I've played a lot of sports and had a lot of injuries, which means I have seen a lot of healthcare providers over the years, and the one thing that annoyed and still annoys me today is when they say, "Hey Tyson, see how it goes".
I also know this is one of the biggest annoyances for employers when they hear an employee say this to a patient because it is shit advice.
26th - 27th of July, 2024 - CAIRNS
Instead, you need to guide your patients; you need to guide them to a future appointment, especially if symptoms are present.
If a patient's symptoms have subsided and they are feeling great, which is always good news, they can cancel the appointment.
If that happens, follow up a few weeks later to ensure everything is good.
There are two things I like to teach my coaching clients:
- You need a great nurturing process in place for both before and after their appointments.
- There's money in the follow-up.
Podiatry Business Coaching
Do You Think Differently from the Average Podiatrist? I want to let you know you’re not alone if you do. Most of my coaching clients feel the same way, which is why they chose to work with me over a larger cookie-cutter coaching company.
My coaching clients do not have big egos; they are quiet achievers and like to fly under the radar. However, they want to evolve their podiatry businesses into something special, something they can be proud of and say, "This is mine."
If this sounds like you, we should talk.
I recommend following the link below to my calendar and scheduling a free 30-minute Zoom call. I guarantee that after we talk, you will have far more clarity on what is best for you and your business.
If you want to see more of my videos, please visit my YouTube Channel, Tyson E Franklin.
Full Transcript (unedited)
[00:00:00] Hi, I'm Tyson Franklin, and welcome to this week's video. Today, I want to share something that I think is the worst piece of advice any health care practitioner can give to a patient. And that is saying to them, hey, just see how it goes. That is shit advice. Because I know myself, I've seen a lot of healthcare practitioners over the years.
[00:00:21] I played a lot of sport. I still do. I continue to get injured. I don't know why I keep playing sport, I must just enjoy the pain and suffering. But when I've gone to see someone for treatment, And they say to me, hey, just see how it goes. And I know I'm still in pain. I would, I want to be guided by them. I want them to make me another appointment now, whether it's next week or whether they extend it to two weeks or extend it to three weeks or a month, I'm fine with it, but don't just leave it to me to determine whether I need more treatment or not.
[00:00:53] Book me back in, in a week or in a month. Reevaluate the problem, see where my pain level is at and [00:01:00] then determine from there what the next step is going to be. When I've been told, hey, just see how it goes. I know that a week goes past a month, goes past a month, turns into two months in a six months, very quickly.
[00:01:12] And sometimes a problem that I've had or been putting up with that I started getting treatment on because my wife told me I got to stop complaining about it. I get the treatment. I get to a point. And then they say, hey Tyson, see how it goes. Get back in touch with us. I tend to drag it out before I go back. And then that problem I had all of a sudden goes back to exactly how it was about the time I go and see them.
[00:01:34] I started getting the shits and this is when sometimes I change practitioners. I will see somebody else. I know in Podiatry, a lot of employers get the absolute shits when a new or recent graduate, and sometimes inexperienced podiatrist is saying the same thing to their patients.. The patients come in with a problem. You've treated them a certain amount. They're not completely pain-free, which is fine because sometimes it does take time, but don't say to [00:02:00] them, hey, see how it goes, instead make a time for them, whether it's a week, it could be two weeks, it could be a month, but make a scheduled appointment so that you know, that you can get back in touch with them so they can come back and tell you how it's going.
[00:02:13] I've said to patients, I'm going to make a time for you in two weeks, I'm going to make a time for you in a month. If you're having any major problems before then I want you to come back and see me. If everything is going absolutely fantastic and you're pain-free at that point, you can call up and say, hey, let Tyson know I'm pain-free I'm not going to keep that appointment.
[00:02:30] But to just say to a patient, hey, you go off and see how that goes and they get back in touch with me. That is the worst. Shitty advice that you can actually give a patient, they need to be guided.
[00:02:44] Whether it's a week, two weeks or a month. It could be three months, but you need to make sure you're staying in touch with them, especially if this still symptoms involved.
[00:02:53] Now they may have had a lot of pain and you've taken down to being 80% better. If there's still 20% of discomfort there, [00:03:00] you want to maintain that contact, make that next appointment, even if it's sometime in the future, don't just leave it up to them to contact you because they won't. Life gets to the way life gets busy, they'll get distracted.
[00:03:12] And by the time they do come back and see them, their pain level may be back up here. And the problem is they may not come back and see you they might go to see another podiatrist and a bet we've all had patients that have come in, who have said to us, Oh, yeah. I used to see this other podiatrist, but. They said, I'll just see how it goes.
[00:03:30] And I've just gone. Worst advice ever. I hope you enjoy this video. If you agree with what I'm saying that saying to a patient, hey, you just see how it goes is shit advice give me a thumbs up. If you're watching this on YouTube. If you don't agree with me, give me a thumbs down. But either way. Click subscribe and click the bell icon so you can, yeah. You'll be informed whenever a new video comes out.
[00:03:54] So I do hope you get somebody from this. Bring this up in team meetings, talk to your team about it [00:04:00] and explain why you shouldn't be saying, just see how it goes and just guide the patient to the next step. Doesn't necessarily always need to be next week. You make the appointment, but make a future appointment so you can keep in contact with your patients, tell you it will change the way your practice will change, where you run your business, it'll change the way that you communicate and the relationships you will actually have with your patients. Like I said, hope you get something from that. I'll have another video for you next week. Okay. Bye.
