I’ve been spending some time recently thinking about why some patients embrace chiropractic as a way of life, and how others simply see chiropractic as a short-term diet for relief of their current symptoms.
What if this issue was not a reflection of each person’s attitudes about health, but their perception of time?
Consider this. There are three types of time. Past, present and future. Could it be that people who are inclined to live in the present (or past) see little need for preventive measures, and thus less inclined to use chiropractic for nothing more than their present ache or pain? Conversely, could it be that those who are more future-oriented might be more available for nonsymptomatic chiropractic care whose value is measured in one’s future health and potential vitality?
In short, does sick care (pain relief) equate more with the present, and health care (prevention and wellness) link more with the future? And if that’s true, might that offer some strategies for more effective patient communications?
First, how would you help determine a patient’s time orientation? Here are a couple of questions that come to mind, although actually asking them might raise some questions (or eyebrows) in the process:
If given the choice, would you choose one cookie now, or two cookies later?
Do you floss your teeth daily, weekly, monthly or rarely?
When you eat cake, do you eat the frosting first, the cake first or the cake and frosting together?
Are you a saver or a spender?
In ten years time do you see yourself as being less healthy or more healthy than you are today?
While not perfect, questions like these during your consultation could reveal clues about how to communicate chiropractic in a meaningful way. In fact, it may convince you to stop annoying patients who live in the now, with notions of correction, prevention and wellness!
Is there something you can say or do to change the culturally prevalent notion to live for now and forsake the future? Unlikely. This is an attitude that probably changes only with significant events such as the death of a parent, loved one or co-worker that is followed by a personal resolution to improve one’s health. Or, and here’s where a possibility lies, repeated relapses. If you took the long view, realizing that it may take a series of relapses spanning a decade or more, and in the process made it easier for patients to disengage from your office (so they’ll return with their relapse) without a guilt trip or making them feel like they’re “letting you down,” you could witness the transformation. But that would be... in the future.
Whether that seems doable, or even desirable, is probably a reflection of how you see time!