Overcoming patient resistance

It’s human nature to resist, to be reticent to try something new, something unfamiliar and certainly trying chiropractic, or trying a new chiropractor (and moving away from the familiar) is just natural. A lot of marketing teams out there courting the business of chiropractors would tell you differently, with data from charts and graphs, anecdotal evidence, published articles etc. but the most direct and effective way to overcome patient objectives is very simple.

Keeping in mind that here on uppercervicalillustrations.com both doctors and patients visit us – I’ll just say right upfront our patients are our friends and family, they are members of our community. They are not marketing targets, they are not prospective sales, they are not something to be conquered, they are our patients and they need us. As Upper Cervical Chiropractors, we need them. We need them to get well, feel better and help us spread the word that the gentle and effective corrections done by skilled upper cervical practitioners simply works. Our efforts to attract patients into our practice is not a marketing exercise but an organic, word of mouth, results based referral from an existing patient to potential new patients.

We are not marketers, we are healers. Regardless of where and how you practice, growth is on the shoulders of your patients. Heal them and they will bring others to your door.

Goal based care

To patients, getting help is rarely about JUST relieving systems or conditions. In the patient’s frame of reference, their pain and suffering prevents them from doing something important to them. Once you delve a bit into what they ‘really want’ that they are missing during this period of body imbalance, talk to them at a deeper level. Yes there is back pain, or sciatica, numbness, headaches or some other expression of their bodies being in need of a correction, in need of restoring body balance but ask them what they miss most being able to do during these episodes of body imbalance. What is their goal? It’s rarely to live pain free, it’s more likely something more personal – being able to play with their grandchildren without feeling pain. It’s rarely to be free of leg pain, but more likely being able to climb stairs in their home more easily so they can use an upstairs bathroom.

Knowing goals allows you their doctor, to focus on your correction plan and explain how with one or more (over time) corrections, these goals are within reach. Armed with the knowledge that the goals is achievable and can be permanent by a few simple UC corrections and regular check ups (not necessarily adjustment) to make sure the body is staying balance becomes a reasonable and doable goal for them.

It really is a partnership between doctor and patient. You treat them, bring them back into alignment and balance, and for their part they work carefully to protect their alignment, and return frequently to check that misalignment has not returned.

The patient that welcomes that partnership will return to optimal health. When he shares his success with friends and family, his story of how he is now able to play with the grandchildren, or climb the stairs effortless to use the master bathroom – that achievement will appeal to others.

We all have goals, there are things that body imbalance prevents us from achieving. Your patient’s friend who can’t sleep comfortably on his side will likely see your skills and a means to achieve his own goals of better sleep. The same friend may never reach out to you had not their friend achieved their own personal goal and returned to optimal health.

A goal based approach honors what a patient is dealing with and offers them an opportunity. Respecting patient goals and being part of the solution is powerful. It’s not just about pain relieve, it’s about helping patients achieve their goals.

Think about it. What are your patient’s goals?