When we mention patient conversion or patient acquisition, what we're really talking about is winning a patient's trust and confidence. When a patient comes in for a visit, especially if they're new to chiropractic, they're going to be interested in finding out exactly what their treatment will entail, why such treatment is necessary, and of course, how much their course of care is going to cost. 

However, these details—as important and relevant as they are—aren't going to be what really persuades them to undergo your care. What will ultimately win them over will be the way in which you present your explanation of why they should undergo your treatment. For example, when meeting with a potential new patient, you may provide them with a completely accurate and comprehensive description of your care plan and costs but still fail to convert them due to the style of your presentation. If you present the information in a way that confuses patients, or even worse, makes them feel slightly uneasy about your expertise and/or motives, they'll be unlikely to put their trust in your hands.

In such a case, the statement "perception is reality" can be all too true. Even though you're a fully competent DC and your rationales are completely sound, if your explanation of their treatment consists of a bunch of unfamiliar jargon and numbers scribbled on a scrap of paper or delivered by way of a long, tedious conversation, you'll appear unprofessional and unconvincing. Some patients may even incorrectly believe you're trying to sell them on a course of care that's unnecessary and overpriced. 

Unfortunately, as healthcare providers, DCs aren't trained in sales or public relations, but in a competitive business atmosphere, your success largely depends on your ability to develop a good

rapport with patients. This is especially true in the chiropractic field, where the medical validity of the profession is still questioned by more than a few members of society. Despite all of your qualifications and genuine intentions, patients aren't going to trust you with their health if you can't present your case clearly and effectively, or if you come off like a used care salesman.

Among several other benefits, patient conversion systems are specifically designed to enhance your ability to present a compelling case as to why patients should undergo your treatment. With detailed care plans, costs assessments, and insurance estimators, these conversion programs give you a major advantage win it comes to winning over patients, and all of this is accomplished with minimal time and effort on your part.

With this in mind, for conversion software to be worth its purchase price, it should provide you with several key benefits, each one designed to help you gain a patient's trust and confidence. This is the first in a series of articles detailing these important benefits and explaining how each of them will enable you to quickly and effectively build patient rapport. With such a system in place, you'll be free to devote more of your energy on what you were actually trained to do—provide treatment.

Check back next time to read how patient conversion software works to convince patients to undergo your care.

 

Chris Towery is the former associate editor of MASSAGE Magazine and is currently a full-time freelance journalist. He has written hundreds of articles for more than 20 different magazines, newspapers, and custom publishers. Much of his recent writing has been for the complementary and alternative healthcare industry. To contact Chris, email cmreuben@yahoo.com.