Today’s blog post comes from Ann Wendel, PT. Ann is the owner of PranaPT, a member of WebPT, and an active social media participant (@PranaPT). Thanks, Ann!
I love the Documentation Sucks campaign! The slogan is attention-grabbing, succinct, and effective because it hooks us through emotion. I know that some people initially took issue with using the word “sucks” in a professional marketing campaign; but WebPT founder Heidi Jannenga did a great job of explaining the reasoning behind using that word in this blog post.
As Heidi states in her post, none of us got into the rehab profession because we love documentation. We went into this field because we love assisting our patients in their return to function.
The Documentation Sucks campaign is an example of effective marketing and serves as a model of how we as therapists should market our profession. Why? Well, because WebPT starts with why (see Start with Why by Simon Sinek). Starting with why allows the potential customer to decide if their values match the company’s values, before they even get into what the company does and how they do it.
Here, Heidi explains the why behind the campaign’s name: “Basically, we landed on ‘Documentation Sucks,’ because paper documentation does—well—suck. And we plucked that word directly from the mouths of fellow therapists all over the country. Embrace the bold, we say. Yell it from the rooftop, because without boldness, without risk, without a little bit of controversy, how do we take documentation, and our profession, to the next level? How do we as physical therapists elevate our profession and compete for the same respect, direct access, and authority as other medical professionals?”
As a profession, we need to generate a bit of emotion! We need to get back to why we do the work we do. As Sinek says: “You don’t have to convince anyone of your value when you start with Why—you’re different and everyone knows it. People don’t buy What you do, they buy Why you do it.”
Let’s not be afraid to ruffle a few feathers; let’s be on the cutting edge and show patients why our profession aligns with the value they place on living a healthy, independent life. People aren’t “wowed” by our flowcharts and data; they are “wowed” by our passion. Documentation is part of how we do what we do, but it’s not our why.
I became a physical therapist because I’ve always wanted to assist people in living an active, fulfilling life. That’s my why. I enjoy spending time getting to know my patients and designing a personalized treatment plan for them. And WebPT—not pen and paper—helps me do just that.
WebPT allows me to customize my evaluations and treatment notes for each person I treat, while spending more time interacting with my patients. WebPT also ensures that all of my notes are legible and professional. I never worry about compliance, because WebPT’s templates are already compliant. I can work on notes from my office or home and easily fax notes to physicians and case managers straight from the program. Each note has my clinic’s logo at the top, which sets us apart as physicians go through stacks of papers to sign.
Plus, it’s really easy to navigate and use WebPT, and tech support is always available. I especially appreciate the fact that WebPT is up and running 99% of the time; in fact, since I have been using WebPT, it has only gone down once for less than four hours. They were in constant communication with all of their clients throughout those four hours and gave a free day of service to all their customers to make up for the inconvenience.
As a therapist, I seek to treat patients with personalized care and professional customer service; I am thrilled to say that WebPT’s core values align with mine! That’s why I believe in ditching the pen and paper. That’s why I believe in WebPT.
