As a seasoned chiropractor with over 30 years of experience, I have observed a common misconception among many practitioners: the belief that chiropractic practices inevitably slow down during the holiday season. While it is true that people may be more distracted with festivities and spending, this does not mean your practice has to suffer. In fact, the holidays can be a prime opportunity to gain momentum and set your practice up for success in the new year.
The slowdown is a choice, not a season
When practices slow down in November and December, it is almost never because patients decided they needed less chiropractic care. It is because the practice let its scheduling discipline drift. A softer reminder here. A looser reschedule there. A little more holiday chit-chat and a little less clinical focus. Multiply those small concessions across three hundred patient visits and you have a slowdown.
Four disciplines that keep the holidays from eating your practice
- Reschedule immediately. Ensure that patients are rescheduled promptly and reminded of the importance of consistent adjustments, especially during stressful holiday periods. Stress is when chiropractic care matters most — make sure the patient hears you say so.
- Stay focused in the room. Avoid engaging in idle holiday chit-chat. Keep conversations centered on their spines, adjustments, and overall health. Your office is a place of healing, not a holiday party.
- Tighten the recall loop. A patient who misses two consecutive visits in December is a patient you will spend January chasing. Call them. Do not wait for a reminder text to do the work of a relationship.
- Set the team tone. Your CAs take their cues from you. If the front desk sees a doctor who is relaxed about drops, they will be relaxed too. If they see a doctor who treats every reschedule as sacred, they will protect it on your behalf.
Momentum is a January problem solved in November
By maintaining a focused mindset, prioritizing patient care, and implementing effective scheduling strategies, you can continue to thrive and build momentum for the new year. The practices that finish strong in January are the practices that refused to ease up in November. Remember, your patients’ health is always the top priority, regardless of the time of year. Every patient who walks through your door deserves your full attention and commitment.