Updated – Magic Language – Surgeons

Academy of Chiropractic’s

MD Relationship Program

#5 – MD Meetings – Medical Specialists

MAGIC LANGUAGE – UPDATE

From:  William J Owens Jr DC DAAMLP

Since I am constantly marketing my own practice and using that as a “laboratory” for the MD Referral and the EMR Macros Programs, I find there are times where I get an “AH HA” moment.  Somethings it is due to words just coming out of my mouth resulting in a positive reaction.  That happened last night at a fundraiser at a private club to which I belong.  The daughter of a prominent surgeon in the area was standing at one of the tables (that is why you join a private club), my marketing person happens to know her personally and was introducing me to her.  We talked about where our respective offices were located (she manages her father’s office).  They are a bit north of me, but that is ok…patients travel from all over to get care so I don’t pre-judge a contact, it all helps build your circle of influence. 

As the conversation got around to specifics of care (remember, they are looking for referrals too) I always try to bring it back around to why they want to know and work with ME as opposed to others.  That technique has worked extremely well for me in the past and continues to generate new patients and build my referral base.  I want to be on the cutting edge of understanding what THEIR problems are so that I can be the solution.  That is the #1 reason why the MD Referral Program is unique, it helps us to understand THEM.  Anyway, what I send to her came out of my mouth easily and unexpectedly and her reaction was fantastic.  What I said was (remember, this is a spine surgeon’s office), “I specialize in documenting NON-RESPONSE TO CARE”.  That was it…her jaw dropped a little and she proceeded to smile, saying “Well…we REALLY NEED TO GET TOGETHER WITH YOU.” 

When you understand that ONE of the major needs of the surgeon is to document the FAILURE of conservative care in cases that do not need immediate surgery but may require it in the future, you are way ahead of the game.  WAY AHEAD. Many chiropractic offices treat and release but do not document the actual issue, the issue being the patient has an ANATOMICAL problem that did not response to BIOMECHANCIAL treatment.  The patient, in the case where they need surgery, will be in a much better position to receive surgery because chiropractic care has balanced them biomechanically.  We are seeing now in the research that, outside of an error by the surgeon, a missed biomechanical issue in the spine (improper coupled motion, loss of sagittal balance) is the #1 reason surgery fails to produce clinically relevant improvement.  So, the truth is, even if a patient FAILS conservative care and needs surgery, chiropractic plays a critical role both in the documentation of the failure (which justifies surgery for the surgeon) as well as ensuring the patient is in the best possible biomechanical configuration to respond positively to surgery when it is performed. 

In the end, HELP them to HELP you.  Surgeons need quality patients and quality documentation.  That is what we do!