Emergency Call Protocol
Emergency Call Protocol for Chiropractors
When a patient's back 'locks up' or they suffer a whip-lash injury, they don't want a voicemail; they want relief. This protocol ensures your practice never loses a high-value $200 new patient evaluation to the clinic down the street because you were hands-on with a patient and couldn't answer the phone.
Defining Chiropractic Emergencies
Not every call is an emergency, but in chiropractic care, 'emergency' is defined by the patient's level of acute pain and loss of mobility. True emergencies include sudden sciatica flare-ups where the patient cannot walk, acute torticollis (a 'locked' neck), or post-motor vehicle accidents (MVA). These patients are in distress and will call every chiropractor in a 5-mile radius until someone picks up. If you are mid-adjustment with a $60 routine patient, you cannot stop to answer, which is why having an AI receptionist like SkipCalls is vital to capture these urgent $150-$200 initial consultations before they hang up.
Key takeaway: An emergency is any acute injury where the patient will seek the first available appointment elsewhere if you don't answer.
The Triage Decision Tree
Your protocol must immediately separate mechanical pain from medical emergencies. If a patient reports 'saddle anesthesia' (numbness in the groin) or loss of bowel/bladder control, your protocol should immediately direct them to the ER for potential Cauda Equina Syndrome. For mechanical issues like a 'thrown out' back, the triage should focus on the mechanism of injury and pain level (1-10). If it is an MVA, the intake must prioritize gathering insurance/attorney info to secure the Personal Injury (PI) claim, which can be worth thousands in long-term treatment packages.
