By Mary Osborne
In dentistry we know the answer to why patients SHOULD do what we recommend. We frequently ask ourselves why they WON’T do the treatment we suggest. But the question I think we should be paying more attention to is, “Why WOULD they do it?” I wrote recently about moving our conversations with patients away from insurance benefits, and into conversations about the benefits of health. I offered a formula which outlines the elements necessary for health; the health of your patients and the health of your practice.
CSJ + PO + FF + MOP = Health
Care, Skill and Judgment + Preferred Outcomes + a Fair Fee + the Method of Payment = Health
As I said in an earlier piece, the first part of the equation is the only part completely within our control. Our care, skill, and judgment represent what we bring to the equation. The next part, the Preferred Outcome, has to do with the values our patients bring to the process. It answers the question about why a patient WOULD choose to do dentistry we recommend. In our consumer driven culture today patients are less and less likely to do something because we think they “should.” Savvy consumers appropriately ask themselves, “What’s in it for me?” We cannot control this aspect of the equation, but we can influence it.
We have good reasons for recommending treatment. We see problems or potential problems and we are well trained to find solutions to those problems. A decision to proceed with treatment often seems obvious to us. But it is just not enough for us to know intellectually why people should take care of themselves. To be effective we have to learn to let go of our “shoulds.” If we offer someone else ten reasons why they should do something, they can think of eleven reasons why they haven’t and won’t. When we convey to anyone that they should do something we set them up for resistance.
We have also been trained to pay attention to why patients would not do the treatment. We’ve been taught how to overcome barriers and sell features and benefits. We invest time and energy into learning how to convince patients of the value of our services. But features and benefits, without a clear agreement about preferred outcomes, miss an important piece of the puzzle. Try reviewing a few charts in your practice. Look for notes of what the patient has said that indicates you have helped him or her develop preferred outcomes. Most practices discover they have work to do in that arena; opportunities to pursue.
Preferred outcomes come from the patient’s value for health; not whether they value health, but what they value about health. Patients make decisions about dental care out of the same set of values they use to make decisions about other things in which they invest their resources. The more we know about what is important to our patients generally, the more we will be able to help them place dental care within the context of those values.
To Be Continued: Part Two will Post on Jan. 7, 2014.
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Mary–this is a great topic. One of my favorites as you know. Trying to figure out what the driving force behind a person’s decision to have complete dentistry is difficult. We all try to figure out that piece of the puzzle…and in the end we take our best guess. At times we are correct…other times we are way off base. We are not psychologists. That said…we bring a lot more to the table than care, skill and judgement. We bring our leadership skills which include our ability to influence and persuade. We bring our ability to explain and educate. And mostly we bring our attitude and our ability to provide hope. It is my belief that all people want to be healthy—everyone wants to keep their teeth. In today’s world there are more reasons than ever to resist good treatment—that is why leadership must be developed.
Great post…
Thanks, Barry. I love your comment about bringing hope. I think that hope is one of the most important qualities a leader offers to individuals and organizations. Hope is also what many of our patients have lost when it comes to dental health. One of my favorite quotes from Bob Barkley’s book “Successful Preventive Dental Practices” comes to mind: “A patient may be so conditioned by a lifetime of unsatisfactory dental experiences or incorrect thinking relative to dentistry that he has difficulty discovering his deepest concerns for dental health.” It’s not only that we don’t know what our patients goals are; they don’t even know their deepest concerns. Helping them figure that out is an opportunity and a privilege.
Mary–One of the ideas I have been working on is the role of beliefs. Generally our biography becomes our ideology. If our personal stories have led to beliefs that just ain’t so—then we must change our own beliefs and help others change their beliefs. As professionals we know what the correct thinking is about dental health ( I can’t say that about total health because I have seen too many of us abuse their own health). Personally, despite what my eyes tell me, I believe that the vast majority of people want health and longevity—they just need proper leadership that provides hope and reasons to believe (that was a great old folk song by Tim Hardin).
Interesting article with some great points. Let me throw something else into the mix… the notion that patients have already made up their minds BEFORE we examine them or present treatment options. And, I dare suggest that we are not likely to “educate” or “lead” them to a different conclusion. Any “education” or “leadership” we have to offer only serves to confirm the decision they made before they ever set foot in our offices. Our challenge is to prove that we are the right dentist to help them achieve their previously-set goals.
– Mike
Forget about all that mumbo jumbo. What patients value is money. It all boils down to- do they want to spend the money on a tooth, or a tattoo. And, if they do want to spend it on a tooth, do they trust you to do it, or would they go someplace else, that is less expensive?
Great conversation. There was a time when I believed all patients came to us with their minds pretty much made up and that all I could do was give them information to try to convince them of the value of our services. I’ve just been surprised so many times by patients who make choices, as Barry says, to move toward health. I have found that if I put my assumptions aside as I work with people over time I am able to notice the subtle shifts in their thinking that allow me to lead them gently to a healthier life. It’s such a fun and rewarding way to practice!