Learning Everyday

This week has been interesting.

My office in Poplar Bluff Missouri continues to get a little busier everyday and it makes me think that we must be doing something right. When you open your own clinic, you are completely without a “machine” that generate patients, and at times it can be a little intimidating. Building an office from the ground up is no easy task.

As I look back over the past few months, I’m reminded that no matter how frustrating some cases/situations can be, we’re doing things the right way. We don’t compromise the quality of our patient’s care because of any outside pressure and we don’t ever have to apologize because we didn’t tell the patient “what we really thought, when we thought it” (because we’re always honest with our patients…whether they are ready to hear it or not…I think that’s what we all want from our Doctors)

I have been reading a book by the famous Zig Ziggler, and there are two lines that have really stuck with me (so far…I’m only a few Chapters in).

The first line goes something like this:

You can be as successful as you want in life as long as you figure out how to make other people successful.

If that isn’t true in healthcare… I don’t know what is. Our job, as Doctors (I don’t care what kind of doctor you are) is essentially to show people how to lead healthy lives and then help them fix any mistakes/accidents that occur along the way. (and then to show them how to avoid that mistake…or mistakes that result from that first one….in the future). Most successful doctors that I know…are successful because they do a good job of helping their patients be successful.

The Second Line:

We decided that we would rather explain cost one time than have to apologize for poor quality for years to come.

I love this because it sums up WHY doctors of any kind can never compromise the care they give because of FEAR. To all the new doctors out there that read the blog… Don’t ever let outside pressure dictate the way you treat. Your education makes you solid in the “knowing” part. A patient, boss, or other doctor can’t outflank you on this one.

As long as your honest and have the patient’s best interest in mind….you need to stick to your guns.

Your patients will get well because you gave them good treatment and recommendations…and the ones that ignored your recommendation will either get well (but much slower) or fail. You need to accept that you did your best because you gave them advice that was much more important than any “price”. You gave them recommendations based on what it would take to give them the best quality care.

Love your patients and realize that they come to you for your expertise (at least 98% do).

An interesting week…..but an amazing one. I never stop learning.

-Dr. Ben Adkins (Poplar Bluff MO Chiropractor)

Tags: create wellness, doctor ben adkins, doctors, dr ben adkins, poplar bluff chiropractor, poplar bluff mo chiropractor, poplar bluff physician