Image: Anna Barabanova (Via Unsplash)
What if I told you that there is a way to approach your patients that is logical, reduces stress, increases patient satisfaction, and fills up your diary? This approach does not involve making ridiculous claims, hard-selling or holding extreme philosophical ideas? You might like this?
What if I told you that this approach has been pulled together into a programme that is free?
This approach can be used by anyone trained as a chiropractor (my career), osteopath, or physiotherapist.
It took me a good number of years to create this programme and structure for my own use. I am now retired from practice, and wish to hand over some of the ideas to my colleagues still in practice, and in particular to those starting out on their professional journeys. I found my first few years quite stressful. I hope that this will help you on your journey. I have no doubt that if you find it helpful, you will develop it and turn it into something even better.
Please note three things:
- The programme that I have created here is based on workshops that I have run in the past. It is meant to be interactive. In this online setting, your participation will be based on writing down your thoughts in a book when you are prompted to do so. Please do not be tempted to do the programme without writing your responses, or just reading ahead to see what my thoughts are before writing your own responses. You will learn more and have significant 'ah ha' moments if you do the writing tasks. So, get yourself a notebook and pen to use for this programme. You might get even more out of it by working through it with a colleague.
- Some of the tasks will be at undergraduate level. As a graduate you will wonder why you are being asked to do this, and you will feel patronised on a couple of occasions. I apologise in advance for this, and urge you not to give up on the programme. As you progress, you will come to understand why those tasks were necessary.
- You take responsibility for your own actions. You should work at a level that is within your competence. If I make a suggestion about doing something that you have never done before, you need to ensure that you are qualified to do it. Some of the things that I suggest are taught at undergraduate level, but unfortunately, are infrequently done by practitioners out in practice, and have become forgotten skills.
- You know this stuff already, really. As Eric Morecambe said: 'I know all the right notes, just not necessarily in the right order'. This programme is all about creating logical plans.
You can get started by clicking on the link to Section One, below.
Section One: 'Job Centre'
Section Two: '...but why'?
Section Three: 'What's the Plan'?
Section Four: 'Goal setting'
Section Five: 'OMG, he booked more than one appointment'!
Section Six: 'Discharge, or Maintenance?'
Section Seven: 'The Secret Sauce'