Online Booking is Here!

Leave a comment November 13, 2018 drworobec

Online booking. Just saying that phrase makes me happy.

This has been an exciting week for me at Burlington Sports & Spine Clinic. It’s been a long time coming, a lot of research, a lot of discussion around the clinic, and a lot of conversation with colleagues…… and I’ve now ventured into the world of online booking.

We’ve transitioned our clinic software to a new platform, and after more than twelve years of using our old program my learning curve has been steep. But our reception team has been quick-to-learn and our October 22nd switchover went smoothly, considering all the moving parts of a multi-disciplinary clinic. With that change successfully under our belts, the next implementation was online booking, a major reason that we made the software change to begin with.

I’m the test case, and we rolled out these patient-centered options this weekend. My practice has adopted online booking options via four different options:

Going to our online booking site directly: burlingtonsportsandspine.janeapp.com
Clicking the “Book Now” button on my Facebook Page
Booking through the link in my Instagram profile
Book online via the link at the top of my website, www.drworobec.com

Many of you have already put these links to work, and I’m glad to see that you’ve jumped on board with this idea. Of course, we will still have full reception support if you prefer to call or email to book your appointments, but we hope that these changes give you additional, convenient options.

Stay tuned for the rest of the clinic to make the move to online booking, and thank you for sticking with us as we strive to be the very best in patient care and customer service.

A word is a word is a word…

Leave a comment June 14, 2016 drworobec

Last week I received two of the loveliest emails. Heartwarming, kind words, written by patients who took time out of their day and sent them to me. They made me smile and gave me reassurance that my goals with my practice are on track; my intentions have always been sincerity, integrity, and comprehensive care. I want patients to feel like they know “me” (hence this blog) and that they can trust me completely with their musculoskeletal healthcare. I’m an open book with my emotions, and that extends into my practice life as well- what you see is what you get, and I’m invested in and fully committed to my work and my patients. I’ve asked both of the aforementioned patients if I can share their words, and they’ve both agreed:

MG wrote:

“Thank you so much for being awesome at what you do! I feel so much better now that he is under your care. I’m sincere in all my thanks, I just think you are the best and have the best interests of your patients always in mind. We are on track!”

MB wrote:

“I can’t tell you how much better my Achilles feels today! It is like night and day. Amazing! Thank you very much!!”

Simple words that made a real difference in my life. And the fact that I’ve made a difference in their lives too means I’m doing my job. Connecting with people, the people part, is what I love the most.

These emails and the positive effect they had on me got me thinking about the power of a compliment and therefore the power of words in general, to help or harm. As a healthcare professional, I am very careful with my wording and phrasing to patients. As a mother, I am very careful with my wording and phrasing to my children. But over the years, like we all have, I’ve missed opportunities to compliment people when in fact I’ve thought the words in my head.

Today, I challenge you to hand out a sincere compliment to three different people in your life via phone, text, or email. Watch what it does to them, and to you.

Mr. M

7 Comments March 1, 2016 drworobec

Sometimes my blog posts reach far and wide. Sometimes they fall flat. Sometimes I have thousands of readers per day. Sometimes I have none. Sometimes I pour my heart and soul into my words. Sometimes I lack inspiration and struggle to write. Sometimes people message me to say how much they loved what they read, how it made them think, how it made them feel, how they can relate. Those are the best posts, the best days in blog-land.

Another best-day happened the other day, this one in real life. I was treating a long-time patient. This patient has been with me from day one, ten years ago when my practice first began and I was new to Burlington. This patient, let’s call him “Mr. M,” is in his late 60s and we first met when he was a member of the full marathon clinic I instructed at the Running Room. We ran many miles together, and all the while I yickety-yacked his ear off. (Note: if you want to get to know me, either read my blog or run with me; I’ll spill my guts.) He has young grandchildren, similar in ages to my kids, and we often trade stories about the colourful personalities of four-year-old girls.

I’ve mentioned that it’s the “people part” of my job that I love the most, and Mr. M is one of those people that makes me happy to come into work. Last week we were mid-treatment, when he mentioned that he’d recently been on my website and read my ‘Blizzards and Accomplishments‘ post. “Ashley,” he said, “Your daughter is very lucky to have you, and I feel very lucky to know you.” Then, in true gruff Mr. M fashion, he added, “And I’m not sucking up, because I don’t do that.”

Now let me tell you, that comment made my day. I smiled all afternoon, and it still makes me smile when I recall it. My challenge now is to pay it forward, to pass along the kindness, to make others feel as good as I did then. It’s very easy to think positive thoughts, but our thoughts have more power if we let them out, and the most power when we share them.

That’s been my own personal improvement challenge as of late: to say out loud the positive thoughts that I’m thinking inside my head. To spread the niceness, give some energy, generate some love. I hope you’ll join me.

And Mr. M, I feel lucky to know you too.