Industrial sites provide practice-building opportunities
By Peter G. Fernandez, DC

The problems of most practices disappear with a huge influx of new patients. But chasing patients is time-consuming and not always effective.

Instead of chasing patients, get in front of them. You can do this is by getting involved in industrial consulting to help companies reduce their workers’ compensation costs.

Workplace injuries have spiraling consequences:

• Injuries prevent workers from earning a living;
• Workers’ compensation costs rise; and
• Employers lose productivity.

Nobody wins, and everybody loses.

Collectively, workers’ compensation costs U.S. businesses $65 billion per year — more than $1 billion per week.

Chiropractic can help reduce this cost.

In most cases, workers who sustain a musculoskeletal injury and then get chiropractic treatment are back to work sooner and at a lower cost than with expensive medical surgery and drugs alone.

HOW TO START

Getting involved in working with industrial workers is not difficult:

• Identify local businesses. Studies have shown that very few trades and professions are not affected by some treatable form of workplace injury.

Top industries in which injuries occur include agriculture, transportation, warehousing, logistics, healthcare (especially nursing homes, hospitals, and assisted living facilities), construction, fishing, warehousing, and retail trade.

Jobs include nurses, electricians, truck drivers, roofers, brick masons, painters, laborers, timber cutters, sailors, flight attendants, and pilots.

All of them are potential patients who could benefit from chiropractic care. Find these businesses by searching the Web and phone book.

• Write an introductory letter. Introduce yourself to these businesses with an individualized letter. Never write “to whom it may concern.” Rather, call to obtain the plant manager’s name.  (Be sure to check the spelling of the individual’s name.) Some businesses might also have a safety manager — include a copy of the letter to this person as well.

In the first sentence, explain that you’re seeking to educate the business’ employees on how to avoid muscle and skeletal injuries. Offer your services to teach classes at the business’ facilities, provide individual instructions and demonstrations to employees, and provide chiropractic posters, charts, and pamphlets.

Next, explain your credentials (very briefly) as they relate to caring for muscle and skeletal injuries and your success in treating them.

Close the letter with, “I’ll call you in the next few days to arrange a time when I can stop by and meet you personally.” Enclose your business card.

• Follow up with a phone call. Wait several days for your letter to reach the general manager and then call him or her.

Introduce yourself. Ask if he received your letter and state the reason for your call. Offer to give a talk on avoiding muscle and skeletal injuries to employees.

• Seek out the safety manager. A safety manager’s job is to keep employees safe from injury. If an employee is injured on the job by lifting improperly and sustains a back injury, productivity goes down and workers’ compensation rates go up. The manager and safety manager often see a reduction in their bonuses when employee injuries go up, so they are motivated to find ways to reduce injuries.

• Deliver visual aids. Regardless if you make an appointment with the general manager or not, go to the facility and give the manager a set of chiropractic posters, charts, and pamphlets along with your business card. 

WHAT DO YOU TALK ABOUT?

You can structure your presentation in a number of different ways. For example:

• Focus on the company’s jobs. When you make a presentation, get the employees’ attention by asking about their work, such as:  “What is your job?” “What kinds of motions or movements are involved in your job?” and “Have you ever injured yourself on the job?”

Then explain how they can avoid those injuries or problems.

• Talk about the most common conditions you treat. Many people don’t realize chiropractors are some of the most sought-after doctors in workers’ compensation cases. Talk about the most common conditions you treat, or explain how chiropractic care can help work-related injuries, shoulder pain, back pain, scoliosis, neck pain, headaches, and whiplash. 

Inform employees you would be happy to answer any of their health questions.

POSITIVE RESULTS

Consulting with companies achieves a number of results for you and your practice:

• Recognized expert. By providing classes, posters, charts, and pamphlets to the business’ employees, you are perceived as the spinal healthcare expert. 

• Member of the ‘community.’ By coming into their place of employment, you become part of their workplace community and develop a bonding relationship with the employers and employees.

• Company and personal chiropractor. As the company chiropractor, you can expect employees will have questions regarding their own spinal problems. Once you establish this relationship, employees will seek you out when they encounter a musculoskeletal problem outside of the workplace. And they will make referrals as their health improves.

Peter G. Fernandez, DC, has been a practice consultant for 27 years. He can be reached by phone at 800-882-4476, by e-mail at DrPete@DrFernandez.com, or through his Web site at www.DrFernandez.com.