You have a limited number of hours to dedicate to clients each week and naturally want to fill these hours with clients who are a good fit for your skills and services. But, how does a provider go about evaluating this fit?
Here are a few key areas that we’ve found helpful to consider.
Client Needs
We all have different strengths and weaknesses. It’s important to consider yours before taking on a new client. Below are a few questions that you may want to ask yourself.
Are you qualified to treat the specific condition or challenges that this client has?
Do you speak the client’s native language? Does your staff?
Do you accept the form of payment (e.g., insurance) that the client needs to pay with?
Is there someone else, who specializes in their area of need, that might be able to help them better?
Scheduling
Many clients wait months or even years to receive services and they may be willing to accept any time slot that you have open. However, this initial flexibility may fade and you could find yourself pressured into moving clients around to accommodate their actual scheduling needs. It’s a good idea to have this conversation up-front and to consider any anticipated time off (e.g., maternity leave, surgery, extended vacation, etc.) that could inhibit the client’s progress.
Does your availability align with the client’s availability for sessions?
Is their (or your) schedule likely to change in the near future?
Do you have any planned leaves that might impact this client’s progress?
Motivation
We aren’t all motivated in the same ways, and some clients perceive motivation as manipulation, so it’s essential that you consider what engages, inspires and conveys respect for your potential new client.
Are you able to motivate this client in the manner that works best for them?
Does this client want to be motivated to perform in sessions?
How does the family feel about your methods of motivation?
Safety
You may have the opportunity to work with individuals who can become aggressive and/or destructive. It’s important to decide ahead of time what behaviors you are prepared for and what behaviors might not be a fit for your practice. In addition to considering this for yourself and your staff, you might also want to consider your current patient/client portfolio.
Do you have clients who have experienced trauma that could be triggered by an aggressive or destructive new patient?
Do you have clients who have auditory or sensory sensitivities that could become overstimulated by this new client’s behavior?
Is your current environment safe for the behaviors of this client? Will it help reduce or will it incite these behaviors?
How will you keep yourself and others safe if the client becomes aggressive and/or destructive?
Expectations
Establishing, clarifying and managing expectations is a core factor in quality intervention and therapy services. It’s a great idea to have your expectations written out and to review these ahead of a consultation or evaluation. For example:
Do you need the family’s involvement to be effective with this client?
Do you need this client to complete homework outside of sessions?
What does this client expect of you? Are you able to meet these expectations?
Will you need this client to regularly complete paperwork or schedule evaluation times outside of their sessions? Are they able to accommodate these requests?
What does the intervention/therapy timeline look like? Is this what the client anticipated?
How will financial matters be handled (if insurance doesn’t pay)?
Integrity
It would be ideal if we could assume great intent for every potential client, but the reality is that individual levels of integrity vary. If honesty and dependability are important to you, evaluating integrity is important. Here are some points to consider:
How does the client/family speak about other providers?
Does the client/family take responsibility for mistakes they’ve made in the past (or is it always someone else’s fault)?
Does this client/family welcome accountability?
How frequently has this client/family changed providers?
Has the client/family tried to shortcut or bypass your intake process?
Considering all these aspects of client-provider fit may seem like a lot of work. However, those who consistently evaluate for fit ahead of accepting a new client/patient find there is a lot less stress, risk and liability down the line.
Are there other areas of fit that you consider in your practice? Please share your insights in the comments.