Chiropractors – OPQRST or Connect

While coaching my Part Time Million Dollar Cash Practice chiropractors over the past few years, I’ve heard all kinds of ways to do a consult. And often times we have to change up how we are doing the initial consult with patients, in order to connect authentically – and really understand the full picture of their health. Thousands of recordings of new patient consults later, I promise you that this isn’t done by doing the OPQRST.

Please don’t write me to say how that’s important per the insurance world. And please understand that I’m not saying you shouldn’t ask your patients those questions. I’m more interested in having my chiropractors connect with patients, and ask the right questions for THAT patient in front of them – in order to get the answers they would never get if they had OPQRST in their mind.

You have to become a full size mirror to the patient during the initial consult. You must provide the space in which the patient feels safe to open up, and tell you things that they haven’t thought about in years. Your vibe will determine whether they will tell just about their back pain, OR their back pain, digestive issues, and 30 other symptoms that started from way back when.

The line of questions that gets the patient to open up is not OPQRST. It’s being present with the patient, and really listening to them. Asking follow-up questions to establish timelines of each and every symptom, and really allowing the patient to feel heard. That is why a patient will choose you as their doctor – not the OPQRST. I posted a video today in my Part Time Million Dollar Cash Practice Facebook group giving a couple of examples of this.

I know what I say is not groundbreaking, but it’s so often missed by us chiropractors. And that is how we become PAIN- doctors. Make authentic connections. Be a mirror to the patient. Don’t be a pain doctor.