The core of a successful practice is achieving exceptional outcomes; this means delivering best practices to every patient, every visit. The following steps will help boost your clinical outcomes and prepare you to prosper in outcomes-based reimbursement.
Review Protocols
There’s a vast difference between merely treating someone vs. delivering best practices. The essential step for improving clinical outcomes is to provide the most effective care for every patient on every visit. ChiroUp condition references allow you to review the most up-to-date and proven-effective management recommendations for over 100 conditions.
You can access these protocols by navigating to Condition Reference under the Clinical Skills tab in your account.
Review one ChiroUp protocol each day at lunch. In less than five months, you’ll have solidified your clinical A-game. Start with the functional diagnoses then blend in whatever condition you’re thinking about that day. To track your progress, print off a current list of ChiroUp conditions. (Navigate to the Forms library, and select Condition menu, then Generate Menu)
If you're unsure where to begin, consider reviewing the 15-minutes to Clinical Excellence videos from the following functional diagnosis protocols:
Bonus Time! Did you know that you can add notes to each condition protocol? Next time you learn something useful, add it to the protocol by opening up the “notes” section at the bottom of each condition reference.
Monitor the ChiroUp Research Review Tab
Your ChiroUp team scours new research daily to provide you with summaries of the most pertinent points. Any new data that could potentially improve the way you assess and manage patients will be summarized in your ChiroUp Research Review tab (before being added to the appropriate condition protocols).
The ChiroUp blog is another resource for expanded discussions of fresh information. You can view & search prior blogs from the bottom of your homepage dashboard. Additionally, look for an email each Sunday morning with the newest content. If you’re not currently seeing those emails, first check your spam folder, then contact us to confirm your email address.
Prescribe Reports for Every New Presentation
Clinicians are only human, and our attention is diverted in many directions, especially as our practices grow. To scale efficiently, we need systems that ensure clinical excellence, which means educating your patients effectively. Prescribing condition reports for every new presentation is the most surefire way to equip your patients with the best knowledge and advice to recover as quickly as possible.
ChiroUp is a system that never forgets or is too busy to deliver the best exercises and advice, every time. Each condition report includes:
● Lay condition description
● In-office treatment
● Treatment goals & duration
● Advice on daily living (ADLs)
● Exercises (with video demonstrations)
Patients who understand their diagnosis and your rationale for care are more likely to show up, complete their exercises, and eliminate harmful activities- leading to a faster and more complete recovery. And when patients are compliant, that means better outcomes & higher satisfaction ratings.
Many providers choose to print and store ChiroUp Condition Report & Exercise Rx Pads in each treatment room to quickly & accurately relay prescriptions to your staff, or as a reminder to themselves. These forms could also be printed and laminated for reuse. The form is available in three versions:
● ChiroUp Condition Report & Exercise Rx Pads (1/4 page)
● ChiroUp Condition Report & Exercise Rx Pads (1/2 page)
● ChiroUp Condition Report & Exercise Rx Pads (Full page)
Encourage Exercise & ADL Compliance
While prescribing an understandable condition report dramatically increases the likelihood of exercise and care plan compliance, it will not guarantee success. Active reinforcement by providers and staff can boost the odds of completion. Consider the following:
● Reinforce the importance of your advice at the time of prescription with this delivery script.
● Consider having the patient confirm the email receipt of their condition report or exercises in your office at the time of prescription to ensure they can access their report
● Consider having a staff member walk through the condition report and demonstrate the exercises in your office
● Routinely follow up on subsequent visits to make sure the exercises were clear and comfortable
● To track compliance, have your patient download your HealthCom exercise app from the iTunes or Google play store*
● Review the patient’s exercise compliance by navigating to their account and selecting exercise history
* Your HealthCom patient app is the #1 way to boost & track patient compliance. Your patients will be able to effortlessly access their plan at their fingertips. Additionally, the app’s smart track technology tracks your patient’s activity & sends push notifications to ensure your patients are participating in their recovery.
Review Your Clinical Outcomes
Regularly review and compare your patient satisfaction and clinical outcomes on your dashboard. These stats will populate once you’ve collected significant Outcome Tracker® data (60-90 days after your first condition report prescriptions).
ChiroUp’s Clinical Profile allows you to compare your results for any given diagnosis with the ChiroUp provider average to determine your strengths and needs. You can review the corresponding ChiroUp condition protocol for any areas that you might wish to improve.
To review your outcome statistics, navigate to Clinic data & logs, and select Provider statistics.
Bonus Time! If you are a clinic admin, you have the opportunity to monitor and compare data from all providers within your system. Printing comparison charts will allow you to identify strengths and weaknesses.
💡Pro Tip: ChiroUp makes it simple to train associates on your custom management protocol for every diagnosis. #FranchiseClinicalExcellence ChiroUp’s customization allows you to preset specific treatment you want your providers to implement.
Perform Regular Case Reviews
While many cases will have visits with symptom stagnation or exacerbation, clinicians must be willing to “do something different” when a patient is not meeting your preset outcome goals.
Implement case reviews as a standard policy for any condition that does not progress for 2 or 3 visits in succession. The ChiroUp Case Review Checklist is an excellent tool that can help guide your treatment plan. Consider keeping the form in your treatment and exam rooms to use for slow-responders.
Additionally, block ten minutes to review all charts before the start of each shift. Use the Case Review Checklist as inspiration for one thing that you could change or add to each patient’s visit to speed their progress.
💡Pro Tips:
● Maintain a short leash on uncertain diagnoses.
● Consistently release and refer unresponsive patients.
● Seek opportunities for co-management
● Avoid treating conditions that someone else could manage more effectively
Expand Your Clinical Skillset
Make the most of your CE requirements by choosing material that will meaningfully build your clinical toolbox. Evidence-based chiropractors should seek to complete the following training.
Live classes:
● McKenzie Directional Therapy (minimum- parts A&B)
● MPI- Motion Palpation Institute
● DNS- Dynamic Neuromuscular Stabilization
Online Education:
💡Pro Tip: Did you know that you can add notes within your ChiroUp account? Next time you learn something you want to incorporate in practice, be sure to add it to the “Notes” tab in your Condition Reference to seamlessly review & use!