You know the feeling: a patient who was doing amazing suddenly won't return your calls and hasn't scheduled another appointment. After years of struggling with a condition, they were finally experiencing life-changing results from your chiropractic care, and then they simply vanished.
In chiropractic college, we were taught that our results would be our greatest practice builder, but that's not always the case. I've had patients who couldn't walk when they first came to me, but after receiving treatment, they walked right out the door, never to be heard from again.
One patient even had her menstrual cycle restored to normal after years of irregularity, only to get angry and yell in my face that that's not what she wanted.
Recently, a patient with a frozen shoulder for two years, who literally couldn't lift his arm after years of weekly physical therapy appointments, could lift his arm overhead after one adjustment. He left too, never to return.
Unfortunately, even incredible results won't always keep people from leaving your practice. Assuming you communicated their care plan properly and did everything you were trained to do, patients may still ghost you for different reasons.
Most of the time, it boils down to their perceived value, which can be influenced by money, time, or shifting priorities. The reason a patient with debilitating low back pain didn't call you back after you helped relieve their herniated disc is that their values changed from seeking emergency relief to getting back to their regular life.
Also, keep in mind most people are uncomfortable, even embarrassed, to talk about money. Sometimes it's easier for a patient with financial limitations to ghost you, rather than have to explain that they can’t afford it.
It's important not to take it personally when patients ghost you. Here's what you need to do to minimize the sting:
Establish a recall process that strikes a balance between urgency and annoyance. Call them, text them, but not too often. Make sure they're okay.
Give them some space for a while. Maybe they're not traveling or dealing with an illness. Give them a chance to follow up with you.
After a few weeks, if you haven't heard from them, send a personalized message directly from you to check in.
Most importantly, leave the door open for future contact. Don't burn any bridges with practice management strategies like refusing to refund pre-payments at the same rate or telling them they'll have to start over again after a certain amount of time.
Here's an example of a message you could send:
"Hey [Patient's Name], I know it's been a while since we've seen you, so I just wanted to check in and make sure everything is okay. I'll assume you're taking a break from chiropractic care for a while, but if you need anything in the future, feel free to reach out again."
Keep it professional and understanding. People have different values and priorities for chiropractic care at different times in their lives. By leaving the door open and maintaining a positive relationship, you increase the chances of patients returning when their circumstances change and they recognize the value of your services once again.