Coach's Corner: Compliance - Are you the compass?

The act of submitting according to certain accepted standards.

A simple yet often daunting definition of compliance. 

Is your first thought: I can't stand the seemingly outrageous rules put in place by boards or insurance? 

Look again. 

Compliance: The act of submitting according to certain accepted standards

Does this relate to patients? Results in your practice? Growth? Success? Of course it does. 

Compliance as applied to patients can be defined as a patient's loyalty to their follow through with your standards of care. This will NEVER happen unless your accepted standards also become your patients as well. They need a guide and you are their compass.

Understand, there are two types of patients when it comes to compliance; people who try to schedule your world around their own, and those who schedule their world around yours. The first will begin to miss, reschedule or rearrange their visits, where the second  group of patients will reschedule other aspects of their life in order to remain on schedule with their chiropractic care. The biggest practice growth this year, will come to those teams who lead their patients to make their specific schedule of chiropractic adjustments, their top priority. When this is done properly at the beginning of care, there are very few challenges with changing schedules. However, when it is not handled right at the beginning, a multitude of challenges, schedule fluctuations and patient drop-outs can be expected in the future. Compliance includes, attendance to workshops, adjustments, re-exams, reports, getting the family checked, writing (or videoing) a testimonial, taking your recommended nutrition, performing the right series of home exercises and traction, and studying various recommended sources of information.

The more you see the entire shift a patient must "willing submit" to, the clearer and more compassionate you become in leading them this new lifestyle. Once a patient has made their chiropractic lifestyle a centerpiece in their lives, it becomes very difficult for them to ever stop their care. They love who they are in this new paradigm, and become a spokesperson to anyone who cares to listen to their story. This is why you and your team owe it to each and every patient, to stay right on their hip, and proactively instill the beliefs,values and habits which produce the magnificent result known as the chiropractic lifestyle. Compliance begins by each patient knowing that correction and healing only happen by RHYTHM. The EXACT times and days of their adjustments are responsible for fifty percent of the results! Without this singular commitment, patients will most certainly begin altering their schedule, the moment they begin to notice a positive change from their chiropractic care.

In turns out, your office policies are the guide posts. The canteen, map and the compass to a person thrusted into completely unknown territory. They are not penalties or a prison sentence, rather the vital keys to unlocking a life full of health and happiness. When you can envision Zero Missed Visit Consciousness (ZMVC) for your each of your patients, you are well on your way to masterful compliance (<5% MV's, Whole Family Check-Ups, Standing Room Only Workshops), and explosive growth.

When you and your team decide to be compliance experts and become the compass your community needs you will be well on your way to reaching your full potential. 

Until Next Time...Practice with Passion!

Coach CJ