Ever ask someone what kinda music they’re into, and they say “All kinds!”…?
Such a cop-out.
Even so, I am that guy. BUT I like to think it’s pretty true for me.
On any given day, I may turn to 90s country, Christmas music, new blink-182, old blink-182, hip hop, praise and worship or Mozart. Depends a lot on the task at hand and the feelings I’m trying to create.
Music is a powerful tool. Scott Adams (creator of Dilbert, one of the most successful comic strips of all time), talks often about the hypnotic and even medicinal effects of music.
“Music is mental programming. Do not ever discount its power. It changes your psyche on a deep level.” – Scott Adams
But don’t take an uber-successful cartoonist’s word for it. There are plenty of studies that analyze music’s ability to improve your mood, help you push harder through a workout, and amp up your ability to focus.
When we talk about the Patient Journey, we often look at it in literal, linear terms. The person talks to someone on the phone, books a consult, comes in, gets a recommendation, books surgery (or not), has the surgery, then turns into an evangelist for the practice.
And all of this is true and real and good.
But there’s an undercurrent of vibe / feeling / tone that runs throughout the Patient Journey. It’s more abstract, but as important (if not more so) as the practical steps of the journey itself.
What does the Patient Journey FEEL like?
Ideally it should FEEL comfortable, welcoming, momentous, with forward momentum and a dash of excitement.
But on the topic of music – if the Patient Journey was a song, what would it SOUND like?
I’m not saying there’s a right answer here. But I want to give you a few examples of ways your patient journey could “sound” – the vibe, the cadence, the joy, the determination… the soundtrack to what you’re leading patients through.
1. China Grove – The Doobie Brothers
I like to play this song when we leave the house to drive to a baseball tournament. It feels like a road trip. There’s a certainty about it. It feels like it’s moving. A mix of rock and groove.
We’re doing this thing, we’re going on an adventure, we’re gonna go win.
You can get caught up in this track. Even the bridge of the song (with its slight breakdown) feels like staring into the abyss, nodding and saying “I’m coming for you, whatever is out there.”
2. Runnin’ Down a Dream – Tom Petty
Similar vein to China Grove. You’re gonna tap your toe or bob your head or both. Lyrics talking about driving (literally and figuratively) and going and getting the thing you want.
If you isolated the lyrics, you could envision this being a slow, soft ballad. But layer that over the power drums and hard strumming of the acoustic guitar, and you have this blend of “hell yeah we’re gonna do this nice and smooth but with determination and purpose cuz we got somewhere to be…”
3. Too Much Fun – Daryle Singletary
I have a weakness for 90s country. So sue me.
This song feels fun, sounds fun, and is all about having fun. I’m a High I on the DISC scale, and this resonates with me on every level.
You’re changing lives every single day. You make grown men cry because they can see for the first time in their lives. You help grandmas get back out on the Pickle Ball court and renew their passion for being active and enjoying life.
Does it get any more fun than that?!
Wrapping up…
You may be reading this, clicking into the songs and resonating with what I’m saying.
Or you may be stuck on the idea that my musical tastes are off-the-charts horrible. (That’s your bad opinion, and you’re entitled to it.)
But that’s the beauty of all this – we’re talking about YOUR practice. YOUR brand. YOUR vibe.
YOUR patient journey can sound like anything you want. It can sound like “Bad to the Bone” or “I’ve Got a Feeling” or anything in between.
Or maybe it sounds different depending on the type of patient or condition you’re treating (Gen Z LASIK patient vs. Cataract Grandma).
But I encourage you to think about it. What’s the internal soundtrack of the Patient Journey you’re trying to create? Why?
And what can you do to bring that to life for your patients?
Musical food for thought,
Troy “Too Much Fun” Cole