Here at Iron Legion, we have a strong network of providers we trust when our client’s need something that is beyond our scope of practice. This blog by Dr. Phil Finemore is a great topic to discuss. Ultimately as coaches, we all have one goal in mind, which is to help the person in front of us feel healthy. There are a variety of posts on this blog from other practitioners underlining the same goal. If you haven’t already, find a network of providers you feel confident sending your client to. Reach out to physical therapists, nutritionists, therapists, specialized doctors and begin to create a community. If you don’t know where to start, scroll through some highlighted professionals on this blog. They are all stellar humans, and fantastic at what they specialize in. – Coach Meg
As a healthcare provider, I have many clients get sent my way who have jumped through so many hoops just to land with a provider that actually solves their problem and they are left wondering why they didn’t get to that point sooner. This isn’t to give myself or my profession props, but is to say I’m sure everyone in the wellness space has experienced this. I have also experienced having someone in my care I’m trying to desperately help and have to remind myself that I can’t help everyone. That’s what we are talking about here.
I believe a high majority of people working in the health and wellness space want to help and empower people. When we can’t, we are left feeling that we failed them. In healthcare, I think the problem is driven more by the system and insurance companies. In physical therapy, it’s because we live as a by product of that system and suck at marketing but those are two topics for other blogs. Regardless of why it happens, I believe we all have to be better at being a bigger part of the solution. And sometimes that means not helping with our skill set and referring out sooner rather than later.
Here’s an example in my practice. I like to help people get to 100% of their peak performance and give them the tools and accountability to keep them that way. But I sometimes run into people who truly need a higher level of training than my skill set and experience have to offer. I’m working actively on recognizing who those people are that will benefit more from progression to a skilled personal trainer than seeing me more than once or twice a month to prevent losing a foundation we built to get them to that point.
Obviously aside from helping people, there’s a business component here too. But I am finding I am more likely to retain or work with that client again by giving them the value of my network I can refer to and showing I truly care for their well being even if they have to achieve that without me at that stage.
Most of us already work in a team setting in the wellness space. Our clients have a massage therapist, a chiropractor, a primary care physician, a physical therapist, a trainer, etc. Every client I work with that works with these other team members along with me gets results faster. So if they aren’t working with those other people, the minute we identify a need that another team member can fulfill, everyone will be better off if we help by not helping.
Written by: Dr. Phil Finemore, PT, DPT, Cert. DN, Cert. VRS
Owner WorkFitME Mobile Physical Therapy
207.465.6078
WorkFitME.com
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