For so many chiropractors, building relationships with medical physicians is seen as some type of uncharted territory. I have had a number of colleagues ask me how I have grown such a large practice with very little advertising. When I tell them that in some months, up to 20 percent of my new-patient referrals come from the medical community, they are shocked. "How do you get that many referrals?!" is usually the question I get. My answer is that it is simple, but requires some effort: persistent and consistent relationship-building. This sort of practice-building is cost-effective and can truly add credibility to your practice's reputation. Here are some steps to follow that have worked for my practice:
- Compile a list of physicians in your area. Use the Internet or the phone book to put together a list of doctors within a 10-mile radius of your office. In our office, we focus on spine care and rehabilitation, so we target general practitioners, orthopedists and neurosurgeons. If you have a specialty, such as ART or extremity adjusting, you will want to add other targets to your list, such as podiatrists or sports-medicine doctors. After compiling your list, call the offices and get directions and hours of operation. I always like to build my list based on geography, such as north docs and south docs. This will help greatly when you are making your visits (see next step).
- Visit the doctor's office in person and set up a time to return to bring lunch to the doctor and the staff. Most physicians have off-time scheduled around lunch so they can visit with pharmaceutical reps. This is the perfect time for you to visit. By bringing lunch, you will have time to sit down with the doctor and interact in a less stressful environment. I do, however, eat before or after our visit. This way, I can spend all the time talking instead of eating. I advise against squeezing in marketing visits around patients or during light times. I feel this practice lends itself to mediocre results. Schedule "marketing time" and make it a goal to have lunch with at least one or two medical offices per month. If you don't have a lunch scheduled, use the time for follow-up visits to bring extra business cards or practice information. When you set a measurable goal, you will be much more driven to achieve it.
- Prepare your practice message. What is your mission? What is your practice philosophy - you know, the philosophy you live and breathe every day? What is the one quality that makes you unique and should compel physicians to send you their patients? Our practice gets a great response from the medical community because of our focus on restoring patients' function. We emphasize that we teach our patients exercises in the office, and that they perform the exercises until their function is restored. A home plan is then prescribed to help the patients maintain their newfound strength. In my opinion, this approach will make more sense to a medical physician than other forms of chiropractic care. The reason is primarily because I can hand the MD a journal article citing the efficacy of combining manipulation and rehabilitation. I also emphasize that we are primarily spine-oriented, which gives us a competitive advantage over PTs, who rehab many different areas of the body. Focusing on the spine has made me a spinal "expert" in their eyes. I also emphasize my advanced training in whiplash care, especially acute care, which is met with great interest by medical doctors.
- Now that you have a message, rehearse it! You will get only a short period of time to deliver your message to the MD. They are just as busy, if not busier, than we are. Don't struggle for words or do your presentation on the fly. A smooth, rehearsed delivery can come off as professional and relaxed. Have confidence in your ability and look your audience in the eye. The first couple of times I spoke to an MD, I was nervous and intimidated. After a few years in practice, I realized we are the experts in musculoskeletal injuries, not the MDs. Suddenly, I was the one who could speak with authority. Also, focus on what you can do for the doctor. Let them know you can help with their chronic or tough cases, and that you will take acute- care patients the same day. So many MDs have expressed frustration to me regarding patients with neck and lower back pain. Many of their typical solutions (NSAIDs and physical therapy) do not work, and the patient inevitably ends up back in their office, frustrated and in pain. They need our help! Offer that help and the referrals will come.
- At the lunch, focus on how you can help the MD, not the other way around. Letting the doctor know you are interested in helping their patients with the conditions from which they suffer is very important. Walking into an office and doing nothing but telling the doctor how they can help you is not a great way to start a flowing relationship. I also emphasize that we will interact with the doctor once they refer the patient. We will send a report one to two days after the patient arrives in our office for evaluation. I also stress that if the doctor does not want the patient to be adjusted (for whatever reason), to please let me know. I talk about flexion and distraction therapy, mobilization and trigger-point therapy as alternatives to CMT. The fact that we perform in-office rehabilitation also provides a viable alternative to purely manipulation therapy. The MDs who send us patients greatly appreciate my open mind, as well as the way I co-manage with them. The bottom line is that an MD who is going to refer to you is concerned about one thing: the patient.
- Establish a personal rapport by finding the MD's personal interests. Look for common ground. Every expert in the business networking community emphasizes this "technique," if you will. It all comes down to making a connection with another human being on an emotional level. Whether it is your favorite football team, wine or restaurant, sharing your personal interests and feelings with the MD will strengthen your bond with them. The MD will be more comfortable with referrals because of this bond. I like to do homework on new contacts, especially physicians. The Internet is a great tool for this. I generally check the doc's alma mater and bring it up in conversation, which generally leads to sports talk. I also like to observe different restaurants in the general area and ask the doctor if they have eaten there. If they have and likes it, I will say, "I haven't been there, but we should get together and go there sometime for lunch or dinner." A dinner outside of the office can further solidify the new relationship. I will also check with the office staff if a doctor likes a certain sport or team. If they do, I may drop some tickets in the mail or invite them to a game. Once again, this is great bonding and building on a personal level. Remember, relationships in the business world are built in this manner. As chiropractors, we can benefit greatly from employing these methods in our business plan.
- Follow up! Finally, solid follow-up is necessary to further build the relationship. Have a letter ready and send it the day after the appointment, thanking the physician for taking the time to learn about your practice. Emphasize your eagerness to help their patients in any way possible.
Building a practice in this fashion is not an overnight success. It requires hard work, persistence and patience. However, once you establish yourself as the chiropractor that MDs can trust, your practice will have an influx of patients who are motivated and who listen to your instruction because their doctor referred them. I also count many of our referring doctors as friends and people I can count on for help with difficult cases. Building relationships with them has truly enriched my life and has helped mold me into the chiropractic physician I am today. I am confident you will enjoy the same success.
