Simple Steps Acupuncturists Can Take To Win Patient Trust
How do you win patients’ trust and get them to see you as the go-to medical professional that can help them with their problem?
Short answer: The way you show up to them.
Long answer: That's what I break down in today’s blog video.
If you prefer to read, let’s dive in…
Why Most Acupuncturists Struggle To Win Patients’ Trust
One of the things I hear a lot from acupuncturists is… “We don't get the respect the doctors get”. And then I see people practicing in t-shirts, jeans, even flip flops.
Well, when you don't present like a medical professional, you're not gonna be treated like one.
Look, our medicine has an image of being alternative. Something you have to believe in for it to work. Something that's out there or “woo woo”. Yet, many practitioners try so hard to reinforce this image.
How To Get Patients To Trust You
I once read a study that was done on how patients' level of trust was affected by how the doctors presented themselves.
Guess the doctors they trusted most?
Those who had a suit and a white coat. Second were those on scrubs and a white coat. And third were those on scrubs. Nowhere on the list did I see t-shirts and flip flops.
Like it or not, how we show up affects our patients’ perception and trust.
Think about it: What makes people confident in their decisions? Why do people, when traveling, choose to go to a McDonald's or a Starbucks when they could probably find a really cool burger place, pub or coffee house?
Familiarity.
Those places are familiar to them. They know exactly what they're going to get. They probably know the menu. This gives them a sense of familiarity when they're in an unfamiliar place. A level of comfort… a level of trust. This is what we should be striving towards.
Patients are going to an unfamiliar place when they come to you with an unfamiliar medicine. They don't know what to expect when they walk in and see more unfamiliarity. It just reinforces these perceptions.
In reality, we should be giving them exactly what they expect and presenting as medical professionals. This builds trust and confidence instead of doubt. This makes it easier for them to trust what you're telling them instead of creating another hurdle.
So, You Want To Be Respected & Treated Like A Medical Professional?
First step is to present like one.
Whether it's a white coat and a suit, a white coat with scrubs; or possibly, if you practice in a more sports or orthopedic oriented practice, a branded polo shirt, nice pants and shoes.
This will go a long way towards making it easier for them to see you as the medical professional that can help them and that they can trust.
In my Acupuncture Business Mastery program, this is “a non-negotiable must” for my students. I also do a virtual clinic walkthrough to get your staff and your clinic looking like a high end medical office without all the incense, IKEA furniture, and stained carpets.
If you’d like to know when the next cohort begins, click the link below to join the waitlist.
See you around,
Steven Hoffman, L.Ac., Dipl. OM
