Paradigm shift: Focus on New Patient appointments, less on follow-ups, and reap the rewards

The outpatient PT industry is facing a massive labor shortage while demand for our services continues to build, leading to several weeks-long waiting times for patients to be seen in our clinics. Our research supports the importance of intervention within 10-14 days of symptom onset and yet we struggle to make it a reality for our patients. It is time for us as an industry to shift our focus and get these patients into our clinics faster. How do we do this is the next logical question?… Answer: We stop clogging up our schedules for weeks on end with low-value and unneeded follow-up appointments. Of course, follow-up’s are needed, but let’s be honest, most of our patients do not need 2-3 visits per week for multiple weeks. Let’s be better! and make more money doing it, because we deserve it.

The only way we can do this is to leverage technology. Technology can measure the things that we are not able to see even with our trained eyes. It is more efficient and has no bias. Adopting the right technology into your clinical workflow, allows you to spend more time on interventions, educating patients, and developing bomb-proof treatment plans. It gets us back to the things we love about what we do and consistently working at the top of our license.

Not only will it not tank your profitability, but it may also be the best marketing, recruiting, and innovation tool available to you. Patients save time and get great care, and their satisfaction is huge. Now they tell their friends, and soon, the gold standard of marketing—word-of-mouth—is working for you and your clinic.

Jon Eng, DPT, CSCS