The fame of a health care profession is a different matter altogether.
- not based on the deeds (or misdeeds) of a single person;
- perpetual, being constantly renewed by newly licensed doctors;
- in a constant, dynamic state, a result of the ever-changing membership of the profession, and the political, social and economic arenas in which it operates;
- greatly influenced by the media and the specific encounters of patients.
Is there a specific strategy we can take or a certain amount of money we need?
What decides how chiropractic is portrayed by the media?
Like a person's reputation, chiropractic's fame is built upon a vast number of variables connected to events and actions (or nonaction) by individual DCs and chiropractic organizations. Whether a chiropractic "hit piece" is featured in a local newspaper may come down to the editor's experience with his local DC. A good (or poor) relationship may be the difference between being tarnished by the media or passed over.
Chiropractic is in transition: from having little public credibility to educating and informing the masses about its benefits. The education of those masses includes Fortune 500 CEOs, legislators, newspaper editors, television newscasters, and many other people of influence.
Always remember that reputations are based on relationships. What people say about you depends on the relationship they have with you.
The absolute worst thing we can do is decide not to participate in the development of our profession's reputation. We must make every effort to win the confidence of our patients. We must be willing to take the time to educate those ignorant of the benefits of chiropractic. We can't afford to shy away from the challenge of someone who has had a bad experience. We must be willing to meet them head on.
Years ago, we celebrated every time a slightly positive chiropractic story made it into a magazine, newspaper, television or radio broadcast. The underlying attitude was "just spell our name right."
Our current point in the development of chiropractic's fame demands more.
We've already gained much of the "easy ground" during a time when the medical community was taking indefensible positions against chiropractic, and every other form of nonmedical care. Political medicine lost a great deal of credibility when it refused to even consider the possibility that other forms of care had something to offer. These losses have served to deflate egos, but sharpen marketing skills.
The lines are blurring between so-called "conventional" and "alternative" health care. New laws are allowing more providers to offer similar services in an effort to confuse the public and minimize the distinction offered by chiropractic. Like the marketing battles between large department store chains and restaurants, it's not just what we "sell," but the customer service image that goes along with it.
Quality of care and service are now the deciding factors in our challenge to reach higher ground in the public's eyes. Unable to always argue with what is prescribed or recommended by a particular provider, consumers have taken control by choosing the profession that will best give them what they want. How your patients "feel" about their visit when they leave your office will determine what they (and many of their friends) do to maintain their health.
We are in the age of competition; all aspects of the patient-encounter matter. You can be the greatest chiropractor in the world and still be unsuccessful if you have a poorly trained staff or a poor attitude. Your patients are investing their time and money in you. They know all too well that they have many choices.
How do we make chiropractic famous in today's health care marketplace?
Quality.
How does your practice outshine those of other health care providers (including other DCs)? Same answer: quality.This is what today's consumers want, and they are willing to spread the fame of the doctors who are willing to make it their top priority.
Donald M. Petersen Jr., BS, HCD (hc), FICC(h)
Editor / Publisher of Dynamic Chiropractic
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