One of the problems with having a busy volume practice is that it may become impersonal. If you are spending just a few minutes with people, not asking about their health problems or getting into small talk, your “family practice” does not seem much like a family (or perhaps too much like the 21st-century families that have little time for meaningful contact with each other). There are a few things you can do to compensate for this problem. First, talk to people more but about chiropractic. Engage them in discussion about chiropractic, explain different concepts, review what you are doing for them (correcting vertebral subluxation) and why. Pick out a subject for the week, perhaps how great the human body is. Give them some facts about how wonderful the body is and what it can do. The Foundation’s new Chiropractic Conversation Cards can help make sure that the conversation you are having with people is meaningful to their chiropractic experience. They can talk with everyone else how the Eagles could have won the Super Bowl (who really wants to talk about that anyhow!?!). See the link below to learn more about Chiropractic Conversation Cards.
Once you have utilized the conversation time as well as you can, then it is time to develop other aspects of your practice that can make it more like a family practice. Try to find ways in which the practice can benefit the community. Besides getting practice members involved and part of the “family practice” it is also good for public relations. We recently conducted two special events in our practice. In November, we had our annual food drive. We encourage people to bring in canned goods and non-perishable food items. We also ask them for the names of any families that might need some help for the holidays. There are no rewards for bringing in the food (i.e., no free adjustments) except being a part of our effort to help others. People are expected and encouraged to give for the sake of giving not barter food for their chiropractic care. If you do that, you might as well just write a check for the needy and save the time and effort. Some people would rather make a financial donation which we put toward the purchase of turkeys, milk, eggs and other perishable items at the end of the collection period. Last year we were happy to help four separate families with very generous grocery orders a few days before Thanksgiving. The remainder was donated to a women’s shelter.
This winter we also collected coats, blankets, scarves and gloves that were still in good condition. Over 50 such items were given to a small church in a poorer section of Philadelphia where they were distributed to the neighborhood. Efforts like these can draw the practice members together and create a love and friendship, a sense of belonging in a busy office. They will not bring people into the office but in a busy practice or even in a growing practice, they will give those that are there a greater feeling that they belong and are an important part of the office.
It’s also good to have some fun things in the office. During the two weeks prior to Easter, we fill a jar with jelly beans and have a contest for our practice members to guess how many jelly beans are in the jar. At Halloween we have them guess the weight of a large pumpkin or the combined weight of several pumpkins. The winners receive a small gift such as a gift certificate for shopping or dinner, or toys if the winner happens to be a child.
A busy, volume practice does not have to be an impersonal place. It does not have to make people feel like they are being ushered through like cattle. It can be fun. You just have to want it to be and exert a little effort toward that end. v1