| Expanding your practice in challenging times | | | | more likely with doctors who have never had to |
| Fuel prices. Surcharges. Layoffs. Real Estate | | | | manage a profitable practice in tougher economic |
| mortgage cruel jokes. Stupid property valuations | | | | climates. Or have not yet established simple |
| of the last few years. And now for those needing | | | | mechanisms for patients to want to pay you out |
| health care services its health insurance benefits | | | | of pocket. |
| that are often laughable. 40$ co pays. But, this is | | | | Doctor, the truth is your patients want only you. |
| the stuff swirling with angst in your patients head, | | | | They want your knowledge, decision-making skills |
| and in some areas of the US and abroad, in | | | | and expertise. They want a compassionate |
| differing socioeconomic strata way more than | | | | human being, not a stuffed shirt. |
| others. | | | | Doctor, the real truth is your patients want the |
| For most practices this is Future Shock! | | | | benefits of your care. They are not going to pay |
| So, doctor, when the patient before you today | | | | for "office visits". They will however, pay you for |
| has little or no insurance benefits, or a third party | | | | an experience. |
| system gets yanked from your area, are you | | | | And so here it is with private healthcare practices |
| just continuing to try sell just an office visit? | | | | today. We can ill afford to be about office visits, |
| Or, like I teach my upper level clients, are you | | | | anymore than Starbucks is, or will ever be just |
| and your entire team offering absolutely | | | | about coffee. |
| everything that an office visit and great patient | | | | Your patients need, and want way more from |
| care can create in your patient's life? Do you | | | | your office, now more than ever. Especially when |
| have all the tools and systems to really create | | | | care opportunities and choices abound for them. |
| the practice of the future? | | | | You only need to look at the explosive growth of |
| The answer should be obvious. And doctor, do | | | | massage clinics, medi-clinics at Wal-Mart and CVS, |
| you continue to be only about their "coverage", or | | | | and now even franchised alternative healthcare |
| are you really and honestly only about their health, | | | | chains, spas of all types and economics, and even |
| just like I had to tell and then wrote about my | | | | cosmetic dentistry and surgery centers to figure |
| "Mrs. Jones" many months ago. | | | | this out. |
| If you are only about their health, does every | | | | Patients need and are looking for an office |
| one of your staff know this, and reinforce it on | | | | environment, which helps them escape all the crap |
| every visit? Or, do you play games like free | | | | in the rest of their lives. A receptionist that is |
| services, forgiving co-pays and deductibles, dual | | | | warm and welcoming, and caters to them. An |
| fees? I certainly hope not, on ALL the preceding | | | | office that looks and feels clean, calming, more |
| issues. | | | | spa like than clinical. The right colors and feel. |
| Do you instead of games have systems fully in | | | | Product sales that support and enhance the |
| place to deal with all these issues in your patients | | | | experience. Support Staff that is friendly, helpful |
| mind? And what about your team? Without | | | | and upbeat. |
| having your doctor's income, it can be tougher | | | | And your patients really want true health and |
| around their homes too these days. | | | | fitness, well into their later years. Now they |
| So what's the solution to these issues going to be | | | | expect and will seek out ways to ensure less |
| in today's world? | | | | physical pain, more energy, less stress, weight |
| Its Pollyannaish in my opinion not to acknowledge | | | | and blood lipid (cholesterol) control. They want not |
| all these issues of today's brave new world. To | | | | to be diabetic due to poor fitness, suffer with |
| do so could be really insensitive in dealing with | | | | fibromyalgia, or be chronically stressed out or |
| staff and patients. | | | | depressed and anxious. |
| It is however a huge error in judgment to let | | | | They want no undesired side effects from |
| these current economic changes dominate your | | | | treatment. They want financial clarity. And today's |
| thoughts. The only constructive thing to be done | | | | patients expect complete technological literacy |
| right now is to work on continually evolving your | | | | with an incredible human touch behind it. |
| systems, mechanisms and procedures to deal | | | | Do this right, and you will really have a fantastic |
| with all the issues at hand. | | | | practice. Raving fans, tons of referrals, and yes, |
| But most especially, first take a hard look at your | | | | most especially patients who pay you handsomely |
| attitude. Is it "Chicken Little (you know, 'The sky | | | | for their experience which is unlike anything else in |
| is falling!')? Or Zig Ziglar like ("You can get anything | | | | their neighborhood. You will be THE go-to doctor. |
| in life you want, if you just help enough other | | | | But, you will not pull this off without an effective |
| people get what they want!"). | | | | strategy and market study. Do your homework. |
| The people you associate with, what your | | | | Study our guidance on practice makeovers. Make |
| coaches teach you, what you watch on the tube, | | | | rock solid your staffing systems. Set it up fully |
| listen to and read, what has this done for you | | | | compliant, and with the best legal and tax |
| lately? You get my point. | | | | structure. |
| The fact is changes, yes especially economic are | | | | Lastly, come to "Future Shock". Really learn this |
| natural, and cyclic. Sometimes they hit really hard. | | | | right. Let our experiences with practices from |
| This might just be one of the toughest cycles in | | | | around the country help to plan your practices |
| recent memory, after the boom of the last 20-25 | | | | fine tuning, or if need be a makeover, the right |
| years. | | | | way, the first time. |
| Big problems I see ahead in private healthcare are | | | | |