Physiatry Practice Management Resources

How do you know if a patient is ready? One technique is called a "test close." For example, if a patient with uncontrolled diabetes says he's too busy to exercise, try saying: "It sounds like time has been your biggest concern when it comes to exercising. If we could find an exercise plan that doesn't take a lot of time, would you be willing to move forward?"

If the proposal is acceptable to the patient, then you can move to the "close." In this example, it may be prescribing just 15 minutes of walking three times per week. In our practice, we would then ask, "Does this approach sound OK to you?" to confirm a commitment or invite negotiation.

Effective salespeople always follow up with their customers on prior sales to determine whether they were satisfied with their solutions. They also follow up just to say hi, which demonstrates that the customer is important to them.

Physicians should do the same. I also ask patients to follow up with me by phone or e-mail in a week to update me on how our plan is working, or, even better, I ask permission to contact them within the same time frame. If you don't have time to follow up yourself, have your staff call patients after their visits to ask how things are going, whether their goals are progressing and whether they would like to make another appointment to see you. Patients appreciate when our office staff is able to support them as they work toward their goals. Your office can also show patients they are important by sending birthday cards, e-mailing health tips and pursuing other avenues of contact. These build commitment and place minimal burden on your staff.

Developing strong patient relationships with high levels of satisfaction is challenging, but it is a realistic goal. These lessons can provide fresh insight into our approach with patients and can lead to a greater understanding of patients' needs and increased levels of compliance. The trust that evolves will create a foundation we can build on for years to come.

Written by Manoj Pawar, MD, MMM fpr AAFP. www.aafp.or.