Improving Your Practice Through Referrals

By Bill Reddy, BS, LAc

No, I am not going to tell you that “almost 100% of my practice is through referrals…”—that’s not where I’m going with this. Not too long ago I started asking my patients for business cards of their MDs, PTs, LMTs, etc. especially if they had good experiences with that practitioner. I put these cards in a “referral notebook.” Although I haven’t met these individuals personally, when a patient of mine asks if I know a good physical therapist, I pull out my trusty notebook and select one based on proximity of their home or work.

So now you’re asking, “How can referring my patients to other practitioners improve my practice?” Here’s the beauty of a win-win situation: Your patient goes to your suggested PT and is happy with their service. Meanwhile, since the patient is under your care, the PT gets positive feedback from the patient about their condition along with noticing an improvement in range of motion and effusion. Next thing you know, the PT is sending patients to you who complain of the same condition of your original patient.

Another approach is to take the card from your patient and write a nice note (containing your business card) to the practitioner saying something like, “Mrs. Smith thinks VERY highly of you, told me she is under your care, and I’m pleased to be part of the team managing her _________. It’s natural to be skeptical about acupuncture’s effects on _________, so enclosed are a few randomized clinical trials performed with acupuncture on _________ reporting an average response rate of 88% with no adverse effects!” You’d be surprised what a note card can do in a world cluttered with impersonal email.

A week later you can take the opportunity to call and see if the physician/PT has any questions you can answer pertaining to acupuncture, or they may be willing to have you come in during lunch to give a half hour presentation on Oriental medicine to them and other interested colleagues. The more patients you refer out, the more they notice your name on the intake form under “referral source” and hear positive things from the referred patient. Even though they’ve never met you, your reputation is expanding.

Soon you’ll get a new patient in the door and recognize the name of the practitioner who referred them to you from one of the business cards in your referral notebook. Tell the patient that you’ve heard great things about their doctor and will keep him/her in the loop with their progress. ADDITIONALLY, be sure to send the physician/PT a note of thanks for referring the patient, and soon you’ll see more and more flowing in. From a patient’s standpoint, they’re pleased to see that you have connections in the medical community, and that you are not afraid to work closely with others in an integrative approach to their health and well-being.

Also, don’t forget about local tai qi and yoga studios. When you send them new students who are working through stress or tight muscles, you may very well be the only acupuncturist the instructor knows. You’d be surprised at the number of times a yoga teacher is asked if he or she can recommend a good acupuncturist in the area. When my patients ask me what would be best for them, yoga or tai qi, my answer (with a broad smile) is “Yes!”

We can’t be an expert in all areas, but developing professional relationships with other healthcare professionals helps them earn your trust and vice-versa.

Wishing you a prosperous practice in not so prosperous times.

Bill Reddy, Vice President, AAAOM