How to Get Acupuncture Patient Referrals from Doctors

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Hi everyone! Welcome back. Today’s interview is an exciting one, as it answers some questions I’ve had for a long time.

Have you ever wondered how to get acupuncture patient referrals from MDs? I definitely have.

Even though I’m a marketing pro, this is one thing I still haven’t attempted.

Crazy, right? I’ve always felt like I don’t know what to say to MDs, and I worry that they’ll ask questions that I don’t have strong enough answers for.

I know this is just insecurity on my part. I know a ton about acupuncture research – there’s so much high-quality research out there that explains how acupuncture works physiologically, and I love reading it!

But I’ve always been nervous that if I approach doctors, they’ll grill me on nitty-gritty details that I’m not familiar with.

And to be honest, I have no idea how to set up a “lunch and learn.”

Have you heard of those? Where you call an MD’s office and ask if you can give a presentation to the staff about acupuncture, and you bring them food? That whole process – the call, the setup, knowing how to go about it – intimidates me.

So that’s why I’m so thrilled to talk to Elie Cole, DAOM, L.Ac. today.

Elie has made it her mission to help acupuncturists speak comfortably with MDs, with the goal of getting patient referrals.

She’s so passionate about it that it was her doctorate capstone project at OCOM!

Elie’s created a step-by-step blueprint for us to follow, called Chinese Medicine Explained (http://www.cme.nourishingmedicine.com). In creating this program, she got feedback from a dozen MDs about her process, so she has honed it down to what works.

In Chinese Medicine Explained, Elie covers everything:

Who to speak to in a doctor’s office to ask about setting up a lunch and learn
What to say to that person/how to approach it
How to go about the entire lunch and learn – her process, what she brings, etc.
*Her actual PowerPoint that she presents to MDs*
How to talk about acupuncture research (!) and what resonates with MDs
A recording of her giving the presentation, so you know what she says and how she answers questions
And more

I’m so impressed with her detailed and organized approach. She’s made it easy to put into action.

That’s why I’m super excited to pick her brain today. Elie really know what’s she doing, and she’s been gracious enough to answer all my questions!

Today Elie and I talk about:

What MDs are looking for from acupuncturists
Three things you MUST include in your presentation to MDs
Whether MDs are actually open to refer patients for acupuncture (spoiler alert: absolutely!)
How to get started with setting up lunch and learns
And much more

Let’s dive in!

Welcome, Elie! How did you get into acupuncture/decide to make it your career?

I traveled the globe for my undergraduate education. I got a Bachelor degree and a very full passport.

I lived and learned all over Central America, South Asia, the Southwest United States and West Africa for over four years. Health and healing was a thread that I followed through each culture I lived in.

In Costa Rica, my host mother, Mama Marta, had an aching back from laboring without the convenience of modern appliances. Mama Marta nurtured everyone, but no one nurtured her. One night when I massaged Mama Marta’s aching back, her tight muscles melted under my hands. I thought to myself, “Wow, maybe I should learn more about this hands-on healing thing.” Inspired by Mama Marta, I started massage school in 1999 and finished the complete massage therapy program in 2003 after I finished my undergraduate degree.

Before I knew it, I had a thriving massage practice out of my home in San Diego, where I’m originally from. I kept referring my massage clients to an acupuncturist when they complained of allergies or migraines or digestive issues until, one day, I finally said to myself, “Wait a minute, I could become an acupuncturist and keep helping the people who are already coming to see me.” So, I did.

Where did you go to acupuncture school and when did you graduate?

I did my first two years at PCOM San Diego then transferred to OCOM for my last two years. I wanted to live in the beautiful Pacific Northwest. I graduated in 2008.

Do you have a specialty?

I specialize in change and transformation. People come to me when they are ready for a change in their life. Often pain brings people in and that’s my favorite thing to treat.

You teach acupuncturists how to communicate with MDs so that MD will want to refer to them. How did you develop this strategy that you teach? Has the presentation and overall strategy gone through many iterations?

At first, it was trial and error and I stumbled through the process. Then I got serious and decided to make it the focus of my doctoral capstone project at OCOM in 2016. I did my research first with MDs, asking them what they wanted to know about acupuncture and what their concerns were then I set about answering every single one and backing up every sentence I wrote with research.

What made you decide to teach it to others?

I really want to help move our field forward. I feel like we are in such an exciting time with acupuncture becoming more accepted by the mainstream. I want it to be more accessible to more patients because, ya know, the more acupuncture this world gets, the better, right?

My experience has shown me that potential patients are more likely to get acupuncture when their MD tells them to so that means we’ve got to get MDs on board with who we are and what we treat. They really want to know how it works and they want an alternative to drugs for their patients, they truly do.

I’ve also seen really talented acupuncturists struggle in practice because getting new patients in the door has not been their strong suit. This is their answer! If you’re really good at what you do, then more patients need to find you and your local medical clinic can be that continual source of new patients.

Why do you think so many acupuncturists are reluctant to meet up with MDs to talk about acupuncture?

I’ll tell you exactly why! I know because I’ve asked many of them. Here are the top reasons:

I’m intimidated.
If I say something scientific about acupuncture, I may not be able to answer follow-up questions about it.
I don’t think MDs care, they’re too busy.
Who am I to teach them something?
I don’t want to sound like I’m tooting my own horn (by saying acupuncture actually works, especially when the MDs can’t fix what we’re fixing).
They’ll think we’re trying to steal their patients.

I address each one of these concerns in my guidebook. While they are valid concerns and I used to have many of them myself, I’ve also found none of them to be a real barrier to talking to MDs about acupuncture or getting MDs to refer to me.

Do you generally feel like MDs are open to referring to acupuncturists? Is this more the case for certain specialties, like infertility, for example?

Yes! Absolutely they are open to it. Most MDs in my area have heard or read something scientific about acupuncture so they know it’s legit but their biggest concern is sending their patients to someone whom they feel fits the legitimacy of what they’ve read. They are literally just waiting to meet an acupuncturist in the flesh who can speak intelligently about how our medicine works. And that’s exactly what I’m trying to teach my fellow acupuncturists to do.

I’d say the most common issue MDs refer their patients to acupuncture for is pain. Two reasons: one, they know it works for pain and that makes sense to them and two, they are all trying to avoid giving their patients opioids at this point. And, for sure, doing a lunch and learn either at a fertility clinic or to some OB/gynes would be a way to laser focus your potential referrals.

In your marketing tool, what exactly do you provide?

Well, before I created this marketing tool, I did my research on many levels.

First, I interviewed about a dozen MDs around the world and asked them what they would want to know if they were to attend a presentation about acupuncture. So, the presentation answers all of their questions but the heart of it is this: how does acupuncture work from a scientific point of view? And every single sentence of that answer is backed up by research and all citations are included. I’ve also made a handout for doctors which lists many of acupuncture’s known mechanisms of actions with corresponding citations. The presentation itself is a PowerPoint slideshow which can be edited by the acupuncturist so they can make it their own, if they want to.

Second, I’ve tested the process many times which is to say that I’ve picked up the phone and cold called medical clinics to ask if I could do a lunch and learn there and I learned – by trial and error – what to say and what not to say to get a date set and actually make the event happen. I’ve included step by step instructions in the guidebook of exactly how to do it, what to follow up on, who to talk to, how to advertise it to the doctors so they’ll show up – everything! I’m a major to do list type of person so the guidebook is basically several to do lists that you can check off (don’t you love that feeling?!) and explanations of the benefits to each item and where it will get you.

Third, there is a downloadable video of me actually presenting the lecture so you can see how it’s done. I definitely encourage people to find their own voice with it but the video is an example of what it sounds like in my own voice with my own corny jokes just to keep the audience alive. And believe it or not, the acupuncturist does not have to be the one to actually do the lunch and learns. It can be your office manager or even your best friend as long as your BFF can do a good job public speaking and loves acupuncture, then that’s all that’s required. I’ve created a script anyone can follow, not just an acupuncturist.

Fourth, I’ve created customizable handouts to give to the doctors. What I mean by customizable is you can download the handout and then add your acupuncture practice name and address on it so it looks like it was made by you, and not borrowed from another acupuncturist’s practice.

Lastly, this is a living, breathing marketing tool. I’ve been doing this for many years but I’m always learning so I’ll be updating the guidebook with new things as I learn them through my own experience in practice. For example, I’m currently working on a new addendum called “The introvert’s guide to lunch and learns with doctors”. It’s an alternative to the basic lunch and learn I outline in the guidebook.

I’m always open to improvements and feedback so when someone buys the tool and has a suggestion – please! I’m all ears…we’re in this together!

You can check out the course at http://www.cme.nourishingmedicine.com

Yes! I so appreciate that – we’re all in this together.

In your online course, you provide the exact presentation that you give to MDs. But if we’re creating our own from scratch, what would you say is the most important aspect of the presentation? What’s essential that shouldn’t be left out of the presentation itself?

It is absolutely essential to do three things: first, to answer the question how does acupuncture work from a scientific point of view? Second, to avoid using TCM language such as Qi, yin, yang, etc. I do use the word Qi in my presentation but it’s in the context of explaining the mistranslation of Qi as energy and the correct translation of Qi as physiological function. Third, bring food. Do not show up without food or else no one will show up! Everyone, even MDs, love a free lunch. Trust me on this one.

Food is one of the main motivating factors in my life as well. 😉 If someone says there will be food, I will attend.

How should we go about asking MDs for meetings where we can give a presentation? I’ll admit even I feel a little intimidated about this. How do MDs prefer to be approached?

Well, this is thoroughly spelled out step-by-step in my marketing tool but I’ll say that the first important step is to choose a medical clinic near your practice and call the front desk to ask who the person is that’s responsible for setting up lunch and learns. Finding the right person is key. Medical clinics are accustomed to drug companies bringing in lunch to talk about their drug. I’ve just taken a page out of their book.

Thanks so much for this, Elie! I hope everyone feels reassured that they are welcome at MD offices. I certainly do.

I appreciate that you’ve emphasized how open doctors really are to referring to acupuncturists, and that these lunch meetings are totally normal and expected in a doc’s office.

And thank you for giving us tips to get started with this process!

Definitely check out Elie’s online course, Chinese Medicine Explained, where she’s spelled out her entire process step-by-step:

Chinese Medicine Explained includes:

A customizable PowerPoint presentation to educate doctors about Acupuncture & Chinese medicine
A 30-minute video of Dr. Elie Cole performing the presentation live
A guidebook which includes:
- why receiving a steady stream of doctor referrals will transform your practice
- how to set up an event with step by step instructions
- templates to follow up on the referrals the doctors send you
Customizable handouts for the doctors
A 30-minute video conference with Dr. Elie Cole to answer your specific questions

Feel free to email Elie with your questions! >> elie@nourishingmedicine.com

Acupuncture Marketing