Is it unethical to SELL in healthcare?

It's wrong to sell in healthcare. 

It's wrong to have financial incentive in healthcare.

It's wrong to make money in healthcare.

If you're struggling with these thoughts, do you also struggle with...

Burnout?

Feeling undervalued?

Living life constantly pressed for time?

In my experience working with clinicians and coaches so far, I would say that most clinicians who argue against selling in healthcare, are generally the ones who also complain of burnout and being undervalued. 

Because the ones who are comfortable selling, generally make more money, and are not afraid to charge what they believe they are worth (with accompanying 5-star Google Reviews). 

I know, because I also started out with the top three 'thought-symptoms' I outlined above. I entered the health industry saying things like...

'It's not about the money, I just want to help people.'

'I hate the business side of it all, I just want to train people.'

'I don't want to be salesy in healthcare.'

And then I realised that they are not mutually exclusive. Because well...

When does making money mean I'm not helping people?

When does the business side of it all, stop you from training/treating people?

When does being salesy equate to poor healthcare?

But let's go one step further...

How can I flip the statements so I achieve both of what I want - to be financially rewarded AND to help people better?

So the statement becomes...

1. How can I make money that HELPS people?

2. How can I build the business side that helps me train/coach/treat people?

3. How can I develop selling techniques that IMPROVE my healthcare?

If you want to watch a video version of this breakdown, click the link below. If not, read on!

How can I make money that HELPS people?

I have a belief that there's such a thing as good money vs. bad money. Good money is money that you make because you leave your customer in a BETTER position than BEFORE they paid you.

For example, if you create a fantastic cup of coffee, and your customer pays you $5.00 for it, to which they have a wonderful coffee experience... this is good money. 

Another example would be as a clinician, if you are great at rehabilitating ACLs, and your patient pays you $1500 overall for a complete recovery (and going back to full sport), then this is good money. 

In essence, good money is making money because you created something of value that improved someone's life (well most things anyway).

So what's bad money? Bad money is making money with something that makes no difference, or makes a NEGATIVE impact on someone's life BEFORE they paid you.

This is what 'scamming' people is. 

For example, if you promise a weight loss client that drinking 'weight loss water' will help them burn fat - you are making bad money. Why? Because you know full well that there is no such thing as weight loss water, and any changes they make are going to be due to a different mechanism. 

Another example would be if you promised a lower back pain patient that you'll get them better within 2 weeks fully knowing that most lower back issues will take 6-12 weeks to resolve. This is bad money. 

The goal is to always make good money. To improve your customers life so they happily pay you what you're worth.

Now let's extend this thought a bit further. The statement is 'how can I make money that HELPS people', which means - every time I make money, how can I amplify this dollar to increase the amount of value I bring to my customers?

This is what innovation, or R&D is. With the good money that you make, you take a portion of it and reinvest into improving what you already have, such that the patient receives even better care. Most of the time, this can only be achieved with a healthy profit margin. 

Sometimes it's not even about reinvesting into your product/services, it could be as simple as creating a series of free YouTube videos (by hiring a video editor that leverages your time) that teach people how to manage their back pain. This adds value to people with back pain, and the dollars you make are actually being used to add back to the industry. 

So by adopting this approach, your goal is to not only make money by leaving people in a better position than you found them, but also using the dollars that you earn to reinvest it back into helping people better.

Sounds pretty good, right? 

2. How can I build the business side that helps me train/coach/treat people?

Every time the word 'business' is mixed into the health field, a lot of clinicians will shy away and say 'I just want to help people, I'm not interested in the 'businessy' side'. 

I understand what this means, but I think it is ultimately unfounded. When you unpack the word 'business', what they really mean is business people who are more interested in profit versus care. That's what they mean by 'I'm not interested in business.' 

To some extent, I have to agree with this train of thought because we shouldn't put profit above appropriate care. However, this is not the same as not having a profit at all. In fact, having a healthy profit margin is necessary for any business for the reasons mentioned above. 

That's why any business that starts off with 'I will do it for free,' eventually disappears. They either die, or they have to start charging because eventually, the labour and time involved just isn't justified for zero return. 

On the other hand, if you think that trying to maximise how much a patient spends at your clinic is a bad thing - it all comes down to the intent of your clinic. There's ways to maximise customer spending. You can fear monger them into 'staying forever.' Or, you can create a great product, with clear progression and regression pathways, so that the patient actually wants to invest their money in the clinic. 

For example, many clinics are now adopting the physio - exercise physiology - group class model and each profession serves a particular customer. 

If a patient comes in with an acute meniscal tear, they'll spend 3-4 weeks with the physio to restore ROM and decrease pain, before progressing onto 2-3 solo EP sessions to refine their exercise technique, and finally move downstream into a supervised group class model. 

From a patient care point of view, this is high care, high investment to lower care, lower investment. The patient gets what they need, and as long as they make an informed decision, it's probably a great treatment pathway to go down. Overall, the patient might spend $700-800 over their lifetime, but it's not because you 'squeezed' the money out of them. It's because you created a valuable treatment model that they wanted to pay for.

That's how you build a business that makes a nice profit AND treats more people. 

Another way you can take this approach is to be very generous in your marketing. Your approach to marketing could be value-driven, where your potential customers/patients will consume your content, get value from it, and decide whether or not they want to reach out to you. You're spending money to EDUCATE and help them in their journey. Should they choose to invest in your services, it's because you helped them, FIRST.

Many great content marketers are now doing this, where their marketing campaigns could be delivered as products themselves - that's how good it is. 

For example, if you are a chronic pain expert, you might design a 60 second advertisement that shows your target audience a 3-step strategy that you've used to help patients overcome their chronic pain. You would then link them to a webinar or ebook that details exactly how they can do this for themselves. Then, if they'd like extra support, they can contact you to arrange a consultation. 

See how that works? Being in business does not mean you choose profit over people. The best businesses choose profit AND people.

3. How can I develop selling techniques that IMPROVE my healthcare?

I've spoken a lot about the word 'selling' so I don't want to repeat myself. If you feel a discomfort toward the word 'sell', I suggest you revisit what this word actually means. Hint: it doesn't always involve money, and double hint: it doesn't automatically mean you have to compromise your ethics (as is commonly believed). 

The question is, how do I sell my patient/customer in a way that actually IMPROVES the way I'm able to service them? This is basically how I developed trust-based selling, a sales course that focuses on maximising trust, so my patients are more bought in, and hence, more compliant.

The answer is actually pretty simple, I just found all the things I hated about slimy salespeople and did the complete opposite. 

1. I hate that salespeople never tell you the whole truth
2. I hate that salespeople promise the world to get the sale
3. I hate that salespeople pretend to be your friend to get the sale

So I just did the opposite...

1. I tell all my clients and patients the whole truth (both risks and rewards)
2. I never promise the world, being very clear on what I can provide and can't
3. I am friendly but I don't try to 'be your friend' during a sales consult. I'm very upfront that this is a sales call, and if they're interested in my services, I will sell them something. 

That's the short version. 

In Summary

I've worked with enough clinic owners and clinicians to know this uncomfortable truth.

If you are not interested in making money by delivering undeniable value to your patients/customers, there's only a few outcomes in your future.

1. You burnout
2. You whinge that the industry does not pay you enough, when the reality is you haven't created enough value to BE paid enough
3. You ask your boss for a raise but you won't get it because the raise has to come from more profits that you generate for the business

That's it. 

There IS a way to make $2000/week in the healthcare business but it takes time, and a different mindset. If you believe that being an advocate for your services, and the IDEA of a healthy lifestyle (ie. selling) is a detriment to your ethical compass - sadly the reality is you may never, ever get there.

Yours in health,
Phil