While watching Law & Order on television, a frightening scenario crossed my mind. The show's storyline focused on a chiropractor and two attorneys who were arrested for insurance fraud and murder. It seems that the three characters had concocted a scheme to bilk insurance companies out of thousands of dollars by staging automobile accidents and paying people to be passengers. Unfortunately, one of the passengers dies from injuries suffered in one of the staged accidents, and detectives see through the ruse.
Image is everything! The chiropractic profession is witnessing a "golden age." The general public and conventional medicine are referring to chiropractic care as a primary source of health care. However, with acceptance and growth, there are questions and scrutiny.
A few unethical doctors can cause major damage to the profession's image. Chiropractors must believe and adhere to a higher purpose. You are challenged every day to communicate and maintain a positive image of your profession and its health-related benefits.
But how can the small-town chiropractor, or the cosmopolitan doctor practicing in midtown Manhattan, consistently communicate the benefits of chiropractic to existing and potential patients? The overall solvency of your business, and the ongoing growth of chiropractic, must incorporate a public-relations approach to marketing and target key groups. There are three vehicles of communications that are extremely effective for chiropractors to retain patients and get new patients.
1. Website
The creation of your own website is crucial to the marketing, media and community-related programs you undertake on behalf of your practice. The uses and functionality of the internet have undoubtedly propelled us into a new economic age. However, the internet is a passive medium that cannot aggressively find new patients for you or retain existing ones. However, if developed and used strategically, your personalized website will support your practice's image, educate key audience groups, and help retain and recruit new patients.
In addition to image, branding, and communicating key message points through words and design, your website can also address functional workflow issues. For example, it will be extremely productive if new patients at your website are capable of scheduling visits or exams. Your website will instantly determine if there is a conflict in the date and time of a patient's appointment. Your site will automatically ask the user to select another date and time. This functionality is quite simple to incorporate into your existing scheduling, and the increase in time and productivity for you and your staff will be seen immediately.
2. Brochure
Local patients enjoy reading about local chiropractors. The perception you will create with a brochure is one of professionalism and sophistication. The creation of your own personalized brochure will further support the image you will be constantly communicating. Rather than using prefabricated educational literature on chiropractic, your brochure will support all branding efforts, and communicate key message points about you and your practice.
A brochure is not only literature aimed at your existing and new patients, but should be used as a tool to support all public appearances, events and activities. It should include a "call-to-action" function, i.e., motivate and empower people to call or visit your office.
3. Newsletter
Communication is power. The person disseminating the information to the recipient is usually perceived as a knowledgeable source. Thus, the creation and distribution of your chiropractic newsletter will be well received. The newsletter, like the brochure, must be written to motivate the reader to action - to get them in your office.
As the chiropractic industry continues to evolve, the doctor of the future will embrace a public relations and marketing approach to retain and recruit patients through sophisticated internal and external vehicles of communication.
Christopher Malter
Weston, Florida
(954) 349-9102
www.imcomm.net
When sports chiropractors first appeared at the Olympic Games in the 1980s, it was alongside individual athletes who had experienced the benefits of chiropractic care in their training and recovery processes at home. Fast forward to Paris 2024, where chiropractic care was available in the polyclinic for all athletes, and the attitude has now evolved to recognize that “every athlete deserves access to sports chiropractic."
It is estimated that 61% of patients with CTS avoid taking surgical options due to postoperative complications and costly surgical procedures. Chiropractic care offers a comprehensive and effective treatment for carpal tunnel syndrome, addressing the condition from multiple angles. Recent studies also have unveiled a game-changing adjunct to chiropractic treatments for CTS: nerve flossing.
Some doctors thrive in a personality-based clinic and have a loyal following no matter what services or equipment they offer, but for most chiropractic offices who are trying to grow and expand, new equipment purchases help us stay relevant and continue to service our client base in the best, most up-to-date manner possible. So, regarding equipment purchasing: should you lease, get a bank loan, or pay cash?
