, isn’t it? To help achieve the bottom line, you should be spending roughly 35 hours to week on direct patient care.
When you are running a group practice, 37 hours seems feasible. But for our solo practitioners, fear not. A solid patient base can help you accomplish this goal, and we’ve got the tools to help you.
On the flip side of the coin, you don’t want to wear yourself out. Practice time management and keep your work flow realistic.
2. Don’t go it alone
You put in the long hours and hard work to earn your medical license, which makes you the expert in chiropractic. When it comes to chiropractic care and treating patients, you are the one that meets the bill to provide excellent healthcare. But what about billing? Scheduling appointments? Insurance questions? When it comes to running a successful chiropractic practice, you may be the one to provide the healthcare, but you can’t do it all.
That is where an office manager or practice administrator comes in. When you hire someone to handle the administrative responsibilities, you open yourself up to new opportunities to continue to improve your practice.
As much as you should be able to trust your admin, remember that you need to have a keen understanding of how your practice runs. Investing in a strong administrative staff is a good practice expense, but maintain involvement in all aspects of your practice.
3. Efficient scheduling improves patient flow
Invest in a strong and secure scheduling system to get as many patients as you can provide great care for. A family physician typically manages four visits per hour, but if you find that to be too overwhelming, adjust your patient population so you can provide the best care possible.
An online presence with a computerized scheduling system ensures you won’t have scheduling gaps, increases customer satisfaction, and is a great tool for measuring user traffic. Your tech-savvy patients will thank you!
With good scheduling, you can increase your practice productivity and patient flow, which means more net income and potential new patients.
4. Send out customer service questionnaires
We’ve said it before (okay, many times before) — review sites are important! If you practice doesn’t have an online presence, make one! You also want to encourage your long-term and satisfied patients to recommend your practice. Community engagement through online reviews, both negative and positive, can be the determining factor of whether or not a potential patient chooses your practice.
Remember to respond to both the negative and the positive. As tough as those negative reviews are to read, constructive criticism goes a long way and can help you improve your processes. An open dialogue shows your patients, both current and potential, that you care.
5. Show off your strengths
The healthcare industry is very competitive, and that includes chiropractic. One way to stand out from the crowd is to show off your strengths.
Do you provide a service or feature that the local competition doesn’t like nutritional advice or massage therapy? It could even be an emphasis on low wait times, working with a variety of insurance companies, or great payment options.
Even engaging in community service projects or local events can help distinguish your practice over the others by showing how much you value your community. There are endless possibilities!
By checking in on your practice, you give yourself the opportunity to reflect and improve. To learn more about how ChiroDestiny can help you find success with your chiropractic practice, click here to schedule a complimentary coaching call!