Understanding the Psychology of Patient Referrals

By Bill Reddy, LAc

So you consider yourself a competent acupuncturist with many years experience and a good track record of patient response rates? Why, then, aren’t you getting a maximum number of referrals from the patients you’ve treated over the years?

First and foremost, you have to ask for referrals. Many acupuncturists are uncomfortable about asking their patients for referrals. Most patients think “this acupuncturist has a booming practice and may not even be accepting new patients…” Let’s put ourselves in the patient’s shoes. You refer a good friend to your dentist (she’s professional, doesn’t charge an arm and a leg and has good bedside manner.) Your friend returns from his visit and says “Unbelievable! Her front desk staff was rude to me, I had to wait over an hour to see her, and she charged me for x-rays that weren’t even taken!” Of course you’re horrified and embarrassed. And that will be the last referral your dentist will receive from you. The number one thing your patient wants when they refer you a new patient is to be a hero. They want their friend/family member/associate to come back to them and say “Thank you so much for hooking me up with your acupuncturist! She was gentle and accommodating, and overall it was a wonderful experience.”

So that’s what we need to do. We need to create an environment that meets and exceeds the expectations of the patient. This begins with the first phone call – is your receptionist happy and upbeat? When the patient arrives in your office, do they just get handed the intake form, or does your front desk staff stand up and personally greet them hand the patient their intake form, and ask them if they’d like some water or hot tea while they’re filling it out? All of these small things add up. Make sure your staff understands that they play a very critical part in the patient’s overall experience. Remember why they come see us in the first place – because they feel that their MDs don’t take the time to listen to them. So listen. Don’t explain the complexities of heart fire. Give them your undivided attention, and they’ll appreciate it.

Tell them that you intend to give them the highest quality healthcare that you can deliver and ask them to tell you if there’s anything they dislike about the experience (your office staff, the temperature of the treatment room, the cleanliness of the waiting room, etc.) Give them your solemn promise that their feedback matters to you. This emphasizes to them that you seriously care about how they feel as a patient in your clinic. After their first treatment, be sure to call them to see how they’re feeling. Ask if they have any additional questions since the first evaluation was filled with a good deal of information. Studies have shown that doctors with the busiest practices always call their patients after their first visit.

After several treatments, when you feel they’ve developed a decent level of trust with you, when they’re feeling good and are getting ready to leave, mention that you do not advertise at all. Tell them your practice is a “word of mouth” practice. I shake my head and say “everyone seems to be getting better…but that’s a good thing.” Since this opens slots in my schedule, I have space for new patients – tell them to “please don’t keep me a secret!” Then hand them two cards and say something like “I bet you have a friend or co-worker who could benefit from acupuncture or herbal medicine.”

Another thing that’s critical in this age of chronically busy people is to be sure to touch every patient that comes through your door. If they have shoulder pain, do some passive movement of the shoulder after the treatment and some tui na. If you’re treating an internal disorder, take 5-10 minutes to do some qi gong with your hands under their head like a cranio-sacral therapist does, or work with your hands on their feet. This is something they never get when they see any other healthcare professional (except for massage therapists or PTs).

If you haven’t trained in qi gong, then place your hands under the patient’s head or on their feet and try to relax every muscle in your body and clear your mind of extraneous thoughts- then focus on them. Healing happens. And it shows that you care enough to spend that time with a patient. They’ll leave your office lighter. Also get in the habit of asking them what good thing has happened to them recently. Always keep them thinking in a positive direction. When a patient refers a friend, be sure to send the referring patient a thank you note. This helps reinforce their behavior and sincerely shows your appreciation for their effort.

I saw a young man who was suffering from night sweats and itching all over his body from Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. He wanted a second opinion after seeing an acupuncturist in the area who is well-known and specializes in cancer. His lung pulse was weak, so I complimented him on how healthy his other pulses felt and mentioned that over 90% of people who have this type of lymphoma survive. He decided to stick with me for treatment and later mentioned that the cancer specialist told him how weak his lung pulse was and that approximately 10% of lymphoma patients die. (We both provided him with the same information.) The reason he chose to be my patient was that I made him feel good and gave him hope.

Never underestimate the power of words. When your patient goes from five sodas down to two sodas per day, treat him or her like a rock star. Tell them how proud you are of their discipline Reinforce their improved energy and the quality of their sleep now that they stopped drinking coffee all day. These are all incredibly positive changes they’re making in their lives which empower their own health and well-being. It will prompt them to tell others about your services enthusiastically. To find out more about attracting new patients and managing the ones your currently are treating, a number of courses are offered through Blue Poppy Press, Greg Stanley of Whitehall Management Services, and others advertising in Acupuncture Today and The American Acupuncturist.