Creating a Stress-Free Client Workflow in Your Private Practice
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[00:00:00] Hello and welcome back to the Dietitian Boss Podcast. I'm Libby, your host and the founder of Dietitian Boss, where we help Dietitians like you confidently start and grow a private practice that fits your lifestyle in your values. If you're new to private practice or you might be pivoting from clinical or another career, the backend setup in your business can feel like a huge hurdle in today's episode, I'm gonna walk you through how to create a stress-free simple client workflow, even if you're just starting out, and how to use our done for you client form tool kit, which is available inside of the library.
That's our signature monthly membership here at Dietitian Boss, where you have endless resources to grow your private practice. Now we've packaged everything you need, even Seven editable forms so you can take clients sooner without worrying about compliance tech or even second guessing what to send as you wanna have [00:01:00] a confident, professional demeanor when it comes to taking your first paying clients.
So let's break this down, why your workflows matter. Most of our members are overwhelmed at the beginning, right? They're juggling jobs building from scratch, and they don't wanna mess up legal or scare off clients with disorganized systems. They don't wanna confuse their clients either by sending haphazard paperwork.
And here's the truth. Your workflow, meaning how you. Bring in clients and guide them through their journey of starting with you to then being offboarded. That doesn't need to be complicated, but it does need to be intentional. When your clients feel supported, they do show up, and when you feel organized, you show up stronger and more consistently.
And that's why we created the client form toolkit inside of the library. That's our monthly membership. So these forms are [00:02:00] editable in private practice or PDF form. You can use these for any EMR or if you're not using an EMR, you can just send these PDF versions to your clients. Via email, a HIPAA compliant email.
So if you're not using an EMR yet, you can still use these forms. They're beginner friendly and compliant for both insurance and cash pay. You just would edit a couple of the questions if you are or aren't taking insurance. And yes, if you're interested in using practice better, I do have a referral link.
So let's break down each form. So included in my toolkit, I've got a contact form.
So if you don't have a website yet, no worries. You might not need one when you're first getting started. But when you do launch your website or even a simple landing page, we also offer landing page templates inside of the library. A contact form can help you streamline your messages, meaning when people find you, they have a place to reach you.
And it gives clients a way to reach out to you without sliding into your dms or emails with scattered information. [00:03:00] Now, you can use this to collect things like availability, insurance status, if you're taking insurance or goals so that you're not going back and forth endlessly. some of our members paste the form into a Google form, or they link it from Instagram if they're building their full site.
Meaning if you don't have a website, you can still link this form on social media or you can build it in Google. So just remember, if you're using Google Forms, you do want to make sure that you've signed, the HIPAA compliant release form from Google Workspace, which is a great idea for your email as well.
So I also have a discovery call form, and this one is so valuable, especially for beginners and very pro discovery call, also called sales call. So having a discovery call, meaning a free conversation before somebody pays, you can set the tone for your relationship before you've even met. Make sure that you feel like a good fit.
You're meeting expectations and build rapport. You're gaining insights as to why somebody's reached out to you, what they're struggling with. [00:04:00] And whether you feel confident that you can help them, because if you don't, it would be a good practice to refer them out. So one of our members told me she felt really awkward on discovery calls until she added this form, and then she had talking points ready.
And her calls felt more professional and streamlined. She had more clarity as to what to do when somebody showed up and how to structure that application, which at first should be really simple until you've been able to have more clients under your belt.
If you're just getting started, you wanna keep your offer simple until you've been able to get clear on knowing what people want and what they're willing to pay for. The next form I have is a client intake form, so this can feel really intimidating. But it doesn't need to be 10 pages long.
In fact, a shorter client intake form is recommended at first because a lot of your, potential clients feel intimidated filling out a very long form, especially if they're also filling out a policies form which they should be filling [00:05:00] out, and that's coming up next.
If it's not virtual and they give you a packet of papers you need to fill out, it can. And they even tell you gotta show up 10, 20, 30 minutes early. You can feel a little bit cumbersome, although it's required in the digital landscape, like what we're talking about is the same thing. So you wanna take away any barriers as to why somebody wouldn't fill out paperwork or might not move forward working with you because you've asked too many intense questions at first.
So start simple. That's a good rule of thumb for all everything. When you're getting started, ask just the essentials, like their current health condition. Medications, lifestyle habits. And as you grow into your specialty, then you're gonna learn what to customize or adjust with time
Even the, topics I mentioned, health condition, medications, keep it brief, allow them to skip if they don't want to answer. 'cause you're gonna build that report during this session. So make that form, that initial intake form. Keep it really simple. One of our cash paying members started [00:06:00] with a one page intake, and once she specialized in PCOS, she added, questions and a symptoms checklist.
And you can evolve too with your form as your business grows. You might realize at first that you have general questions and you go into eating disorders and you might have specific questions. And so you're gonna learn over time how to address your forms.
So just remember all the forms I've included are editable, which means that they work for both insurance and cash pay. And you can customize the sections based on your preferences and your branding. The next form would be the three-day food log, and that can help you gather insights without overwhelming the client.
It's a friendly, easy to fill out, no tracking apps, no judgment, just a glimpse into what they're eating and when. After session one, so not before session one. I would send this after the first session. If you wanna build rapport first and avoid overwhelm, right.
I remember a client of mine would get frustrated 'cause she would send her clients before the first session, in food logs. She would even send 'em five day food logs. And they [00:07:00] didn't fill it out and they would feel overwhelmed and she didn't realize that.
And in our conversations and working with her, I brought to her attention, you know, what would it look like if you gave less information, less forms up front? And added on those forms based on how the client's approaching the situation. And once she was able to, take away, all of the forms she had and reduce, she built rapport faster with her clients and had a better experience.
So again, hold off. On the three-day food log, unless if someone's really motivated or they ask for it because people are overwhelmed and they might not answer it accurately, they might rush through it or they might feel too intimidated and start pushing off the session because they feel a lot of guilt and shame about not answering it in a certain way.
So be sensitive to the fact that some of these forms. might not be the best to send before the initial session, but again, this is a great tool after you've already met somebody and built some rapport and explained and asked them if this would help in the session, had a conversation with them.
The next form is the [00:08:00] policy and consent form. The most important form, I would never start a session without a policies and consent form filled out. this is where you protect your boundaries and include things like payment expectations, cancellation policies, communication windows, right?
And this is all editable. So maybe right now you don't have a, 24 hour cancellation policy, or the one that I have is 48 hours, but maybe you want to employ 24 hours so you can edit that. depending on your particular policies, but what you don't wanna do is skip having any policy altogether.
You need to have documented policies and people sign that. You also need to clarify if your insurance or cash pay or hybrid, and then if you have. Insurance, but also cash pay. You wanna state what those cash pay rates are in the policies and consent form section.
She was intimidated and once she did add the form, she actually had more people show up. So she decreased her no-show rate because clients understood the expectations from day one, and we could do a whole nother podcast episode about [00:09:00] this because having the forms also allows you to charge a late fee or a no-show fee the first step would be making sure that your clients are, patients are signing, that they confirm.
All right. And there's a space in this form to add disclaimers for licensure and scope based on your state, which you wanna make that clear as well, so that you're practicing ethically and within the guidelines of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and licensure law and title law, et cetera. Next form is testimonial release, and this helps you ethically collect social proof, even if it's just a first name or a short quote.
And it matters 'cause it allows you to start building trust on social media. Without violating privacy. Now, keep in mind that some states and territories don't allow for testimonials. So be cognizant of where do you practice and is this allowed? So you're gonna have to make that judgment call, but it have presented you with that form to use if that fits for where you practice.
All right. And so keep this one on file and ask for feedback, and then you can post it either confidentially or with their information if they've allowed that, when [00:10:00] it is gonna help you with, selling a digital product or maybe increasing sales or selling higher priced packages, et cetera.
It's optional, but powerful. And this is something that I do and I, recommend Sending a form after a session, after each session is a really powerful practice because it gives clients a space to share how they're feeling.
Maybe you've, participated in a business, you've purchased something online or at a store. right after I got off the phone or contacted somebody from customer service 'cause I couldn't locate a package, I immediately was directed to, can you fill out the survey?
Can you answer two questions to give us support After this conversation, how satisfied are you with this support? And so that example, obviously Amazon is a very huge company. But that's what I want you to start practicing on a smaller scale. You don't have to verbally ask them to give you on the spot, because that might make, that's not normal practice for this kind of business.
But what you can do is let them know in practice. I'm gonna send you a quick feedback form after this session. I'd really appreciate if you could honestly [00:11:00] answer. And then in that feedback you're gonna ask them how much they appreciated the session. would they recommend you to a friend or a family member or colleague?
And then learning that information and having an option for an open-ended response can help you tabulate. What percentage of people are considered very happy and improve any weaknesses based on some subjective feedback, meaning what they're putting in, like the open box, open response box, right? You're giving them one answer, like, heart style, one to 10, how satisfied are you? Or how much would you recommend me to a friend? And then you're asking, open-ended to let you know like why they chose that answer, specifically if they chose a lower answer.
I know you might be thinking, oh, are these all clinical related forms? And they are both clinical, but business as well. Because if you're coming from an angle of retention, trying to keep your clients and keep them happy, and you're also keeping in mind. business building skills like client satisfaction, excellent customer service, that's gonna help people wanna refer to you and feel really [00:12:00] empowered by the work that you're doing, right?
You're not overwhelming them with too many forms at the onset of the relationship. You're not forcing them to fill out a three day food recall, before you've even met them. You're not asking them to fill out a three page client intake form, which is overwhelming. Right.
You're opening up the relationship, you're getting a feel for the person, and then you're modifying which forms you send based on the, on the relationship and what their needs are and their readiness to change. Okay? So real life coaching example, one of, my private coaching clients. A Dietitian I recently worked with was able to transition from an inpatient role to starting her private practice, and she said that she almost backed out of taking her first client because, she didn't feel legit enough.
She didn't have these forms set up and she didn't wanna take the client because she just didn't feel like she was professional. she has the knowledge. She's extremely intelligent and great with people. and the client was interested. They were ready to pay her, but she stalled because she didn't have the backend, meaning she didn't have her forms [00:13:00] ready to go.
in that case, we were able to plug in the toolkit and she did edit some of the information to apply to her business where she's at fully cash pay. she didn't wanna, address any insurance inquiries 'cause she's not credentialed. she sent those forms off within a couple hours, reached out to the client who was interested, who she initially dismissed.
not only did the client sign, but my client, the Dietitian, said that her client. Said that it felt like she had been in practice for years because the workflow, meaning the form she sent and how she sent them and how she worked with client felt professional. And that's important to keep in mind.
So it doesn't matter if you're applying aspects of this toolkit later or if you don't have everything all perfectly set up. What matters is that you have some easy way for somebody to pay you. You wanna be able to collect. Payment from somebody who is a good fit, that's gonna help you gain confidence in your practice and avoid slowing you [00:14:00] down done for you, saves a lot of time in mental load.
So that's why I've turned this membership from a lot of educational content. I took a lot of my trainings and did a lot of teaching and live calls with clients, and I learned from feedback that. A lot of the done for you materials is what our Dietitian clients are leaning towards, and it's gonna save you a lot of burnout in the end.
So that's why I created these forms, this toolkit to save you time because I noticed that this roadblock kept coming up. So you can have a client, you know, today or soon, and you don't need to figure out all of the tech. These forms can be sent via email. You can have your clients fill this out. over PDF editable, PDF, you don't have to set them up into an EMR like practice better, although long term, I do recommend that.
And you don't have to, rewrite legal policies. You can keep things simple as well, and you're not scrambling every time someone reaches out. Like you have a clear, easy, simple system. All right. These are [00:15:00] all editable, simple, beginner approved forms with tips included to help you customize without second guessing.
All right? Saves you a lot of time. So whether you are in a FR like practice better or simple practice, or you're just using email, these forms will absolutely work, right? you can get them today inside the Dietitian Boss Library.
That's our signature membership that gives you done for you templates, marketing tools, roadmaps, and coaching support. To grow your private practice with confidence, you can just head over to Dietitian boss.com/library or just Dietitian boss.com, and check out the show notes for the link plus the referral link to practice better if you're ready for the next steps and in using that EMR today.
So whether you're just starting out or pivoting into private practice, your systems don't have to be perfect. They just have to be ready enough to help you move forward.
