30 I Summer 2018 www.anjc.info Legislative Update Chiro Assist TECHNIQUE Council Legal Q&A S C H O L ARSHIP WI N N E R S Six Components Necessary for a Successful Practice Training CAs and clinical staff to provide the best patient outcome and experience has always been my focus and passion as a practice consultant. So far in this series, I have covered administrative excellence, outstanding customer service, and educating and closing the patient, as key tenants of this training, but there is still much more to learn. Throughout the past 25 years I have worked with hundreds of practices and I have discovered some undeniable truths. The most recognizable truth is that each and every office is unique. You have unique demographics, unique individuals providing care and customer service, and unique personalities. But, in the light of this truth, I have also discovered many similarities. I have developed my 6 Components Necessary for a Successful Practice to address the areas of importance that universally affect every practice. 1.  Standardization of All Processes The standardization of all processes applies to both administrative and clinical aspects of the office. Once processes and protocols are standard- ized, implemented and managed, you have laid the groundwork for growth and success in the practice. These processes should follow a step-by-step protocol to ensure that the goal is accomplished. Administrative processes include phone scripting, multi- and prescheduling, recall/rescheduling, reactivation, the Business Report of Findings, patient surveying, and the generation of referrals. Clinical processes include the consul- tation and new patient protocols, the Clinical Report of Findings, re-exams, rehab protocol, DME processes, and transitioning the patient to maintenance care. 2. Effective Communication We communicate with others for the better part of every day, but we rarely focus on the quality of our interactions, until there is a misunderstanding. To master the art of communication, you must work diligently and practice awareness in every interaction. In a successful interaction you maintain open body language, comfortable eye contact and engage in open questions and active listening. Effective communication requires you to be proactive and not reactive. You need to use open communication and avoid closed questions. You must be assertive, not passive or aggressive, and you practice active listening, not passive hearing. Proactive and Not Reactive Proactivity in communication, rather than reactivity, is the anticipation of needs and situations with the focus on solutions, rather than putting out fires. Being prepared will facilitate a smoother flow in open communication, ensuring that your message is received with more clarity, and enabling you to guide and lead the patient through the treatment process. When you are proactive, you control the scheduling and the rhythm of the practice, rather than letting the patients dictate the flow. Open Communication, Not Closed Questions Open questions lead to stories and descriptions and are the heart of communication. Unless you are trying to fact check or get a specific answer such as “yes” or “no,” remember that the answer and communication is always limited with closed questions. Avoid phrases like: “Do you want to schedule?” Or “Does that work for you?” These are clearly closed questions that provide you with a “yes” or “no” answer. It is very easy for a patient to give a negative response to these types of questions. Instead, guide and lead the patient by saying: “The doctor has prescribed a three-day- a-week treatment plan for you. What three days work best for you?” Follow up with: “Do you prefer morning or afternoon?” Do not ask the patient any further ques- tions. Your interaction with the patient should be well-scripted and clear, and free of communication-blocking snags in order to facilitate open and unrestricted communication. Be Assertive, Not Passive or Aggressive Being assertive means that you can express what you think, feel, and believe and talk about yourself comfortably, no matter the company. Assertiveness is about owning your thoughts and opin- ions, and taking responsibility for your words and actions. It is about respecting yourself and others, and expecting others to treat you with respect in return; holding them accountable when they don’t. In the office, being assertive requires you to take control of each situation through guiding and leading the patient. For example: You do not let the patient dictate his/her schedule, you lay out options for the patient and control the situation in a measured and confident manor. In order to cultivate an assertive person- ality and mindset, we must be able to identify behaviors that do not fit into our assertive ideal. Passive, aggressive, and passive-aggressive personalities and behaviors are damaging to our relationships, communications, and environments. Practice Active Listening, Not Just Hearing One of the most important elements of conversation has nothing to do with speaking. The art of active listening is essential in two-way communication. By Lori W. Allen