Become a
Behaviorally-gifted practice
Learn from dentistry's
Communication Expert
|
|
Schedule Sandy now for a practice visit and consultation this fall!
Call us to find out what you can expect
1-800-848-8326
Sandy's Calendar
|
|
|
Dear Friends,
As we near Labor Day, summer is quickly coming to a close and Back-to-School is looming. Whether you have children, care for children, or find yourself in rush hour traffic behind a school bus, it will no doubt impact you in some way.
We felt the season called for a little "back-to-school" refresher course. If we only had the opportunity to share one principle with you, it would be the topic of this newsletter. Chances are if you are reading this, you have already heard this message but it always helps to remind ourselves of the bigger picture:
Our patients are smarter about themselves than we are and they will tell us what we need to know to help them. We need to provide a structure and environment that allows them to share their story with us. If we do, we can make our treatment recommendations relevant, increasing our chances for success.
In Learning Your Patient's Story, Sandy outlines the key things you must do so your patients can share what is important to them. Ask yourself if your practice is doing all of these things.
Our second article; Outcome is Everything, we review the Outcome - Means - Prices model. We review the problems (symptoms) your patients share with you and how you can make your treatment recommendations more relevant through linkage.
So get out your paper and pencils students. Let's get to work.
Remember: SEND US YOUR IDEAS AND QUESTIONS. If we use your idea or question, you will receive a $250 gift credit toward any of our learning resources.
Click here to correspond with us
|
|
 |
Learning Your Patient's Story
by Sandy Roth
|
Who is this patient who just entered your practice? What does she want and why did she choose you? How does she think you can help her? What are her experiences? What issues are in the back of her mind? Is this a person prone to trusting or one who has become cynical about dentists and dentistry? Does this person have fears or concerns that will influence her choices? What are her biases and pre-dispositions? Will a little information be too much for her or a lot too little? The answers to these and many other questions can easily determine how successful you will be in providing care that is relevant, valued and agreed-to by your new patients.
Each patient has a story and that story will influence every choice she makes in your practice. The more you know about and understand your patients' stories the better you will serve them. Thus, your first job is to learn each patient's story as completely and clearly as possible. To do anything less will deny you an understanding of this patient, how he thinks, what he wants, the barriers and limitations which govern his choices, and a myriad of other things that will influence this patient's choices in your practice. Each patient wants you to know his story and, given the right opportunity, will convey what he wants you to know and understand.
|
| |
Outcome is Everything
by Sandy Roth
|
Just a few months ago, I had the pleasure of returning to work with a very prestigious study club for the second consecutive year. It is always wonderful to work with a stellar group, but the opportunity to create a learning continuum is rare, and I am always appreciative. The first program focused on communication basics - attitudes and skills people often overlook or presume they have without complete foundation. This year, we did what Emeril does - we cranked it up a notch!
The group and I worked for two days on some highly sophisticated aspects of communication and they went home with a year's worth of communications experiments and assignments.
Recently one of the members asked me to help him and his team learn more about patient outcomes and how to learn about them more effectively. To introduce this topic to some of you who might be new to the idea, I'll begin by outlining the basic concept of the Outcome-Means-Prices model which underlies our work in patient communications.
While many dentists focus their attention primarily on identifying disease and breakdown and proposing treatments that will eliminate that disease or restore original function or form, behaviorally sophisticated relationship-based practices understand that patients cannot easily relate to those issues on which dentists focus in the way dentists do. These practices make a distinction between clinical conditions or findings and patient-identified problems. This distinction is enormous and must be understood for a practice to thrive.
Read on
|
|
|
Next month:
We are very excited about September's newsletter. We will be interviewing one our very ambitious clients on their ProSynergy-inspired patient review process. You won't want to skip this one!
Thank you for reading.
Sandy Roth and MaryBeth Head
ProSynergy Dental Communications |
|
|
