Are You Obsessed with New Patients?

Are You Obsessed with New Patients?

I‘ve dealt with this concept in the past but I feel it is important to revisit this issue.

Let’s touch on a subject that is often forgotten in our hunt for that elusive New Patient.  I speak with hundreds of doctors each week from all over the globe, and the one observation that I’ve made, is that we, as a profession, are absolutely obsessed with New Patients. We are nuts about them! We are almost insane about finding new patients.

Yes.  A one-track mind. Tunnel vision. Laser focus.

We are obsessed with building that better mousetrap to capture these evasive and elusive people. We tend to focus on new patients so much that all else is often thrown to the wayside it seems, along with all those patients who were former New Patients at one time! WOW! Did you “get” that?  Consider this: All the “regular patients” you now have, were once New Patients – every single one of them!  What a concept!

Here is another realization:
Once we capture these elusive people and we are satisfied that they are now part of our practice (a week will generally do it), our focus quickly changes back to the hunt for more new ones! We are constantly roving and trolling the swamps!
And these “captured,” new patients quickly become “old patients” – even after a week! They become “old news.” This perception now allows us to somehow lessen our focus on our regular patients and to shift our focus back to the hunt for new ones!
All of a sudden, regular patients become a “nuisance” – they want too much of you, they want to spend too much of your time, they always complain, they are never satisfied, they find your fees to be too expensive, they are late for your appointments, they miss their appointments and payments, they gripe, whine, and they don’t refer their children and friends.  Isn’t that about it?

If you are reading this is and you are agreeing with me – you need a reality check!
Lighten up!  Listen……The reason you are in practice is to help people – it says so in your Mission Statement and you swore an oath to it.  And the reason people miss their appointments, their payments, are late, and don’t refer for example, is because of you! Yes!  You have not fully earned their trust, and they do not see you as incredible, amazing, and as the very best!  They see you as average. That is a problem. And who wants to see someone who is just average, pretty good, just ok?  A number of years ago, that would have been passable, but not today. Today, you need to, by far, exceed the expectations of your community. By far. Miles.

You also need to demonstrate the importance of being under care in your office. How? Easy. Your need to shift your main focus away from New Patients. Yes. This is not about you. This is all about them! And your regular patients usually take a back seat! Dr. Joe Stucky, once said; “Look after the needs of your patients and your needs will always be taken care of!”  Brilliant!

The Practice of your Dreams is right in your office under your very nose! It is not new patients! It is the regular patients you see every week. If these people really understood what you do, and felt that you were sincerely focused on mainly them, AND they saw you as absolutely incredible, you would need two full time CAs at your front door armed with bazookas beating off the crowds, and a fire-breathing dragon in the moat in front of your office protecting you from the onslaught!  Is this not happening in your office?

What a shame!

So….that being said, let me give you one idea which you are welcome to use in your office to recognize and honor your regular patients;     A Recognition Wall.
What a concept!  Yes: An area in your office that you have dedicated to honoring those patients who have been with you for over a year, for example. Or honoring those who have brought their family to see you. Or have paid you for their entire care a year in advance.  Or have asked you to check their children, Or…..(make up any reason you want). But honor them!

Listen…..you need to really get this: The solution to your practice woes lies with your regular patients. If they become really spizzed and excited about their experience with you, if they see you as incomparable,  and see you as the very best, and begin to rave about you, you will not have enough hands to handle all the new ones who will clamor at your doorstep.

That is why I said the Practice of your Dreams is in your office right now – you are living it!
Get your regular patients to start to rave about you and your problems are over!
How?
Well, that is what I teach on my Program!Fill out my Practice Health Mini Check Up and I’ll take it from there, let’s do this and let’s change the health of your community!

Kristina