Your Integrity, by Dr. Ogi Ressel
June 23 2009, 12:00 am
Warm hellos to everyone,
Let's talk about an issue which causes many doctors considerable stress
and discomfort.
No...it's not the lack of New Patients - although that also causes discomfort.
No. This issue causes people not to refer to you - not a good thing!
The discomfort we experience is often because we violate our own self.
INTEGRITY
WOW!
What a thought!
Here is what I see all too often...
You find that your practice is not exactly what you envisioned - your dream
is not unfolding as you once thought - there are few New Patients, regular
patient volume is low, your percentage of children is pitiful (it is a sign of
trust - we talked about this before) and your patient visit average is on its
knees. You have financial obligations - home expenses, family support
pressures, and office overhead....and besides......you'd like to have the
money and means to buy some of the toys that many of your patients
have! I mean, why couldn't you have that same Porsche that you see Bob
driving every time he comes to see you. It's just not fair....
You have been in practice for a number of years and feel that you should
have "made it" by now.
You are right!
Your positive thinking, wishing, praying, and hoping is just not producing
the results you'd like and you are slowly slipping into survival mode - you'd
do anything to get those few new patients - just to pay your bills!
Have I missed anything?
Many doctors at this point, hook up with some practice consultant guru
at some seminar, who teaches them some glibby, glitzy and "cool" sales
pitches, "successful closing" techniques, expensive marketing and other
questionable tools, so that they can now more effectively capture, "close,"
and "convert" that elusive new patient.
Some of these tools and techniques I've mentioned in a past THOT and
these involve fear and scare tactics, some involve religious hype and
pressure, and in the most severe cases, patients are literally brow-beaten
and pressured until they sign up for care.
And it's working!!!
All of a sudden, there are increased new patients in the office and patient
volume starts to slowly increase.
You are elated!
Things are beginning to turn around! WOW! That stuff you've been taught
really works!
Yea! Those cool phrases you've learned have no comeback - people sign
up with you.
Now you can really get ahead of those bills!
So what if that nagging voice in the background of your mind simply will
not go away.
....and of course, when you come home from the office, you avoid looking
in the mirror at the person who stares back at you!
Conscience.
It can be so bloody annoying!
And of course, your new success also produces a number of unpleasant
side-effects; patients dropping out of care in large numbers, patients
being upset with your level of care, patient complaints to your State Board,
staff difficulties (staff not resonating with your new procedures), your
reputation in your town beginning to erode, legal entanglements, etc.
But....it really doesn't matter because now you can afford some of the
things you couldn't earlier. And of course you like the new toys you now have.
Is there anything I should add?
Listen up...
As we climb the mountains to our dreams, we should always look back at
our footsteps to see if we've left any part of ourselves behind!
Integrity.
You cannot replace it.
When you use tools and procedures which are questionable, you tend to
erode your very essence! You chip away at the very foundations which
made you the person who became the chiropractor and held your dream.
Unfortunately, there are a number of seminars out there that teach
procedures which are less than honorable. I don't have to spell these
out for you - you know exactly what I am talking about.
If you come home at the end of your day, sick of the rat race, tired of
trying to sell Chiropractic to people who don't seem to want it, and frustrated
at the whole sales game - using procedures which leave you feeling "unclean"
- you are most likely using tools which don't resonate with you and your sense
of integrity and honesty.
Please have the courage to admit to yourself that there has to be a better
way to practice Chiropractic - with honor, clinical excellence, high integrity,
honesty, fun, and laughter - and no sales at all!
Relax - this is not some lame sales pitch for my PEP Program. No. I'm
trying to have you see that there is a much better way of developing your
dream of becoming the doctor you have always wanted to be and having
the Practice of your Dreams.....and that it does not need to be a struggle.
You see, in life, you don't get what you wish for. No. You get in life what
you go for!
You actually get to create the Life you are after. What a cool idea! The problem
is that at the moment, you are creating that which you do not want. I want you
to know that you do not need to compromise your values in order to "make it"
....you just need the right coach!
Someone whose values you can resonate with. Someone who will teach you
how to have the Practice of your Dreams without compromising your integrity
in the process.
What a concept!
So......Decide to change your life and save a bunch of kids in the process!
Warmest wishes,
Dr. Ogi Ressel
