Chiropractic Spine Xray3 Ways to Repair Poor Patient Communication

Chiropractors are fighting more than just neck and back pain. The way we’re being depicted to patients and the outside world is being managed by misleading videos, imagery, and verbiage.

Misinformation spread by medical doctors who aren’t clear on what we do, and platforms like ChiroBase aimed at discrediting our skill-set, have the potential to harm chiropractic.

As chiropractors, we’re not holding ourself to a higher standard either. If you need proof, take a scroll through chiropractic videos on YouTube.

There’s a uniform language when it comes to chiropractic care – crack, crack, crack. There are thousands of videos promising “the biggest crack ever” of babies, cheerleaders, and even dogs. When a patient comes in, he or she already has a preconceived notion about chiropractic care.

Part of creating a part-time million dollar crash practice is overcoming this single-purpose image:

1. Understand Your Role as an Educator

What you do is not entertainment for people sitting behind a computer screen. You are here to educate people on the benefits of your practice and how chiropractic care merges with holistic healthcare. There’s no place for “crack” in education. One of the best platforms to educate patients is video. With more than 1.8 billion monthly users, YouTube has the power to reach the largest audience we could ever dream of. Commit your practice to creating educational videos that explain the chiropractic experience in an authentic way.

2. Improve Quality of Communication

Workshops within your practice and community are essential to helping you connect with potential patients. You’re not only building your practice, but you’re also properly educating your local community on chiropractic. You’re the voice of authority in our field, so it’s vital you use your platform to change the perception of chiropractic and its benefits. To improve your communication, consider:

  • How you communicate daily with patients (website, health fairs, media coverage)
  • Your table talk topics (are you focused on what the patient did over the weekend, or more importantly their source of discomfort, and educating them on steps of relief)
  • Are your initial evaluations and ROFs effective?
  • Your closing ratio speaks to the quality level of your communication with patients

3. Build a Successful Practice

Not only is it your role to educate others on chiropractic care and why it matters, but it’s also up to you to change the image of our industry. In order to change the image, you must build a successful practice – the part-time million dollar crash practice you desire – and integrate yourself into the community.

It wasn’t until I built the practice of my dreams that I started to feel fulfilled. Being authentically true to myself and my patients began to foster life-changing chiropractic stories, and greatly enhanced my recognition within the community. Over time, my continued practice and education of the community began to offset the negative image of chiropractic online and in doctor’s offices.

As chiropractors, we can contribute to changing the message of our industry. Swapping out misleading images for educational videos that actually depict what we do every day, staying active within the community, and refining table talk will improve communication with our patients.