11 Tips for Growing Your Chiropractic Practice

Find out what successful chiropractic businesses have in common, and what you can do to grow your practice.

If you asked dozens of chiropractors to gather together in one room and pinpoint the best suggestions for practice growth, you’d walk away with a very long list of ideas. How would you even know where to start?

It’d be great if there was just one magical formula that applies to everyone. While we haven’t stumbled upon a magical potion, we do know what our clients have in common.

They range in size and structure, but they share some specific characteristics that have led to significant and life-changing practice success.

With that in mind, we have developed quite a long list of tips over the years for growing your chiropractic business. Here are eleven of our favorites:

1. Outsource Your Insurance Billing

For some chiropractors and office managers, the thought of making the transition from an in-house billing system to an outsourced billing service is just too daunting. It sounds complicated, and the thought of “giving up control” can be nerve-racking.

But the reality of it is that if you find the right business partner, it is liberating, reassuring, and most of all … profitable. How so? You can find out here with this profit calculator.

Other benefits include:

• Maximized collections from insurance claims
• Get paid faster (avg. of 16 days)
• A dedicated expert billing team
• Chiropractic software
• Increased monthly cash flow

2. Upgrade Your Practice Management Software

Speaking of chiropractic software, how current and user-friendly is yours? Ensure that your EHR software is designed specifically for chiropractic use.

For instance, RAPID Chiropractic EHR Software has industry-exclusive diagnostic notes, and provides a structured flow to help meet medical necessity.

In addition, it features:

• Pre-set and customizable chiropractic templates and libraries
• Balance between speed and compliance
• Functional goals driven from outcomes assessments
• Paperless admission
• User-friendly tools, like point and click visual helpers and wizards
• Customized clinical reports

3. Invest in Digital Marketing

Having a strong online presence and utilizing the right digital marketing channels is crucial to attract new patients and grow your business.

Simply put, targeted digital marketing connects you to the people who need your services.

Some of the key elements to consider are:

• Custom website that ranks at the top of Google for chiropractic keywords
• Practice-specific content
• Effective online marketing strategies for your specific business goals
• Targeted social media efforts

Digital marketing can make a significant difference in your practice success. If you’re struggling with your online presence, consider hiring an outside expert who can ramp up your efforts and increase visibility.

4. Offer Free New Patient Alignment

Promote free adjustments for new patients through social media channels, like Facebook and Instagram.

The scheduling process will allow you to collect their contact information for further promotions or practice newsletters. Once they visit your office for their free adjustment, upsell them with follow-up appointments at full price.

5. Solicit and Promote Patient Testimonials

Soliciting current patient testimonials and reviews is a great way to attract new patients and grow your practice. Asking for feedback should be a standard part of your business practices.

But you have to have a place for patients to provide them. This includes popular review sites, like Yelp, Facebook or Google Reviews. You’ll also need to have a space on your website for feedback.

Other tips for soliciting feedback include:

• Ask for on-the-spot reviews or testimonials
• Have an electronic device at the front desk with direct links to your review profiles
• Include review or feedback links in your regular patient emails or newsletters

Just remember, you must gain written permission in some form before you share a review or testimonial publicly.

6. Collect Payments Faster

The sooner a patient is billed after treatment, the more likely you’ll receive full payment. A sure-fire way to get paid faster is by using an outside billing service, with benefits like:

• A team of billing experts who will streamline your billing and payment cycles
• A speedy receipt of insurance payment means the patient balance is calculated in record time
• The patient billing process may begin as quickly as 17 days from date of service

7. Keep Up With Chiropractic Trends

Whether it’s in the areas of patient care, business management, technology or chiropractic techniques, change is something you can count on.

Staying abreast of things like industry trends, regulations, codes and billing is a must for successful chiropractic businesses.

This can include everything from attending regional or national conferences, utilizing online resources, enrolling in webinars or training classes, and reading white papers.

9. Improve Your Billing Process

How do you make sure your coding and billing processes are as efficient as possible?

There are a number of elements to consider, including savvy practice management, healthy accounts receivables, a properly trained staff, and the ability to properly code and document diagnoses.

And that’s just for starters. Knowing how you can improve and streamline your billing process is key.

Where do you start? First, find out where you stand by taking this free billing quiz.

Once you know your strengths and opportunities for improvement, make a game plan. That might involve implementing new steps within your current billing process or improving coding and modifier accuracy.

It might mean identifying billing resources and having them handy when you need them. Or it might mean asking for help from billing experts.

Whether your main goal is to increase monthly revenue, decrease your denied claims, or simply improve your practice, there are plenty of solutions to help you get there.

9. Avoid Audits

The last thing any chiropractor or billing team wants is to be on an auditor’s radar. The big question is, what can you do about it?

There are specific adjustments you can make to your claim forms and billing practices that will help avoid audits. Even better, you have the tools to keep your practice billing protected and help you avoid scrutiny right at your fingertips.

Begin by:

• Understanding the seven elements to payable claims
• Learning more about what auditors are looking for
• Finding out the common causes for billing errors
• Learning the language of coding

10. Develop a Referral Program

One of the best ways to attract new patients is by giving your current ones an incentive to tell others about you.

Special programs, like Refer a Friend, are effective ways generate results. Special programs can be promoted on your website and social media channels, and within a newsletter or email marketing campaign.

11. Improve Internal Chiropractic Practices

Develop a strategy to increase revenue for your practice.

There are tweaks and improvements you can make in just about every area of your practice to grow your business. This includes everything from your patient registration process and policy verification, to accounts receivables and denied claims.

Find a downloadable checklist here.