Laser Coaching For The Doctor Interested in Direct Care

Dr. T  0:01  
Owners of a direct care practice are more likely to experience higher job satisfaction than the insurance based practice. And it's no wonder why direct care is independent of insurance. Patients pay the doctor directly for their expertise, the doctor gets full autonomy in how they care for patients, and how they get paid. We've chosen this path for the love of medicine. This is the direct care way. 

Dr. T  0:26  
By listening to this podcast, you may even start to believe you too can have a successful direct care practice. Come listen with an open mind. As I share my personal journey on how I pivoted from an insurance based practice to direct care, right in the middle of a pandemic. And the valuable lessons along the way, this podcast may be the very thing you need to revitalize your medical practice. I'm your host owner of a direct care podiatry practice, Dr. Tea Nguyen. 

Dr. T  0:55  
I decided to do something a little bit different on this episode, I am bringing on a recording of a live coaching session I did with somebody who was interested in direct care, but not quite sure what to do next. And I wanted to share this with you because the questions that you have a lot of people have. And so by bringing this person on, I hope it answers some of your questions and concerns that you have about transitioning into direct care. I know that it seems very scary to do something radically different against the grain against conventional medicine. But I want to assure you that, you know, a lot of us are already doing it. And we're having a great time on this side. And it's really just a matter of helping people understand how to get there. And there's a lot of freedom when you are on the direct care side, because you're making more money. And when you make more money, you are able to gain your time and your energy and produce really great quality care for your patients. And all of that altogether means as fulfilling business that you love, and you can serve more people. Take a listen to what I had to say. I'd love to hear from you. If you were interested in a free coaching session, stick to it to the end on the details on how you can apply for this free coaching session, just like the one that you're about to hear. Stay tuned,

Dr. T  2:24  
tell me where I can help you. So this is a live coaching session. And what you told me so far is that you are interested in private practice you're currently employed, you have a little bit of a hesitation to private practice. 

Speaker 2  2:40  
Oh, a lot of Okay. All right. 

Dr. T  2:44  
We've got 30 minutes today. So I want to give this opportunity this is going to be laser coaching. Okay. What is your next step? And what kind of the hang up?

Speaker 2  3:00  
All right, so I've been looking at spaces, or I looked at one space, um, a specialist here in town, and he's very excited to have me rent space from him. So I'm looking at that renting an exam room one day a week and starting out there since I'm working part time. I know that working for someone else. Like just isn't for me, I know that sounds kind of, you know, a while maybe you get it because you've been through all of this at some point in time in your professional career. But for me how I guess I came to the whole DPC. DSC space was earlier this year, I got this new job, and the billing and the insurance coding and all of that stuff really just like kicked my butt. And I wasn't paid for about three months. So I'm working every day showing up you know, a smile on my face and nothing either I got very small checks or it was little to nothing. And then finally when I did get a check, it was just minuscule. So I told myself you know, this is it like this is kind of the Creator telling you like you need to do something else. There's got to be more to life than this. My you know, at this point, I know that there's no other option like I know now that this is just what I have to do. But at the same time there is some fear as well. Just because it is so different from what 95 99% of like our colleagues are doing. So I think that is the hang up with me the worries about I think especially marketing, how people are going to find me or if they do well enough people will be able to find me to sustain myself to To live a good life, all of that stuff. So I feel like that's my biggest hang up is kind of just trusting that, you know, putting in the work and doing my research and putting myself out there and multiple different ways things will be okay. But it's still kind of like that, that little voice in the back of my head, like, Oh, what if it doesn't work out? Because everyone's telling you, you have to get on staff at these big hospitals, and they can give you you know, Medicare patients and all these type of things. And that's not what I want to do. So, yeah, got

Dr. T  5:29  
it. Okay, so I heard a couple of things. I just want to make sure. I heard you clearly. So number one, you are afraid that people may not find you or not people to sustain you? Yes. That's a legit question and concern. But your question really is, how will they find you? Right? Yes, yes. If it doesn't work out. Let's start with that one, because that is a valid one. And it's a fun one, because I want to know where it comes from. Let me ask you this. Did you go into podiatry school thinking? What if this doesn't work out? No, no. Why is that? Because

Speaker 2  6:20  
I was determined to make it work. I didn't know how it was gonna work. But I just knew that I was gonna make it work. It was just kind of come hell or high water.

Dr. T  6:30  
So do you think your practice can lead with the same energy?

Speaker 2  6:36  
Yeah, definitely. Because I feel like even if I were to accept insurance, you still have to go into practice with that same energy, you know, you still have to go into it. Well, like, Okay. I have to figure it out. But it's just you know, as you know, with the insurance model, there's so many other issues that you're dealing with that, you know, it's it's an uphill battle. So I definitely hear what you're saying. Like, even though the unknown is scary, I can't let that paralyze me. Because I don't have like a clearer picture of what's going to happen in the future. I just know that how I'm practicing now, I can't do that forever. I can't do that for another year, another six months, you know, if I could quit today, but I would be hopeless. 

Dr. T  7:29  
Yeah, I don't think yes, you quit today. So that is my professional opinion. Don't do that. So it's important that we kind of center our thoughts around these obstacles, because whatever you think you're going to live in. So if you think you are going to fail, you are going to find ways to prove yourself, right? So what have you said, whether this works out. So when when we start something new, we really need to change the relationship we have with ourselves with how we speak to ourselves. So if you go in saying, I might fail, why would you do it? Why would you do that to yourself? In that, imagine you speaking to a four year old daughter, maybe your son? And they said, What if this doesn't work out? How would you respond? So speak to yourself with that kindness with optimism that, but what if it works out? Or if you do fail? And then what do you just live there and stay there and quit? So it's really important how you frame your question, because that's how you're going to produce answers. And those answers can be viable, can lead you to the next step, or it can just stop you in your tracks, and then you're done. And then you're like, I'm just going to do the thing that everyone else is doing, because it's comfortable. There's a safety net, and so on. Yeah, but it sounds like you already know. The current path is not sustainable. No. And I applaud you for that, because you're early enough in your career to recognize that it's not going to work out for you. So that's really good to see that. But your next question is more strategic oriented. How will people find me? Because as you know, when you're in the insurance based practice, you're in network, people refer to you it's a little bit easier. You still have to do some marketing. But as far as the flow of traffic goes, you know, water goes downhill. So it's relatively easier, but you still need to market yourself amongst other insured podiatrist right. And private practice is the same thing but you have to Elevate your voice, you have to be a little bit louder. You have to be more present in more areas. So how do you do that? Well, you have to think about where does your ideal patient live? Do they live on social media? Do they live on TV? Do they read newspapers? Are they in the Yellow Pages? Those are the questions that you have to start asking to really understand where you need to go. So if your ideal client lives on Tik Tok, they're, you know, in the 19 to 25 age range, for example, then you would want to invest your time on tick tock. If your ideal client or patient are elderly people who have no interest on being on the internet, then where do they live to get information about foot care? Maybe it's their primary doctor. Or maybe they've already sought out alternative medicine doctors natural pas, osteopath, acupuncturist, so you have to start thinking about where are they so I could be in front of them. And another way to look at that is who has access to my ideal clients, we already know primary care, doctors have access to your ideal clients. But now you have to expand that circle. Maybe they live within a chamber of commerce, where there are other small businesses just like you looking to find ideal clients for themselves. And they know that you are a podiatrist and they have employees or they themselves have foot problems, and so they become part of your network. There is a little bit of creative thinking that you have to do on your own because you have to be the one to define your ideal client. Does that make sense? Yeah, yeah, definitely makes sense. So what Up ahead is going to be a lot of research, it's going to be a lot of work. And it sounds like since you already have Spain, then you need to do the marketing. Now. What's your current marketing strategy? 

Speaker 2  12:16  
Um, well, I've been on social media for a while, I would say probably since fourth year of podiatry school. But as it relates to kind of, you know, practice and a professional setting, I would say since residency, so maybe since like, 2018 or so. So it's been helpful, I've been able to connect with a lot of good people I've even, you know, been asked for or been, I guess, had referrals potentially sent to me, but they were also on the private practice realm, like not what I'm doing now with this current company, so I couldn't accept them. So I see definitely the benefit of being on social media. So it's just kind of ramping that up. Again, I've kind of been laksa days ago with my posting, especially on Instagram. And they'll pass probably two years just kind of on and off. Whenever I'm doing something interesting. I'll post about it. But now since I'm determined to open up my own practice, I've been posting a lot more. So it's good. So that's one part of it. I actually was doing some research, like yesterday, I was listening to I think it's my DPC story that you talked about the podcast. And there was a doctor on there that said that, how they got a large I guess volume of their patients was setting up tables at farmer's markets. And I live in Phoenix Farmers markets are a big deal here. Majority of the year, there's some sort of farmer's market going on. And so that kind of clicked for me. And I was like, oh, so looking into that or looking into just health expos, things like that, like pretty much any type of community gathering, where you know, I think that my expertise would be appreciated, kind of like what you were talking about just finding like your ideal patient. So yeah, different things like that I've been looking into I haven't gone to any yet, just because this is something I've thought about in the last 48 hours. But when I get you know, the space finalized and opening date finalized and definitely like a couple months beforehand, I'll start getting out more and, you know, meeting people, I also walk with a doc I just signed up with them. That's something I've wanted to do since residency, but again, life got in the way, longest time so now you know thinking about marketing and how I'm going to market myself. That's something that I'm gonna get into as well. So I just actually got the email from them yesterday evening. So

Dr. T  15:00  
I have a question for you. If Instagram were to shut down right now, they closed her account, revoke it, whatever they do. How are you going to reach out to those potential patient

Speaker 2  15:15  
patients? Exactly?

Dr. T  15:17  
What is your asset? Uh huh. To access that?

Speaker 2  15:22  
That is a good question. That's something I've definitely thought about over the last couple years, if anything were to happen to that account, how would I at least retain a portion of those people and those connects. Um, in the past, I've heard about like, email marketing, getting email lists, things like that through a website, I am in the process of building a website, but I have not started like the email list as of yet. So

Dr. T  15:54  
it would have a to do, okay, now your to do is email, these things are free, MailChimp, Constant Contact, I wanted you to think about that. Think that through, because social media is not a thing that you own. Because anyone can just take it away or be, you know, the fraud person of you can't get shut down. So social media is powerful to put your message out, but you don't own any of it. So I do think that is on your to do, as of today, create an account where you can start collecting email, because if you go to the farmers market, you do the walk with the dog, and you do all these things, you have access to people, but how do you actually contact them? And let them know your office is open. And the best way is email. So you need to have that asset, emails or assets. Okay, make sure you have that. Anytime you encounter a person, hey, by the way, I have your email. So I can send you a follow up PDF about what we talked about, or just something that so that they remember you. And that five minute interaction. I mean, how often did you ever meet somebody, and then weeks go by and you totally forgot who they were, what their name was? What was their social handle, because you weren't interacting with them on a regular. Whereas an email, you can be present, maybe once a week, twice a month, and your your is coming to mind. Even if they don't read your email, they will see sent from your name. And then you become top of mind. Like, yeah, there was that podiatrist, I remember I talked to one six months ago, what was her name again? What was her social handle, we are living in a state of forgetfulness and distraction. So you kind of do want to be present omnipresent, not with just the one interaction, but frequency. So you're on the right path, you know exactly what needs to be done. But there needs to be a bit of a strategy to go into that so that your time isn't wasted. And I want you to start thinking about what your hourly rate is. That's you spend an hour with somebody telling them all the things that you did you know, for $200 $500, whatever your number is, and you lost contact with that person. How are they going to access you? Are you accessing them to remind them? Hey, by the way, I have my office is now open? Would you like to schedule an appointment? So that's just the strategy, easy to do email marketing, loving, but also respect your time because you're going to put all this time on social media posting, editing, responding, but if you have nothing tangible and that account gets shut down, your $500 An hour gone. Poof, yeah. It's not really an investment anymore. You also asked about Will there be enough people to sustain me, and this comes down to a math problem. And what that means is, well, how many people is enough? And you need to calculate that to be well, if I saw 10 people, how much do they need to pay me for it to be sustainable? Or do I have to see 100? Or do you have to see 500 people, and when you calculate your numbers, then you put $1 on it. I need to see one patient for $300 I need to see X number of patients to make my desired revenue. Then you start seeing things in numbers, then you would know how many more people you need to access. So for example, if I just need 10 people, then I need to be in front of at least 100 people To get a 10% conversion. So am I doing things that put me in front of 100 new people? And you already know farmers market Chamber of Commerce wherever people gather? Have I been there present enough to access enough people where a small percentage of them might become patient? And then you start seeing things in numbers. So in Arizona and you where you're at in your town, how many people are there the population?

Speaker 2  20:28  
I'm in Phoenix? So to be honest, I'm not sure of an exact number, but it's a pretty large city and growing by the day, a couple million. And then they say, Huh,

Dr. T  20:40  
well, if it's let's just stick with a million of that 1 million person within I don't know, a 10 mile radius. I don't know the statistics are right. Yeah, about those 1 million people, do you think you can gain 500? As the now you have a number to work with? It's tangible. So if I can reach 500 People at X amount of dollars, will that become sustainable for you? So what that also means is, Will you accept somebody who pays you $50 for your time? You know? Because then you'd have to see 5000 people? Yes. So that's why I feel like it's, it's really a numbers game. Once you start detaching what your fears and thoughts are, and you use data to support your growth, then you can really be more objective about your strategy. Whereas if you sat here and kept saying, I don't think I'll have enough patience to sustain me, or I wonder how people are even going to find me, why haven't they found me you're asking questions that doesn't really have a good answer to, versus how do I get more access to more people, networking and so on? When you improve the quality of your question, I think it was Tony Robbins that said it. Improving the quality of your questions improves the quality of your answers. Don't ask questions that don't have good answers. When people say there's no such thing as a dummy question yesterday, let me tell you what they are. I'm just kidding. But I hope that in the short time that we have together that you have a little bit more clarity, you already know that what you want exist. Now you just have to put the pavement down the stepping stones to get there. So I have full confidence that you know what you're doing, you just have to be more strategic with your time, and how to create an asset from it. And then don't wait till the doors open. That's silly, because when the door opens, it's not like people come flooding in. That's a misconception that people have, I'll wait till my doors open, then I'll market to people then tell people to come in. Because that's exactly what I did. And that was awful. It was a painful two weeks for me. So I was scrounging for my staff, my full time staff would benefit with zero on the schedule. I was like, I thought they would just come in what happened? So don't do what I did. Still do. What I didn't do, you know, obviously is plan right now because the seat is already in your mind that you're going to have the practice space market right now. Okay, you already know how to get the information you need to know you already went into podiatry school know you would end well lead with that intention, I'm going to figure out a way I'm going to find the people to help me I'm going to make this work, stay determined. And you know what exists. It's not like you're the first person on earth who has created this, it already exists. Or follow in their footsteps. This is not new, this is old school of medicine. It exists and people are looking to pay for it. I hope you enjoyed this laser coaching session I did, and learn a couple of things that you can apply right away. Like starting your email marketing campaign. Even if you don't have your practice open yet, you can at least get people's email and keep them updated about where you're going to be. If you're interested in a coaching session with me, I am offering a free 30 minute call if you're willing to be on this podcast. And since you made it this far, this is kind of my small thank you note for listening. And really, you're demonstrating how serious you are about direct care. So I want to make sure you get a win out of listening to these episodes. So if you're interested in a free 30 minute coaching, call with me, email me, it will be down in the show notes and I look forward to connecting with you. I'll catch you next week.

Dr. T  24:43  
Thank you so much for being here with me today. If you enjoyed this episode and want to hear more, please like, share and subscribe so more people like you can have access to another way of practicing medicine, that direct care way. Let's connect by my info in the show notes and send me your questions, it might be the topic for future episodes.

Dr. T  25:03  
And lastly if you remember nothing else remember this you are in control of your life See you next time