Podcast 183 Table Talk

Welcome to the KC CHIROpulse Podcast.  

This week’s topic: Chiropractic Table Talk

The KC CHIROpulse Podcast is designed for Chiropractic professionals ready to elevate their practice to new heights, and is hosted by Kats Consultants coaches Dr Michael Perusich and Dr Troy Fox.  Both docs are seasoned experts in Chiropractic care and business development.  This podcast provides invaluable insights and actionable strategies to help you create a flourishing and sustainable Chiropractic business.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Why the patient conversation you have is so important
• How to turn virtually each visit into an opportunity for practice growth
• How to connect to your patients sot they will want to refer others to you
• Why your table talk can uncover other issues your patients may be dealing with
• …and so much more…

In each episode of KC CHIROpulse, we delve into crucial aspects of building a successful Chiropractic practice, covering topics such as establishing a strong foundation, adopting a patient-centric approach, mastering marketing techniques, achieving financial fitness, fostering effective team building and leadership, integrating technology and innovation, and navigating common challenges in the field.

Whether you're a seasoned chiropractor or just starting your practice, the KC CHIROpulse Podcast offers a wealth of knowledge and practical advice to help you navigate the intricate world of Chiropractic business. Join us on this journey as we explore proven strategies, share success stories, and connect with industry experts to empower you in your pursuit of building a thriving Chiropractic practice.

Don't miss out on the latest insights and expert guidance. Subscribe now and unlock the secrets to taking your Chiropractic practice to the next level. Your success is our priority at Kats Chiropractic Business Advisors.

DISCLAIMER:  The information presented in this broadcast is for educational purposes only and is not intended to offer legal, investment, accounting, or medical advice.  Seek the consultation of a professional for advice in those areas. And remember…your results using this information may be different than described.

Be sure to SUBSCRIBE to the Kats Consultants CHIROPulse Podcast
When you are ready we can help.

• Free Resource: Download What's Your Practice Worth?
• Let's Chat -30-minute chat about your practice
• Attend a Virtual Seminar
• Join the new subscription program Path to Prosper

KC CHIROpulse Podcast. Helping Chiropractors keep their pulse on success. Thanks for listening.

Transcript

Dr. Michael Perusich: 0:00

Doctors, what is your chiropractic table talk sound like? Hi, everybody. Welcome to the KC Chiropulse podcast brought to you by Kats Consultants and ChiroHealth USA. I'm Dr. Michael Perusich, your host, along with my co host, Dr. Troy Fox. Troy, This is something you and I banter around once in a while, because this whole idea, I call it table talk is so important. And we see, this is a big area that doctors really flub up. And it's probably one of the top five reasons why patients leave your clinic.

Dr. Troy Fox: 0:34

Yeah, that's for sure. When you're in practice and you I think we all get in the rut, especially when we have patients that are wellness patients, That we have we believe that we've gotten across to them and we have, or they wouldn't have become wellness patients, but they tend to lose sight. And I use a really great example of this. Have you ever had a family member that while you were in chiropractic school, you were just on fire and you're explaining chiropractic to them and. They're getting chiropractic care and maybe you moved away or they moved away. And then you find out a few years later that they're not even getting chiropractic care anymore. And they forgot why they were getting care. I've been feeling pretty good. That's the common thing that we hear. I've been feeling pretty good. So you have patients in your practice that are leaving your practice because they get to a point where. A, they're not being educated anymore, and B, they're making decisions for themselves, and they're making it based off of their assumption. Their assumption is, doctor's done a great job with me, I feel wonderful, so I don't think I need care anymore. And if you're not reinforcing why they need care, they're gonna make that decision on their own, and they're gonna walk up to the front, and they're gonna say, hey, I'll just call.

Dr. Michael Perusich: 1:57

Yeah, I feel better. I'm just going to call it. Dr. Fox did a great job. I'm really feeling good. And so we've left that patient with the impression that chiropractic is all about the owie. It's all about the pain. And once you're out of pain, you're good to go. And I get it. Some of us out there have acute care based clinics and that's fine. We're not saying it's not, but for most of us, that next step in care after pain is painless. Maintenance care, lifetime care, whatever you call it. Support care, whatever. I don't really have horns growing out of my head. That's my Texas Longhorn. And I think it's important to really make sure that we're drilling down with patients and telling them, what's that next step? What's the jewel of chiropractic? How does maintenance care work? Why are we not focused on pain? And yet we use some very valuable time. That we have with patients while we're treating them in that five or 10 minutes that you're with them and we waste it talking about the weather and talking about other things and you don't have to talk about chiropractic all the time, but we waste a lot of valuable time that could be spent helping patients really understand for the long term how valuable that maintenance care is. And you penned it. You hit the nail on the head. We sometimes forget that. Yeah, we've got that patient and they understood, but how long does their understanding last? And we've got to make sure we keep planting those seeds.

Dr. Troy Fox: 3:29

And especially when each time the patient comes in and I'm guilty of this as well, but I have a followup for this. They come in. What do you ask them? How are you feeling today? How you feel? Yeah, I feel today. We want to know how they feel, because if you have had a regression in symptoms. I want to know about it. If you're feeling great, I want to know about it, but here's how you follow up. Hey, that's fantastic. Now I don't need to go into any rhetoric at that point. Hey, that's great that you're feeling better. I'm going to go into, I'm going into palpation mode at that point. Okay. Let's see what's really going on. And then I highlight and identify, Oh yeah, you've got some restriction right here. So that's not really very tender. No, just a little bit stiff. Yeah. We all know the dialogue that you have at that point. It's a really great opportunity to talk about at that point. Why you're still getting care. So do you understand why you're still getting care from me? Does this make sense that every time that I see you, we tend to find areas that have restricted mobility, which impacts the nervous system. I could go on and on. I don't need to educate you as doctors as to what you should probably say to patients, but that's a really good one to use because you are segueing from pain. Into wellness at that point, because even my wellness patients occasionally have pain.

Dr. Michael Perusich: 4:44

Yeah, sure. They do. Seriously, how many times can you have a patient laying on a table and we all can find a sore spot. You poke your thumb into the glute medius, into the IT band, into the extensor mass around the elbow, into the subscapularis. We can always find tender spots. And why is that? Because everybody's in repetitive use trauma. Repetitive motion trauma. And so there's a reason for maintenance care. It's not just to keep patients coming in because we like them, because we want to generate revenue. It's because there's a physical need because what we do in our daily lives is constantly tearing us down. We need to be, we need to be reporting that message to patients on a constant

Dr. Troy Fox: 5:27

basis. Another good question that you can ask right at the beginning. If you don't want to ask, how are you feeling today? I asked this a lot. Is there a specific area I need to look at with you today or are we just tuning you up? Yep. And patients will then say, Nope. They're, I would say it's 50 50. A lot of them are like, Nope, I'm just ready to be tuned up. It's time. When you got patients that say it's time, they know that cadence of care is working for them and I don't really have to do a ton of educating, but if they say, I feel pretty good. I don't even know why I'm here. Okay. I've had patients say that I said let's talk about why you're here then, because I want you to understand, because quite frankly, I can lead a horse to water, but I can't make them drink. So I want you to be here for all the right reasons. Not just because I said, Hey, we'll see you in a month. We'll see in two weeks or whatever that cadence may be with that patient. And so I think it's important that we ask those questions. So there's many ways that you can approach it. Now, is it okay for you to ask if you know that they went fishing two days ago? I know a lot of my patients. Very intimately from a standpoint of knowing their families, knowing what they're up to, what they did last week. Hey, how was the fishing last week? And then I follow that up rather than just going in and palpating and adjusting. I follow that up with, Hey, any specific area we need to work on today? Are we just tuning you up? Or I say, how are you feeling today? I know you went fishing yesterday. You guys were dragging that boat around in the in the water and it was pretty windy out there. So how's things? Ah, man, I'm a little sore in my low back after riding around on that rough water. All right, let's tune it up then. There's a lot that we can say from that standpoint where we create the situation where we want to perpetuate wellness. I'm not just trying to get you feeling better. I'm perpetuating wellness with you. And that's why I ask what's going on with you.

Dr. Michael Perusich: 7:19

Yep, absolutely. So hold that thought for just a second. We need to hear a word from our sponsors. We're talking about your chiropractic table talk and what it sounds like to the patient. And are you using that time wisely? So we're going to continue this conversation and we'll be right back.

7:36

In today's economy, every dollar counts. Families are facing tough choices, having to reconsider what was once essential to them, but because of healthcare, no one should have to compromise on their well being because of financial constraints. That's where PowerHealth USA steps in, the solution for your practice. We understand the financial pressures families are under, whether they're insured, on Medicare, or paying out of pocket for treatment. By offering discounts on care, you can ensure that your patients can still afford the treatment they need. And at Power Health USA, we're committed to making sure no family has to sacrifice their health due to financial hardship. We'll work with you to create a game plan that keeps your waiting room full and your practice thriving. And here's the best part. Offering affordable care not only benefits your patients, but also positively impacts your bottom line. So why wait? Join Power Health USA today and join the ranks of the most successful practices. Because when you put your patients first, everyone wins.

Dr. Michael Perusich: 8:35

All right, everybody, we're back to the KC Chiropulse podcast. Troy, we're talking about your table talk and What does it sound like to the patient and what message do we need to be giving to the patients? And I think this is a really important subject because we oftentimes wind up talking patients out of care or not talking in this, them into staying in care because we let them ultimately become uneducated about what we do and why chiropractic care is so important. And if we do that, then they leave thinking I felt great. Fox did a great job. I feel good. So I'll just call you when I need you.

Dr. Troy Fox: 9:14

Sometimes we get a little bit indignant about that. When people say that I know it's, it is a, it offends us as chiropractors because we think I did a great job with you. Why, where did this come from? So I want to throw out a quote here that I picked up just actually on the way from my office. I go from one office to the other during the day before we record these podcasts. And so I was driving from one office to the other. And when I got home, I just scrolled quickly through, cause we all like to look at Facebook and that sort of thing. It was a quote that was really good. Matching energy is why everybody is miserable. You don't clean dirt with dirt. And I thought about that. I thought, you know what, when a patient says to me. I don't think I need care anymore. They put the hand out. I don't think I need care anymore. I'll just call you when I need you. I have been guilty in the past of probably matching that energy and what you really need to do at that point. Is turn the table just a little bit, what do they say? You attract more flies with honey and you make a positive statement. This is how you start the conversation. That's fantastic that you're feeling a lot better. Hey, if you don't mind, I'd like to just do a quick review on where you've been with your care and where you're at right now. Now, all of a sudden I've diffused the whole situation because they're talking about, I feel better. So I'm going to validate the fact that you feel better. And then I'm going to talk about why that's important. And so there's a really easy way to defuse that, or you can go totally full blown negative. You need to still be getting care. Do you mind if I plead my case about why you still need to get care? That's

Dr. Michael Perusich: 10:54

what we do, or we just agree with them and let them leave.

Dr. Troy Fox: 10:58

Yeah. Which sometimes that's a good thing. Every once in a while, we have to release a patient. I've got one right now that Probably if she said she just wanted to give me a call, I probably would be just fine with that. There are every once in a while, but quite frankly, I think making positive statements and reviewing their care and talking about why it's important that they do feel good. I think a lot of times, and I say, I think I know because I've had patients that go, Oh yeah. Yeah. So you think I need to continue to get care. Yeah, but I want you to understand why you're continuing to get care. Yeah, I'm going to go ahead and make that next appointment. And sometimes the other thing that you run into is you will change cadence of care with patients when you talk about wellness, because they also are trying to achieve that goal if they're with you, right? Yeah. Okay. So now I got a patient that's on every three weeks and we're not quite making it three weeks before they're starting to feel some pretty good symptoms again, and that patient either a has the wherewithal to actually tell you, I don't think I'm making it three weeks. Could I do two? Or we're talking to them and I've had it happen both ways to where the patient is actually surprised me and immediately following, telling me they're not making it to three weeks. Do you mind if I do two weeks? I think a lot of times we make recommendations for our patients that are too long. And there's another reason why patients lose sight of wellness care, because they're not feeling well enough. It doesn't feel well to them. It feels like treating this. Yeah,

Dr. Michael Perusich: 12:32

they forget. If you push them too far out, they forget how good they felt. That patient that would say, doc, I'm feeling really good. I, can I just call you when I need you? What I would say every time was, our goal in maintenance care, which is where you're at right now. Our goal is to keep things from coming back. So we're actually in a good spot where we're at. So I'll see you in two weeks or I'll see in three weeks.

Dr. Troy Fox: 12:55

And you notice Dr. Perusich didn't ask, he just said, I'll see you in two or three weeks, which are, whichever one. Now, when they go to the front desk, if your staff, and this is another podcast later, but if your staff is on the same page with you, the dialogue is going to be the same when they get up to the front and that patient is then going to realize how much your office cares about them. It's not so much about the dialogue. It's the fact that we're all on the same page, that we are concerned about your long term care. We want you to be well. So it's important that your staff's on the same page.

Dr. Michael Perusich: 13:27

I'm going to give you a little jewel about staff, and this is a game changer. If you teach your staff, who probably gets adjusted, what, every week? For the most part, some of them, and I won't name any names, she knows who she is, gets adjusted every day. Have your staff tell patients who say, I like to push my care out or whatever, I get adjusted every week. Patients don't realize that we all get adjusted. I can't tell you how many patients were enthralled by the fact that I got adjusted and I would tell him, yeah, I get adjusted sometimes two, three times a week. Why do you get adjusted doc? Same reason you are because they don't want my symptoms to come back. And when they go to the front desk and that, that staff person says I get adjusted every week. It totally changes the mindset of the patient and pretty soon they're thinking. She gets adjusted every week. Why don't I doc? How often do you get adjusted a couple of times a week? Why don't I?

Dr. Troy Fox: 14:26

When you have that initial talk with your patient about wellness care, I always like to share that. I walked the walk. I've been getting adjusted at least weekly for 30 plus years. No kidding. You get adjusted every week. I said, yeah, isn't it wonderful. See, for me, I look at it as, it's a huge fringe benefit to being a chiropractor. Number one, and number two, and I say, and I always joke around and go, yeah, I go, here's the good news about this. I just trade adjustments with another chiropractor. So my care is free. It's a huge bonus, but I said, even if I had to pay for care, I'd still be getting weekly care. Because it has been a game changer for me. That's all you got to tell a patient. They realize you're human as well. Don't go in there with your patients acting like you've never had a pain in your spine. Or any other joint for your whole life and that you're just perfect. And they're the ones that need care. No, I let my patients know, you know what? I'm jacked up. There's a reason I'm a chiropractor. I'm a chiropractor because of previous incidents. So there's so much dialogue that you can have that doesn't get into the real heavy, we don't have to get into safety pin cycle while we're talking about wellness care, we don't, we don't have to talk about Wolf's Law. We're talking about wellness care. We just have to show compassion and talk about why it's important.

Dr. Michael Perusich: 15:40

Yep, absolutely. So we're talking about the importance of your chiropractic table talk. We're going to hear a quick word from our sponsor. We'll be right back.

15:48

Kat's Chiropractic Consultants, your partner in chiropractic success. We are dedicated with one on one guidance to bring you all your practice management needs. Let's supercharge your practice. Give us a call today.

Dr. Michael Perusich: 16:06

All right, everybody. Welcome back to the KC Chiropulse podcast. We're talking about the importance of your chiropractic table talk when it comes to helping patients understanding the ongoing need for care. And I think we've covered. A lot of the basis of this, but I think maybe one of the takeaways, at least for me is don't waste your table time with patients.

Dr. Troy Fox: 16:28

It's

Dr. Michael Perusich: 16:28

fine to mention the weather, especially if you've got a storm coming in or whatever, but make sure that somewhere along the way in your table talk, while you're treating that patient that you're talking about, What their condition was, what their dysfunction is, and why things like maintenance care are so important because we don't want those issues to come back. So I would throw it out. Hey, yeah, go ahead.

Dr. Troy Fox: 16:52

I was going to say, I would challenge all of you that are listening this today to go in Your next session on office and utilize that with every single patient that's on a cadence of care that resembles wellness care every one week, every two weeks, every three weeks, whatever. And here's the thing. You don't have to change the verbiage for every single patient that walks through the door. I can literally use the same thing all day long and say, okay, we're going to talk about wellness care and we're going to talk about, the benefits of it. We're going to go, like you said, let's talk about where you've been, where you're at right now and what the future looks like and what happens if you have an alley along the way, because it's going to happen.

Dr. Michael Perusich: 17:34

It, yep, it does. And it's funny. You mentioned you don't have to change what you say to match each patient. Cause my therapy person who was always right across the hall from me. And she could hear me all day long would often say, do you ever get tired of saying the same old thing? Cause you say the same exact thing to every patient. No, I don't get tired of it. Cause number one, it's. That patient doesn't know I've said it to everybody. Now they might, if they heard me out in the hall, but it doesn't matter. What matters is that you said it and what matters most is how you say it. So you said it a minute ago, be kind, be compassionate, be empathetic and help people understand why they need that ongoing chiropractic care. Don't let them put up a hand and say, I'll call you when I need you without at least you having said something about why they still need care. Don't be afraid of that.

Dr. Troy Fox: 18:25

Absolutely. It's a fantastic topic that will help your practice and it will do it immediately and it will do it without costing you one red cent. You don't have to spend any money on that. That's a really great tip.

Dr. Michael Perusich: 18:39

It's a huge tip and it will increase your practice success for sure. All right, Troy, I think we're out on this subject. So everybody, thanks for tuning into the KC Chiropulse podcast brought to you by Kats Consultants and ChiroHealth USA. Now, if you haven't done so, make sure that you're subscribing to the podcast. Tell your friends about it. Our podcast is growing like crazy because of you listeners out there and we appreciate you. So if you haven't done this either, go to KatsConsultants. com. We've got all kinds of great resources on there. Find out how we're helping doctors really reach, True success in their chiropractic business. All right, everybody from all of us here at Kats Consultants. We will see you next time. See ya