Have you heard the story of the man who had been golfing for 20 years? He still had a mediocre score, regardless of how hard he tried. He hired a consultant, a golf pro, and after just a week he shot in the nineties.
These stories abound in every profession whether it’s medical, manual labor, or being a more effective manager. It works well in Chiropractic and is particularly applicable to the medically integrated practice, which offers more services and has a higher potential for income.
Choosing a Consultant
Some experienced Chiropractors become consultants and are willing to share their hard-won expertise. The only problem is picking the right one for your needs and finding out if you and the consultant can work together.
Why Would You Need a Consultant?
- To learn the most efficient way to incorporate systems into your practice and how to grow patient flow by optimizing marketing methods.
- If you know what to do, but not how to put that knowledge into practice. Implementation takes discipline, perseverance, encouragement, and motivation – which a consultant can help provide.
- You will not be alone in dealing with insurers, patient resistance, collections, and other discouraging features common to the usual non-integrated practice. With a consultant, you gain another voice to share experiences with.
- There is no better way to maintain a sense of excitement and success than to have someone who can give you the guidance needed to win and continue winning.
- Like any journey, this is a trip. Knowing where you’re headed and the obstacles that lay ahead can be invaluable. A consultant can help you set goals and show you a sense of purpose in attaining them.
How do You Find the Perfect Fit?
Seek suggestions from your peers who have used consultants; you’ll want to check out more than one. Examine the candidate as you would any potential employee.
Rely on valid statistics of performance, not verbal assurances or resumes. Invest in a real background check. Identify other doctors the candidate has done business with and call them to discover any omissions or failures; get multiple referrals
Conduct Interviews With More Than One Candidate and Compare
Make sure that the consultant is on the same page as you, that they have the same goals, philosophy, worldview, ethical standing, and behavior as you expect. See if they have the ability to provide you with what you’re looking for to expand your business in the manner you want.
Pay attention to how you feel while you’re around the candidate. Do you feel ill-at-ease, dark, or weighed down? Do you feel excited, are you smiling? Does the candidate enjoy what they are doing? Does the training make you feel confident? Does the candidate believe that the practice should always be in the best interest of the patient? How do they feel about prescribing drugs or surgery?
Watch how others react to them and get a “feel” for whether their laughter or personality is real or false – you’ll know the difference. Remember that this person is the one whose direction you’ll be following and that you’ll be working together to blaze a trail into the future.
The Consultant’s Ideal Practice
Does the candidate think a personality-driven practice is the way to succeed? What do they think about integrating other disciplines into your practice to provide a wider range of services? Be sure to prepare a checklist about qualities and viewpoints to compare each candidate.
Be prepared for the interview. The choice you make will be a large part of your life going forward.
Choose Well Hire a winner who is the perfect match for your values and goals. Once you’re convinced that you’ve identified the right candidate, hire them and follow their lead.
Set and achieve your goals. Establish benchmarks and keep your own statistics of growth and improvement. Make sure that you’re improving both personally and professionally as you go.
Learn Why so Many Doctors are Choosing Medical Integration
Find out how we can help patients and your practice alike – CLICK HERE or follow us on YouTube for more information about how medically integrating can open up new opportunities.
Call us at 1-888-777-0815 today!
Dr. Mike Carberry, D.C.
