We understand the importance of having our patients happily returning to the practice…kind of a no-brainer, wouldn’t you say?!? So, I won’t waste your time lecturing you on something you already know and why it’s important. That would seem redundant and unnecessary, bore you to tears and have you check-out. I think it’s safe to assume we’re in agreement?!? Perfect!

So, I pose the question, if we don’t want it done to us why do we do this to patients?

I’m referring to how we constantly tell them the same thing in the same way, over and over — something they already know is important — to the point that it becomes redundant, unnecessary and they are bored to tears. Quite frankly, they’ve checked out which can only translate into delayed treatment and cause our patients to eventually disappear from the practice.

I know, we like to think we’re “doing our job” by “educating our patients” and making sure they “understand” how “important it is that they ______”. The blank can be filled-in with all kinds of things such as, floss, brush at least 2 times a day, swish with our super galactic formula rinse, complete treatment…UGH!!! Do you know how completely uninspiring all of that is for our patients? Do you think they don’t know what they “should” be doing?

Here is what I know for sure, patients are SO TIRED of feeling nagged by us, tired of being in trouble for what they didn’t do or didn’t do right, getting the age-old lecture about flossing, etc. Our patients are already bombarded with life, their work and challenges…most of which we have no idea about (unless we take the time to ask). The last place they want to come and spend their time and money is one where they feel that they are about to get a dreaded lecture followed by the list of everything that is wrong and how much it will cost.

Please know, I’m not coming down on you. I’m clear this still goes on because I hear it from new patients who come from other offices…nearly every day. I’m guilty of this too. I am so grateful, that early in my career, I had a patient who had the courage to tell me the truth about how I made him feel. It did not feel good. But, I imagined that I made him feel even worse and that broke my heart. It was obvious to me that making him feel that way was never my intention. However, I had to hear him and get clear about how I was landing (with all my patients) regardless of my intention. From that moment on, I made a commitment to be different…my vision became my recipe for successfully connecting with patients and growing a thriving and FUN practice (for everyone) as they happily returned.

I am convinced there is no greater work that is more fulfilling than truly connecting with others and making a difference in their lives.

We are blessed with the opportunity to do it every day.

My recipe is simple…

Inspire – through positive reflection. Keep in mind, we’re in a position where our responsibility is to address conditions that may be, “wrong”, “suspicious”, “broken” or “need to be fixed”. Therefore, that often becomes our primary focus and it shapes our communication with patients. The end result is, they get hit with a lot of negative feedback. How I shifted is, I share the positive first. And, I do this with every step of the appointment and with each evaluation I perform. I begin my appointments with reviewing the medical history. I’m always looking for something I can Woo-Hoo! As in, when I have a patient that tells me they are not on any medications…I holler a, ‘Woo-Hoo!’. Their blood pressure reading is healthy, ‘NICE!’. Maybe the only area where there is pink, healthy tissue is in the upper right quadrant, I point this area out first and with a spirit of reward as in, ‘good job’. Let’s make it our responsibility to inspire our patients with all the good stuff too.

Champion – every patient by raising them up, encouraging them and partnering with them. When something doesn’t work for them, make it okay (instead of making them wrong) and go on a hunt for what is a better fit. Not every patient is the same and not every tool or approach will work with every patient. Be willing to be flexible and remain on their side of the court…always. Become their advocate in supporting them in having everything they need to achieve their goals. How does it feel when someone is rooting for you? I know how I feel…it gives me courage to go after what I want. And, I promise you, every patient wants a beautiful, healthy smile.

Celebrate – them for all the little and big things they DID do! Find clever and creative ways to share their successes no matter how small. Take pictures, show them their improvements and make them a BIG DEAL by sharing it with the team. Where in their lives do you think they get that kind of attention on a regular basis? I recently had a patient for which I recommended a three month recare instead of his current four month (not exactly good news for some). He responded with a big smile on his face and said, ‘I’d come every two months if you asked me, I love coming to my appointments.’ I wanted to hug him in that moment. But, more importantly, I felt I had truly learned my lesson. I get the rewards of comments like that because I shifted who I was being for my patients and how I make them feel.

My vision that inspired my recipe and that I repeat every day is this,

My treatment room is a space where every patient can be relaxed and at ease; they feel my partnership and are inspired from within to achieve a level of optimal health and wellness; they look forward to sharing their successes with me as they feel a sense of personal gratification with every visit and we relish the fun and celebration of their achievements together as a team.

Feel free to use my vision as yours until you create one that is a perfect fit for you and who you want to be as well as the space you want to create for your patients. Either way, I encourage you to hold a vision that excites you and produces the results you expect. You, your patients and the practice will all be better for it.

Don’t get me wrong, not every visit and not every day is perfect. However, holding this vision is what keeps me in a space to be fully present for each and every patient. In doing so, I’ve learned so much more about what’s important to my patients, how to motivate and encourage them and keep them returning…healthier and happier!

As always, I want to hear from you. What are some of the practices you use in keeping your patients engaged and happily returning to the practice? Do you have a secret recipe that you’d like to share? Perhaps, your vision? I’d love to read your stories about what works best for you and your team and have you share it with our community. And, if you enjoyed this post, please like, share and comment below. Thank you for contributing and being a loyal reader of our blog.

BTW, that’s a picture of my niece, Natalie. Isn’t she a doll?!? I thought I’d share it with you because Natalie inspires me and makes me smile and love what I do every time I see this picture.

Here’s to loving what we do!

P.S. Feel free to share a pic that inspires you too.