Your waitlist isn't the flex you think it is

Can we stop pretending that a six-month waitlist is automatically a sign of success?

Yes, it means people want to see you, which is obviously a lovely problem to have. You have built trust, earned a great reputation and created enough demand that your calendar is bursting at the seams.

But the people on that waitlist are not actually being helped.

They are still in pain, missing work, avoiding movement and worrying about what is wrong while they wait for your next available appointment sometime next season. Pain, as it turns out, is not particularly interested in your availability.

A waitlist measures how many people want your help. It does not measure how many people are receiving it.

Imagine being able to help clients more efficiently, so they do not need to see you every Tuesday until the end of time. Imagine creating enough room in your schedule to see new people while still having a life outside your treatment room.

That might mean changing your schedule, improving your efficiency, training another therapist, building a better referral network or giving clients more ways to make progress between appointments.

Being in demand feels fantastic, but being accessible enough to do something with that demand is an even better sign of success.

So take an honest look at your waitlist. Is it showing you how successful you are, or is it showing you that the way you are working has reached its limit?

The goal is not to collect the longest possible list of people waiting for your magical hands.

The goal is to actually help them.

Til next week…see how many patients you can get rid of because they’re actually better.

Sherry and Rob