In this article I talk about effective Practitioner to Practitioner Communications, the purpose of One on One meetings and internal Referrals.
Developing Comms lines is critical to effectively running a business.
As you grow your team, coaching and mentoring each individually they will naturally start talking amongst themselves. These conversations are to a large extent, out of your control which is why all the comms lines you can control must have a consistent theme, i.e. be above the line.
So what you want is for these conversations to be positive and aligned with the clinic vision.
A starting point is to provide a framework, guide for them to follow. This involves encouraging a structured one on one format when in the clinic as follows:
My message Matrix is…
- A good referral for me this month is…
- I’m looking for patients with…
- I had an amazing result with…
This then encourages internal referrals which in turn helps practitioners recognize their own niches and how they can take the pressure of themselves in trying to be all things to everyone.
Comm Lines also apply to your patients. It is very important your patients know how to communication with reception, the manager, the owner and the practitioners.
This should be outlined in your New Patient information emailed to them prior to their first visit.
In general, patients should only ever communicate with the clinic via reception, either by phone, fax or email.
All communications should be documented in the patient’s clinical notes or events including SMS.
A special note on patient complaints:
If a patient complains about their service provided by the practice, it is very important no admittance is made, and no concessions, free treatments or other compensations are given. This immediately implicates you and the practice. It is best to acknowledge the patient fully, take accurate notes, maybe ask them to put it in writing.
At this point seek legal advice before proceeding further.
In most instance’s the complainant goes away. In some cases, if you feel the patient is being fair and reasonable and is a long standing client, you may wish to offer a gesture of goodwill. This is not implying any fault by you! I would encourage you to ask your legal representative to provide you with the correct template.
Make sure you keep accurate notes at all times.
Keeping in touch with your community.
Effective Comms lines from your practice to your community are changing all the time. We have moved from blogs to vlogs; from youtube to podcasts; from mail to email etc. in the blink of an eye.
There are many ways to keep up to date with the best comms lines. The Practitioner Business Support Network, for example is an excellent FB group community.
What’s important is maintain a consistent message; educate; give away tons of unique content and keep business and personal separate.
About the Author:
Dr. Andrew Arnold (Chiropractor) is the ‘Practice Leverage Expert’; Principal Chiropractor and owner, Cranbourne Family Chiropractic and Wellness Centre; Accredited Business Coach; Founder, Million Dollar Wellness Practice. Andrew is married to Dr. Linda Wilson, the Stress Specialist and has two children, Isaac and Bella. He lives in Melbourne, Australia.