UP CLOSE Q&A Building a legacy D Sharing 35 years of wisdom on professionalism, patient care and the chiropractic value r. Ken W. Dick established Britannia Chiro-practor Clinic in Ottawa more than three decades ago. He since went on to build a successful practice and professional career. His recently published book, Healing Satori, is a culmination of the most important prin-ciples he has learned about patient care and helping them achieve optimal health. The Ottawa chiropractor recently shared with Canadian Chiropractor some of the most important lessons he has learned throughout more than 30 years of clinical practice and management. Dr. Ken Dick’s chiropractic career spans over three decades. He believes the most important virtue for a successful career is integrity. Canadian Chiropractor: You have had a reputable 35-year chiropractic career and a big part of that is building a good patient relationship. What is your philosophy when it comes to your pa-tients? Dr. Ken W. Dick: I consider each new patient to be analo-gous to a brick in a foundation and I tried to build a strong foundation. Many chiropractors focus on how many new patients they can book and use strategies that cause them to appear desperate. I have heard it said that the average clinic spends six times more money, time and energy to attract new patients than it does to keep present patients. I suggest that doctors should instead bring focus to the patient in their clinic and on preventing new patients from leaving their practice. The patient in your clinic is by far the best potential source for new patient referrals. CC: What is the most important characteristic you believe makes for a successful chiropractor? KD: Integrity. People of high integrity are like magnets and we are all drawn to be in their company. I define integrity by checking inward and honestly assessing if what one is feeling, thinking, saying and doing is congruent. I began my career by looking in the mirror at the end of each day and 16 Canadian Chiropractor April 2018 asking myself if I honestly felt good about my present con-sciousness and effort with my patients. If I could not answer with a definitive, “yes,” I would total my patient billings for the day and donate them to a charity. I soon learned to correct myself in the middle of a day when my effort and concentration was lacking. If you treat yourself with integrity you will ooze integrity and patients will gravitate to you. CC: You have had the same two front desk staff throughout your entire practice career. What is the secret to keeping a happy and loyal staff? KD: Staff turnover is perhaps the most expensive cost in running a practice and is often underestimated. When one finds good people to work with, they need to be paid and managed like a true professional. I found the staff enjoyed feeling ownership of the clinic and took great pride in its appearance and patient care. No one likes to be microman-aged and giving staff authority allows the doctor to focus on caring for the patient. CC: What is your typical program for a new patient? KD: I begin by purely stating I found the problem, I can help, let’s get started. I believe results will speak for www.canadianchiropractor.ca
Chiropractic + Naturopathic Doctor April 2018: Page 16
