Village Chiropractic & Wellness Podcast
Welcome to the Village Chiropractic & Wellness Podcast with your host, Dr. Matt Green! Join us as we explore health, wellness, and the power of chiropractic care to help you live your best life
Village Chiropractic & Wellness Podcast
EP #7: Behind the Desk: The Team That Makes Wellness Happen with Guest Kati Batlett
Kati Batlett takes us behind the scenes at Village Chiropractic and Wellness Center to reveal what makes a truly exceptional healthcare experience. As the office manager who has helped develop the systems that keep patients coming back, Kati offers a refreshing perspective on why the administrative side of wellness matters just as much as the clinical care.
Ready to experience a healthcare environment where every detail has been thoughtfully designed with your wellness in mind? Schedule your appointment today and discover what makes Village Chiropractic different from the moment you walk through the door.
Join Dr. Matt Green of Village Chiropractic & Wellness Center for practical advice designed to keep your neck in top form and your life pain-free.
Visit villagechiropracticoakland.com to learn more.
Visit villagechiropracticoakland.com to learn more.
And so I like to think of it in my mind that, evolutionarily speaking, that's as long as our bodies are designed to survive, that's long enough to procreate, keep our children alive long enough so that they'll make it to adulthood and then die, and so any amount of time that we make it beyond, then we have to do something special in order to make sure that our bodies will stick with us in a good shape, because they're not designed to last very long.
Speaker 2:Welcome to the Village Chiropractic and Wellness Podcast with your host, dr Matt Green. Join us as we explore health, wellness and the power of chiropractic care to help you live your best life. Let's dive into today's episode.
Speaker 3:Hi, welcome back to Village Chiropractic and Wellness Podcast. I'm Dr Matt Green Chiropractic and Wellness Center, located in a cute little community called Montclair Village in the Oakland Hills, where we have free parking right across the street Today. I have a great guest today and it is really my pleasure to introduce her. She specializes in helping small business owners do all the important but not urgent stuff that they struggle with. She quickly becomes the girl that everyone goes to help. She is the master trainer of new employees. She has a passion for developing systems and procedures and a passion for creating an environment that complies to those procedures. She developed friendly relationships behind and in front of the desk. She's a self-starter and finisher. She owns the project called the Success of Village Chiropractic and Wellness Center. She's a Santa Cruz slug. She's got a passion for reading. You can usually catch her wearing red. She lives in Concord, california. She's married to my very best friend as well as my competitor, miss Katie Bartlett Katie, how are you?
Speaker 3:I'm really good. Yeah, I'm so happy to have you on here, and for those of you who are listening that don't know, katie and I have known each other for a long time and we've had many different levels of relationship, and so I'm so happy to have you on here. How are you doing today?
Speaker 1:I'm so good and I'm really excited to be here. You know, any amount of time that I get to spend hanging out with you is time well spent.
Speaker 3:Aw, flattery will get you everywhere.
Speaker 1:I know you do, Mac Green.
Speaker 3:Yeah, I know you do, you do, you do, hey. So the other day we were talking about the podcast and you said I really want to be on the podcast. And I said, absolutely, was there some kind of initial? What was the initial motivation? What was the behind that Like, hey, I want to be on there?
Speaker 1:Well, I think that it's important for folks to. Well, it's not actually that important, but I do think that an important aspect of any time you go to a doctor's office of any kind, is the staff that work there. You know if, if the person that you're dealing with is incompetent or awful or whatever even if you like the doctor, that could be a barrier that makes you not want to go. Yeah, so I think when people can get a sense of who else is involved, who else are going to be interacting with, it just really helps them get a full picture of what that office is like.
Speaker 3:Yeah, yeah. Well, it's good. Well, I'm glad we get to show off today. So you know, just to start off, we've known each other for a long time. I mean, one of the fun things is that I was the best man in your wedding.
Speaker 1:Yes.
Speaker 3:And I've known your husband since I was 18. And I'm 55. Alana and I have known each other for a very, very, very long time, and so I think we have that special friendship and that special part as well. And you've worked for me for a long time as well. You've helped me hire many people and have thought you were just going to kind of drift away and then have come back and you know just this of of working together has been really, really fantastic.
Speaker 1:Yes, yeah, yeah. So you know I definitely the primary way that we know each other is because I married Alon, who is also a chiropractor, but you guys have known each other since before you were chiropractors. That's right, and it was in October of 2020 that I first started working in your office.
Speaker 3:Ah, yeah.
Speaker 1:I remember this well because I had been at home for a long time and then got out and working with the people during a time when everyone else was having kind of the inverse experience. And you know, one of the reasons why it was such a good fit for me to do that is because I'd been working for so long in my husband's office, so I was really familiar with chiropractic offices and everything that that entails. So you know, I think we both, when it first occurred to us like oh hey, like we could work together, we were both kind of like, oh yeah, this is a great idea.
Speaker 3:I think it was because I had just, I had to let somebody go. I remember I was walking in my backyard pacing back and forth, and I called. I said Katie, can you help me hire somebody else? And I think you said I think it's me, yes, and the light bulb went off and I was like oh yeah, of course. Of course, that's how that all started. So good, Right, it's been pretty awesome and rad since.
Speaker 1:Yes, agreed.
Speaker 3:Yeah, what do we think are the positive aspects of working in a chiropractic office and what are some of the challenges?
Speaker 1:Yeah, Well, I think the obvious positive is built in chiropractic care. That's pretty, pretty amazing, and most people who know me often are bringing that up as a joke is like that's an incredible perk that wellness is encouraged and as a wellness oriented person myself, it's so nice to have people be pro exercise and good food and sleep. You know, I've worked in offices before where at lunchtime I'm surrounded by fast food smells and people are making fun of me for my vegetables. You know so. So I really appreciate that in a chiropractic office, generally speaking, people are happy that you are taking good care of yourself, as opposed to thinking that you're a nerd.
Speaker 1:Yeah, um, so I mean uh, so I mean challenge-wise, I would say it's mostly related for me anyway to some of the interactions with patients, and so I'm just I'm going to share it honestly and that way people can understand the perspective from the other side, maybe if they've been one of those people, whether or not it's a chiropractic office or someplace else. So there are forms that we ask people to fill out and it's most of the time everyone is gracious and understanding and they just do what we ask them to do, but sometimes there are people who don't and then we have to follow up with them multiple times, and then so there is also sometimes when people give feedback and they say things like, but do I really have to? Or they make sort of snide comments, um, and I guess the thing that I would say is having people fill out forms like that is actually part of my job, and if someone doesn't, that is me failing at my job, and the more difficult someone makes it for me to do that, the more challenging my job is.
Speaker 3:I can imagine, because I feel like we've worked fairly hard on really focusing that paperwork so that it is really essential information.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 3:All information that we all use, that there's. It's not. It's not a lot of fluff in there.
Speaker 1:Yeah, basically, we know that people don't like to fill out forms, and so we're trying to avoid it as much as possible. So if we're asking you to do it, it means that we do actually need you to do it, and and so, um, like I said, most people are great, but then there are some times where, like I'm, I'm literally, um, you know, feeling, like I'm uh, I'm just feeling bad, I guess is what I would say, just some version of bad, and I don't like.
Speaker 3:That is what I would say, just some version of bad and I don't like that. Oh, I know, yeah, exactly what do you think? That? Just having that perspective of being in the office, what do you think that is some of the transformations that you see for people when they come into the office, that you've seen them go from the coming in to something that they haven't understood to now having a good understanding what. What are some of those transformations that you've seen for people?
Speaker 1:Well, um, since one of the main ways in which I'm interacting with patients is around scheduling appointments, um I where I see a transformation and understanding. There was one patient in particular that I remember who was very upfront from the beginning that their goal was to put as much time as possible in between visits, only going to come in when absolutely necessary and in physical pain. And then, at one point, there was a big shift and they explained to me you know what I'm now finally seeing that chiropractic care can be preventative. I could actually prevent myself from even being in pain in the first place, and I want to actually see how that works. I'm going to schedule myself out in like regularly, moving into the future, and see how that is, and as that person was experiencing it they were they said to me like this is way better. I do not want to have to put up with being in pain, you know, for all that time and then coming in and getting treated. I'd rather just avoid it.
Speaker 3:Yeah, I and that's something that obviously I have seen and encouraged as well Anything that you see that's like. What do you think is the blockage? Why do you think that there is that I'll only come in when I'm in pain? What do you think that there is that thought process behind that?
Speaker 1:I think it's probably a combination of things. I think, first of all, people are often trying to save as much money as possible, and so they're thinking well, you know I'm not going to, you know go there and you know do unnecessary things Like. I want to be frugal about my approach here, only what's actually needed. And that, combined with not fully understanding yet the benefits that chiropractic has and and exactly how it works, I think leads to this mindset of I'm just going to come only when I'm in pain.
Speaker 1:How I like to think of it, and I don't know if this is accurate, so please correct me if this is wrong, but there was a time in history when mostly humans were only living until like 27 to 30. And so I like to think of it in my mind that, evolutionarily speaking, that's as long as our bodies are designed to survive. That's long enough to procreate, keep our children alive long enough so that they'll make it to adulthood and then die, and so any amount of time that we make it beyond, then we have to do something special in order to make sure that our bodies will stick with us in a good shape, because they're not designed to last very long.
Speaker 3:This is some gold here. Yes, right, yeah.
Speaker 1:So for me chiropractic is a very key part of that. You know, um, your physical parts are, are, um, uh, very susceptible to damage, and and not doesn't even have to be something huge or traumatic, just the motions of everyday life, even sitting still for a long time.
Speaker 3:In gravity.
Speaker 1:In gravity. All of that wears, and and since our body if you're, if you're, over the age of 27 what are you doing like? What are you doing exactly? Um, and chiropractic is not the only way that you can approach that. So if you can honestly say, oh, I am stretching and exercising and, you know, doing all of these really amazing things to take care of my body on a regular basis, then you may not need chiropractic care, or you may need it very infrequently, but most of us are not doing that. Yeah.
Speaker 3:Well, I would say that there's a nice balance between active and passive care.
Speaker 1:Exactly.
Speaker 3:Yeah, yeah, and that it's for us to have a good, successful life. For us, that buoyant is my favorite word. For me to stay buoyant, then I want to have a good mix of being active, exercising and stretching and passive, where I get on the table and have somebody else do the work Right. And sometimes people need more active and some people need more passive, and that dynamic can change throughout life as well.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 1:Yeah, depending on the circumstances and also your genetic makeup.
Speaker 3:Exactly, hey. So I I want you to talk about the time and care that you've put into the policies and the systems and the order to help serve our patients, because I really think that that's something that makes us very distinct as an office. It's something that I have heard multiple people reflect back to me that our office is very there's a real trustworthiness, if you will, in our office. Can you speak to that and why they would give that kind of reflection?
Speaker 1:Absolutely so. We went through a big process with a person, and I'm not even sure what the title that I would give to this person, but she specializes in helping chiropractors who've gotten in trouble Compliance expert, I guess you would say you know.
Speaker 1:so chiropractors who get some sort of notice from you know, whatever organization or you know I guess I'll just leave it at organization that is in charge of monitoring that people are following the laws and the rules. They say they reach out to her and say help, what do I do? So we've never had any issue like that. But we decided to hire her to help us get everything set up so that we're already in compliance and we never have to worry about needing her help because we won't be in trouble. And we never have to worry about needing her help because we won't be in trouble. And one of the biggest components to that is transparency having clear policies in place that we follow regularly, like gravity, you know and that we let people know what those policies are. And so we we did a bunch of research to figure out like what are the policies that we actually need in place and what is the most simple and direct way that we can enforce them?
Speaker 1:Can give an example of that sure yeah um, so, uh, oh, gosh, gosh, gosh, let me. I'm trying to think of a good example, one that's not too simple and one that's not too complicated.
Speaker 3:I'll give you a real, clear, easy example is that, like the financial, financial policies, there's almost no example or situation that somebody has financially that we haven't already or you us haven't already thought through and created a procedure for.
Speaker 1:That's true.
Speaker 3:So that's a great example. So no matter what. So whether somebody comes in and they got in a car accident and they're going to work with an attorney, or they're going to be self-pay or they're going to use med pay, or somebody comes in and they have insurance but it doesn't cover us, or they're going to pay out of pocket, or all those things, they're all clearly outlined in the financial policy. When somebody comes in and starts care outlined in the financial policy when somebody comes in and starts care.
Speaker 1:And so the way that we handle the finances is incredibly transparent and upfront. Yes, that's very true. Yeah, and, and so I was actually trying to think of an example from the financial policy. That's why. Okay, okay I mean one thing that's really simple. That comes to mind, that's easy to reference, is that we have a policy in place for what will happen if someone bounces a check, and that is simply we will charge you the fee that our bank charges us, and that is it, right, yeah.
Speaker 3:Yeah, and so I certainly have gotten, when I'm in the back in the room, when somebody comes back, to get adjusted. Multiple times people have said I really appreciate your process. Some people have referenced other experiences that they've had that have been more negative. Other people have just clearly just acknowledged us for that. But, katie, I just really want to thank you because I'm not, uh, you know, to be totally transparent, I'm not a, uh, policy detailed person. Um, I'm much more big picture visionary, uh, but my strength is to know my weaknesses and to enroll people in my life that have those strengths, and so I really want to thank you so much for having those strengths and bringing them and expressing them fully so that I look good. So, thank you.
Speaker 1:You're welcome.
Speaker 3:That's great. Is there anything else around this that you want to let people know, something that you feel like that's important for people to know? Slash, you want to brag about Anything.
Speaker 1:I guess the last thing that I would ask, or that I would add, is that you know some people just they don't want to be bothered with those kinds of details, and that's OK, I understand that. And if, if they, if they ever had the need, they have access to look up what our policies are or ask us at the time you know, not everybody is is of the mindset, as Matt said, to get into the details. So I'm not going to say that any like, because we are transparent. That means that you have to be interested in the details, you don't. It's there for for anyone to reference in the way that works for them.
Speaker 3:Yeah, and as somebody is on that side, you also have made it incredibly easy. They're all just boxes to check. That's right and it's all. The paperwork is done online, and so just because it's very detailed doesn't mean it's difficult. It's not necessarily difficult and it's very easy. Just it doesn't mean it's difficult. It doesn't. It's not necessarily difficult and it's all. It's very easy just to sign up online. It's all right. There Just got to go through and just check all the boxes, and probably some people like to read it all and some people don't, but I think that that's also something to underline that you slash. We have created as well, a detailed process that's easy to do.
Speaker 1:That's right.
Speaker 3:Woo-hoo, that's great. Is there anything that you want to share, just in terms of?
Speaker 1:how do you think our office dynamic is special or unique? Think our office dynamic is special or unique?
Speaker 3:well, I mean, I think that I would start with the fact that it's really great to work for matt green for dr manny.
Speaker 1:Um, he has had I mean just to to emphasize that he's had multiple employees over the years who have really not needed to work, like for money, for example. They they just were wanting something to do that got them out of the house and and got to interact with people and they stayed for years. Um, that that is not common. It really takes something to be providing a workspace that is attractive enough that someone who doesn't have to be there chooses to be there. Yeah, and I would say that you know he's fun and compassionate and appreciative and always makes us feel safe, safe to be ourselves.
Speaker 1:But then also, if there's ever a situation where you know we're having to deal with a patient who's particularly troublesome, or you know someone's you know coming into the office to try to talk to us about something, he has always made it a point to say if you are ever feeling unsafe, please come and get me.
Speaker 1:Even when I'm in with a patient, I will be there to help. And even though I've almost never had to take him up on that offer, just knowing that that is what is important to him and that he's made that offer makes me feel so much better and I never realized until working in his office how important the feeling of being safe is to having a productive work environment. Um, when you feel safe, you can speak up, make suggestions um, you can make requests, you can ask for things to be different if they're not working for you. And if you don't feel safe to do any of those things, then you're suffering and putting up with things um, and building up resentments over time yeah and you know so for me, I feel like, uh, we're constantly able to make changes and grow because everyone's feeling like they can contribute.
Speaker 1:Sorry, my earpieces are dropping out. Um, also, we laugh all the time oh yes um, mean, I feel like this conversation is much more serious than the typical conversation that we have. Right, right, yeah, and to the point where, since we share a space with the massage business, sometimes we're having to be like, oh, we got to keep it down. So I think that in general, it's like we have a great office dynamic, it's a great place to work, we all get along and we're happy to be there.
Speaker 3:Yeah, great. Thank you, katie, so much. I'm in so state of appreciation for all the things that I know that have to happen that I would never be able to do or want to do or any of that, and so the fact that it's all gets done, I'm, I'm, I'm always in a state of appreciation, every single day I'm there. So thank you very much.
Speaker 1:You're very, very welcome.
Speaker 3:Well, it's great. Do you think that there's anything else that you feel like people need or should know?
Speaker 1:I can't think of anything else.
Speaker 3:I think we did it. These other podcasts that we're doing are great, talking about chiropractic and the things that we do and the philosophy behind it and such and so I think it's great to have a podcast where we talk about the dynamic of the office and what's it, what is it like?
Speaker 3:What's it like behind the scenes, and so I'm really I hope people have gotten a good sense of that and that we're we're a rock in office that has integrity and you know we want to invite people to come have fun with us. Yes, Right, Absolutely yeah, where we laugh a lot, we follow rules and laugh a lot there there's our new tagline, that's so true, that's great.
Speaker 3:All right, well, I think we're gonna uh sign off. Thank you all for listening and being here. If you want to contact us, we are at village chiropractic and wellness center in the cute little community of montclair village and are in the oakland hills where we have free parking across the street, and our website is villagechiropracticoaklandcom and you can call us at 510-281-1708. All right, well, this is Dr Matt Green and Katie Bartlett signing off.
Speaker 2:Thanks for tuning in to the Village Chiropractic and Wellness Podcast with Dr Matt Green. For more information or to schedule an appointment, visit our website at villagechiropracticoaklandcom or call us at 510-281-1708. Stay well and we'll see you next time.