Dust the plants

Dust the plastic plants

by Tim David

Chiropractic is state-of-the-art health care and yet, all too many patients get the wrong impression every time they enter a Chiropractic office. Being Chiropractic office designers for the better part of 21 years, we have seen offices that look like the bargain basement department during a half off sale. Get the picture? Now take the challenge yourself.

The appearance of your office reflects your values as well as those of your staff. It also reflects what you think about your profession. The worst part of creating a poor first impression is that it also represents the entire profession. But what impact does the appearance of your clinic have on your success?

Since an outsider always has a more accurate view of any situation, step out of your box. Step back and look at what your office says about you.

The simplest way to step outside is to step into the lens of a camera. Photograph your building from the outside. What does your sign say about you. Is there enough information for a prospective patient to make a quick decision, or is there more than anyone can ever comprehend? Next, open the door and look at the first thing that catches your eye. Is it a positive experience or does it scream clutter? What does the CA look like? Is she smiling or does she look stressed? Is the carpet fresh and clean, or is it tattered and stained. Wearing your carpet out? Good! Having to replace it every 2 years is a great problem to have. Sounds expensive? Its not, if you think about it before hand.

Here at Davlen, when we design your clinic, we take into account simple ways of freshening up your office without incurring huge expenses. Try replacing the carpet at your entry to your front desk with non slip tile. Thinking about using wood floors or a Pergo style laminate floor… Don't. It's the worst thing you can do, especially in northern climes. What does your front desk look like? It is the first contact any patient has with you and your office so make it a good one. The implementation of Chirotouch will allow your CA to do what she should be doing. Think about it. The Front desk is physically the first thing in a clinic and therefore, its primary role should be one of public relations. Unfortunately, before the advent of EMR, the position was that of a traffic cop. Not very approachable, and yet she should be. Chirotouch removes the daily grind of being a traffic cop and reclassifies your CA as a public relations master. This moves the front desk CA into the income generating column and removes it from the expense category of your tax return.

What does your treatment room say about Chiropractic in general? Is it cluttered with patient charts or travel cards waiting for the doctor to complete, or does the use of EMR transform it into the epitome of organization. Is the paint on the walls a current color, or is the paneling that is painted in a dirty pastel color difficult to see due to the hundreds of Chiropractic posters that clutter your walls. Artwork should replace any outdated positive thinking posters that may still adorn your hallways.

What does a patient experience when they enter the exam room,,, before you get there? Most new patients are nervous, There Is nothing worse than adding to their anxiety with a maze of equipment that looks like it was custom built for BJ himself. Current, up to date and state-of-the-art does not mean expensive. Sure, any investment into new equipment has an initial cost for the investment, but especially in this economy, careful investments into efficiency and automation can reduce ones payroll by tens of thousands of dollars each year. Investing in productivity and an effective working environment can easily provide your staff with the time and ability to grow the practice by attracting more new patients to your office each month. What impact does that have to your practice?

So take a step back, take off the rose colored glasses and look at the appearance of your clinic. Look at the operating efficiency of your clinic. Invest in efficiency and productivity. It will actually increase your income and not your expenses. Freshen up the paint, add life to your practice with a water feature, or bring in some plants and since no one likes to see dead greenery, be sure to keep them watered. If you are still looking to take the easy way out, be sure to dust the plastic plants…