Creating a strong professional referral network

Medical doctors are key decision makers when it comes to their patients’ health. Consequently, I have found getting referrals from medical doctors to be the most consistent and effective way to get new chiropractic patients in the door. In fact, by developing strong referral relationships with medical doctors, I was able to acquire more new patients, hire more associates and increase revenue in my chiropractic practice. So exactly how do you create a strong doctor referral network? Here are five things you can do to help build your MD network.

1. Become the “go-to” expert

What type of chiropractic therapy are you most passionate about? Is it pediatrics, pregnancy, headaches, disc herniations, TOS or sciatica? Think about the patients you want to serve or the specific condition you want to be known for and work towards becoming the go-to expert in your community. I chose to specialize in pregnancy and work with pregnancy care practices. By focusing specifically on a pregnant patient base, I was able to become the number one pregnancy chiropractic center in all of upstate New York. Today we receive a consistent stream of referrals from 18 different OBGYN offices and midwives. We even get pregnant patient referrals from other chiropractors.

2. Speak their language

One of the biggest things you can do when reaching out to a doctor for the first time is to say something that links you to the same patient base. For example, a statement like, “Chances are we have patients in common and I would love to speak with you about what we can do in collaboration,” will help to foster a connection based on a shared desire for optimal patient outcomes. You also want to be sure when you communicate with practices that you speak in the language of the medical doctor. What do I mean by that? You want to use an evidence-based approach and appropriate research to help them understand where you’re coming from. For example, saying something like, “According to the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, 84% of women who receive spinal manipulative therapy while pregnant reported relief of back pain.”* Using evidence-based language helps to add validity to the therapies or treatments you may be discussing with the doctor.

3. Implement an effective tracking system

You must have a clear system in place to track doctors you have worked with and who are referring regularly to your practice. Start by taking all of the information on a specific practice and place it on an organized tracking sheet. This is a simple system that will help to keep you organized as you reach out to medical practices. I also really recommend understanding all of the names of the practice associates you might come in contact with, so when you meet them, you can correctly address individuals by name. You can use the comment section of your tracking sheet to record additional information like a follow-up meeting or a scheduled lunch and learn or other important details.

4. Share your knowledge

Unfortunately, most medical doctors don’t really understand what it is we do as chiropractors. So, it’s really important that we continue to educate and communicate with them. One way to do this is to send the referring doctor patient information and follow-up notes on a regular basis. Quarterly check-ins with the medical doctor’s office will also help to grow and build a strong relationship. Another thing you can do is share any research that might be relevant or of interest to the medical doctor. The greater their understanding of the value of chiropractic medicine, the greater their trust. Communicating regularly, sending follow-up notes and sharing treatment outcomes will help to build trust and increase the likelihood that the doctor will send more patients your way.

5. Make it easy to pay

As you start to bring in new patients through doctor referrals, make sure you have a system in place that allows patients to pay for care, especially if you don’t take insurance, if the patient doesn’t have insurance or if insurance doesn’t cover the recommended therapy. I think one of the biggest things you can do to help is implement something like the CareCredit healthcare credit card in your practice. Many existing patients or referred patients may already have CareCredit. They may be using it at their vet, dentist, OBGYN or medical doctor to pay out-of-pocket costs, including co-insurance or deductibles. So, accepting it at your practice can create a seamless transition that allows patients to get the care they need. There are always people who are going to need medical help. There are always people that are going to need chiropractic care. Building a strong referral network allows you to bridge the gap between your practice and the medical doctors in your community to help more people get the treatment needed to live with less pain.

Dr. Irum Tahir, Doctor of Chiropractic and Consultant

Dr. Irum Tahir earned her Doctor of Chiropractic degree from New York Chiropractic College. She has worked with public and private organizations in inner city New York and rural Pakistan to improve health conditions through education. Dr. Tahir has worked in the countries of Madagascar and India working as an extension faculty member of Palmer College of Chiropractic in bringing chiropractic to thousands of individuals who are less fortunate. She is personally and professionally committed to integrating wellness into daily life and specializes in the unique needs of women and children from a holistic perspective. Dr. Tahir is in the process of becoming Board Certified in Pediatrics and is Certified in Webster Pregnancy Technique. Dr. Tahir created High Point Chiropractic Wellness in 2008 and since this time, the business has expanded several times.