This original article was featured in the February 2025 issue of The American Chiropractor

Patient compliance, or how well patients follow prescribed treatment plans, is a cornerstone of successful outcomes in chiropractic care. A significant factor in ensuring compliance is using a patient-centered approach that involves the whole team working together. This collaborative approach, coupled with regular feedback, empowers chiropractic clinics to refine their strategies and deliver exceptional patient care.

Understanding the Patient Perspective

Aside from orthopedic and neurological examination, understanding the psychological factors that influence patient compliance is crucial to fostering long-term adherence. Fear of pain, anxiety about the treatment process, and perceived barriers to adherence can significantly impact a patient’s willingness to follow through with their care. Chiropractors can address these concerns through open communication, reassurance, and personalized treatment plans. Additionally, understanding how a patient’s activities of daily living (ADLs) affect their quality of life is essential for tailoring effective treatment plans. Simple tasks like making the bed, lifting a child, or getting in and out of a car without pain can significantly impact a patient’s overall well-being. By identifying and addressing these functional limitations, chiropractors can create treatment plans that are not only effective but also relevant to the patient’s specific needs.

Chiropractors should ask about previous chiropractic experiences during the new patient appointment consult to gain deeper insights into patients’ experiences and challenges. By actively listening to patients’ concerns and expectations, chiropractors can foster a trusting relationship and address any underlying anxieties. Open communication about treatment duration, progress, and potential challenges can help manage patient expectations and reduce anxiety. Moreover, involving patients in decision-making can increase their sense of control and commitment to the treatment plan.

Additional Insights from a Chiropractic Team Perspective

Front office staff play a vital role in creating a positive patient experience. By greeting patients by name, answering the phone in a cheerful voice, remembering their preferences, and offering a warm, welcoming atmosphere, they can help patients feel valued and comfortable. Efficient check-in procedures can minimize wait times and reduce patient fears. At the same time, proactive insurance verification ensures that patients know about their coverage and any potential out-of-pocket costs. By sending timely appointment reminders, they can help reduce missed appointments and improve patient adherence to the treatment plan. Clear communication regarding fees, payment options, and insurance coverage helps avoid misunderstandings and builds patient trust. We want patients to leave the office with the feeling of “I’m in the right place!”.

Chiropractic assistants play a crucial role in patient care by fostering active engagement and providing personalized support. By demonstrating exercises, providing hands-on assistance, and offering positive reinforcement, they encourage patients to participate in their own healthcare journey. Collaborating with chiropractors to create individualized treatment plans ensures that each patient receives the care they need. One of the most common ways they help patients adhere to treatment plans is when a patient calls needing to cancel an appointment. It’s important for them to get that patient rescheduled to make up that missed visit.  Additionally, chiropractic assistants can provide ongoing education on home care routines, exercise techniques, and lifestyle modifications to empower patients to manage their care effectively. Their positive and supportive demeanor can motivate patients to follow through with their care.

Chiropractors are essential in guiding patients toward successful outcomes. By involving patients in setting treatment goals, they can increase patient motivation and commitment. Open communication with patients allows for addressing concerns and questions promptly, building trust and understanding. Regular assessment of patient progress enables chiropractors to adjust treatment plans as needed, ensuring optimal care. This also allows patients to understand the progress that they are making and stay motivated in care. Fostering a collaborative environment where all team members contribute to patient care and compliance creates a cohesive approach that benefits patients and the practice as a whole.

To further enhance patient care and compliance, offering wellness programs can promote healthy lifestyle choices and prevent future health issues while encouraging patients to provide feedback through surveys or one-on-one conversations, which can help identify areas for improvement. Ongoing staff training ensures that all team members have the knowledge and skills necessary to support patient compliance and create a more patient-centered and effective environment. Consistent role-playing in various phone scenarios, as well as report of findings, helps everyone on the team improve and adopt cohesive messaging. By incorporating these additional elements, chiropractic practices can foster higher levels of patient satisfaction and achieve optimal outcomes.

The Role of Patient Education

While the previous section emphasized the importance of the practice team, patient education remains a cornerstone of compliance. Providing patients with comprehensive information about their condition, treatment options, and self-management strategies empowers them to make informed decisions and actively participate in their care.   

Clear and concise communication is essential for effective patient education. Plain language, avoiding medical jargon, and tailoring information to the patient’s level of understanding are crucial. Visual aids, such as The Wellness Score^®, diagrams, and models, can enhance comprehension.

Frequent emails and social media posts help to stay top of mind and reinforce the educational messages. Educational content around the office also supports this and is a great conversational tool for continuing the discussion with the doctor.

Moreover, recognizing that each patient is unique, chiropractors must personalize education to address individual needs and learning styles. Active engagement, encouraging questions, and providing opportunities for ongoing learning can further enhance patient understanding and compliance.

Overcoming Barriers to Compliance

Several factors can hinder patient compliance, including physical pain, emotional fear, time constraints, financial challenges, and limited health literacy. To address these challenges, chiropractors can offer flexible appointment scheduling options and affordable, personalized care plans tailored to individual patients’ needs. Honoring scheduled appointment times without making the patient consistently wait long periods makes it more convenient to come to their appointment and increases compliance.  Additionally, empowering patients to take an active role in their care through education and tools can significantly improve compliance. By encouraging patients to involve family and friends in their treatment journey, chiropractors can provide social support and accountability.

Regular follow-up exams and progress reviews are crucial for maintaining patient motivation and compliance. By tracking a patient’s progress toward their treatment goals, chiropractors can provide positive reinforcement, promptly address any concerns or setbacks, and make necessary adjustments to the treatment plan. This ongoing feedback helps patients feel supported, understood, and invested in their care, ultimately improving their likelihood of adhering to the recommended treatment regimen.

Measuring Compliance and Making Improvements

Establishing key performance indicators (KPIs) is essential for evaluating the effectiveness of compliance strategies. While tracking traditional metrics like appointment attendance, treatment plan adherence, and patient-reported outcomes provides valuable data, a more comprehensive approach can yield even deeper insights. Consider tracking additional metrics such as patient satisfaction surveys, no-show rates, referrals, social media engagement, and time spent in treatment. By analyzing these metrics, practices can gain a more holistic understanding of patient compliance and identify targeted interventions to improve outcomes. For example, a high no-show rate might indicate scheduling conflicts or patient dissatisfaction, while low social media engagement could suggest a need for improved outreach efforts.

Regularly reviewing compliance data with the practice team can foster a culture of continuous improvement. Identifying trends and patterns can help uncover underlying issues that may be impacting patient adherence. Implementing evidence-based strategies to address these challenges can significantly improve compliance rates.

By fostering a patient-centered environment, understanding patients’ unique needs, and implementing effective communication and education strategies, chiropractic practices can significantly enhance patient compliance. This, in turn, leads to improved patient outcomes and the establishment of a thriving practice.