Limiting Mindset #4: “My Style of Practice.”
In this short blog, we are proceeding with our series touching on a number of ways doctors and wellness professionals tend to have 9 DOT … in the box … or LIMITED thinking when it comes to their business.
As said before, these BETWEEN THE EARS issues are often doctors’ biggest challenge to building and managing their practice. Thus far, we have shared the following:
- Limiting Mind Set #1: “Tolerations”
- Limiting Mindset #2: “It’s Not That Bad…YET” or “Nothing Has Happened…YET!”
- Limiting Mind Set #3: “It’s My Town”
Today, we want to hit on another mindset that we frequently observe to be limiting healthcare businesses. That is the fact that many providers get “stuck in a rut” when it comes to their “practice style”. We are referring to the wellness services their clinic makes available … what we refer to as their MODEL OF WELLNESS.
Let’s admit it: the process of starting a practice is typically over-whelming. It makes sense to keep it simple and streamlined … and not try to juggle too many balls. Focus is good! We would never argue that!
At the same time, we believe a business is a living organism in a sense. And a living organism must adapt and evolve. When an organism (or organization) fails to adapt and evolve it is no longer healthy.
If you are doing the SAME things in the SAME way that you did years (or even decades) ago in practice, it may be time for some evolution of your model.
That is NOT to say that your PRINCIPLE or core beliefs need to change. The message and mission need not change. However, the way a service is delivered or the manner in which a mission is pursued may need to be considered.
You see, the challenge with failing to EXPAND YOUR MODEL OF WELLNESS (or worse, only delivering the care to a patient that insurance will “allow”) is multi-fold. Here’s just a few ways this proves to be limiting for many …
A patient may only benefit or move forward in one aspect of their wellness.
Take, for example, the Thomas Edison quote shared at the top which references the “doctor of the future”. It’s a very popular quote seen in many natural wellness and chiropractic clinics everywhere. Many doctors who post this like to focus on the “human frame” aspect. It’s what they do, so they like to point to this quote.
Yet, they forget the second part of this famous quote: the part about “proper diet”. As a result, there a lots of people in your practice getting work on their frames, spines, etc. but repeatedly walking in and out while living an overweight or obese life! We’re going out on a limb here and say …
This is not what Thomas Edison had in mind!
Not to mention the third piece of his quote … “the cause and prevention of disease”. If a doctor is failing to face the reality of the fact that obesity is the top underlying cause of most chronic diseases – including cardiovascular disease, Type 2 diabetes, most cancers AND a major contributor to BACK PAIN and SPINAL DEGENERATION, then we respectfully challenge his/her thinking on this.
And these are just ways that patients’ health may be limited. What about the business?
The business leaves money on the table as it allows good, loyal patients to invest their hard earned money right down the road on a service that COULD easily be provided right in their clinic. If it is congruent philosophically, profitable, highly needed and systematized why would a business allow this to happen?
We propose it’s either laziness, disregard for the true well-being of those being served or the lack of a desire to earn more income.
Also, many providers experience frustration with their inability to TRULY and FULLY help their patients. A patient who is NOT being helped with a DIAGNOSABLE CONDITION is obviously NOT going to progress, heal or achieve an OPTIMAL LEVEL OF HEALTH AND WELLNESS. Simple as that.
And, yes, in case you were unaware of these, let us share a few ICD-10 codes with you one more time:
- E66.3 – Overweight
- E66.9 – Obesity, unspecified
- E66.01 – Morbid (severe) obesity due to excess calories
So, the BOTTOM LINE question here is this:
Are you going to let “your style of practice” limit your patients’ ability to achieve health and wellness … and limit your own ability to serve them more and/or profit more?
We challenge you to adapt, evolve and expand your model of wellness. You CAN do it! Keep thinking OUT of that BOX. Click or Call today. Ask how we can help you do that.