New chiropractors often struggle to gain traction once their office is finally open. Instead of scaling their operations, they find they struggle just to get by.
To avoid the common mistakes chiropractors make, understand you can’t do it all yourself and that the people that surround you have an incredible impact on your success.
Follow these tips to avoid making the most common chiropractor mistakes.
#1 Trying to Do Too Much
With all the pressures of student loan payments and the expenses associated with opening a business, it’s natural to try to curtail costs by doing everything yourself. Resist the urge.
Focus your efforts on creating the vision for your practice, providing the best chiropractic care possible, and executing your business plan. You can’t do everything from painting the walls and cleaning the offices to scheduling appointments and still provide outstanding personal care. This approach only leads to burnout and frustration. If you aren’t your best self, you can’t give patients the best care.
Instead, play to your strengths and focus on care and build a team that supports your efforts. That leads us to mistake number 2.
#2 Waiting Too Long to Hire
The number one mistake chiropractors make leads to the number two mistake – waiting too long to hire. Whether it is bringing in another patient care coordinator or expanding with an associate, don’t wait until you have more than enough for the new person to handle.
Your new staff is key to supporting the growth of your practice. The excess capacity they bring to the table (and the office) is exactly what you need to scale. How can you open a second office if you can’t commit to additional staff?
When your marketing efforts are clicking and you’re bringing in a steady stream of patients you’ll be glad you’ve got that additional capacity.
#3 Failing to Hire and Onboard Staff Properly
Once you’ve committed to hiring, it’s important to follow through with precision. No matter the role, from Associate Chiropractor to Care Coordinator, make sure you hire people who align with your mission and values. Clearly communicate their role and responsibilities and what key performance indicators you will use to measure their contribution to the team.
You’ll work many hours with these team members, and they impact your success. So, create a yardstick of the characteristics and skills you need and compare candidates to the yardstick – not each other.
Once you’ve hired, set aside ample time for onboarding. Provide training manuals and materials for any software or treatment equipment they will need to operate. The first 90 days are crucial to creating a supportive environment while new team members get their sea legs.
# 4 Failing to Provide Value
Rare is the chiropractor who finds true success with nothing more than osseous adjustments. Patients are looking for real value and if you don’t provide it, they will seek chiropractic care elsewhere.
Don’t just treat pain, help your patients achieve better health and quality of life. Talk to your patients about the importance of following your prescribed treatment plan with the goal being not to get out of pain, but to return to daily walks, golf, tennis, or any other activity they are missing. Show them the path to better health is possible, and then let them know you are with them.
Support your differential diagnosis procedures with lab tests and Applied Kinesiology using muscle testing supplements. Provide nutritional counseling services and don’t hesitate to marry physical and massage therapy to your own chiropractic care services.
When you provide stellar service and real value, patients will naturally tell others about the results they achieved under your care.
#5 Relying on a Single Revenue Channel
Don’t overlook additional channels of revenue. Chiropractors that rely on a single revenue stream frequently find themselves strapped for cash.
Adding additional revenue streams allows you to boost cash flow without taking away from your primary focus of patient care.
For example, offering nutritional supplementation, like the chiropractors at Nutri-West New York, creates an additional cash revenue stream that is recurring. Patient outcomes improve, patient health improves, and you have a reliable stream of revenue.
Avoid Mistakes Other Chiropractors Make
Schedule a consultation with the chiropractors at Nutri-West NY.
Drs. Forster and Horowitz are practicing chiropractors who help other medical practitioners grow their practices and duplicate the amazing results they experienced with Nutri-West products. They’ll help you decide if Nutri-West can help you and your patients.