I Fired a Patient

He wasn't a bad person. He just wasn't fun — and I don't do anything that isn't fun anymore.

The other day I fired a longtime client. He wasn’t a good patient — he never followed his care plan, only came in when he was in pain.

For years this worked. I figured some clients were “easy to work with” and some were not. He just fell in the “not easy” category.

Over the years he asked me whether he should have spinal surgery. I said no — but he should come on a regular basis. Fast forward a few years and now he’s asking about a second or third surgery this time.

Basically, he makes me feel like it’s somehow my responsibility to get him out of pain.

Over the years I’ve rolled my eyes when he came in and gritted my teeth and worked on him.

Over the years I’ve evolved, my practice has evolved, my adjustments have evolved. My standards must have evolved as well.

I wasn’t gonna let this guy ruin my day. Or my practice, or my way of adjusting.

One day I finally said, “Listen, I do my best here — and you’re still not happy. I want you to find a different chiropractor.”

When I said that, a huge weight lifted off my shoulders.

This guy was certainly no fun to work on. No matter how amazing something was, he’d find fault in some other thing — every visit felt like he was building a case against me. That’s why I don’t do personal injury reports. Personal injury isn’t fun. Whiny patients aren’t fun. Reports aren’t fun.

I don’t do anything that isn’t fun. That’s my new standard.

Here’s the part I don’t love admitting: he didn’t do anything to me. He was exactly who he always was. I’m the one who kept booking him, kept rolling my eyes, kept pretending it was fine. For years.

Sounds like a bumper sticker. But a doctor who dreads seeing you can’t help you. That standard isn’t one I set for my patients. It’s one I finally set for myself.

Live long and prosper,

—Dan