Editor's Note: This is the 10th in a series of 12 brief interviews with the corporate sponsors of the chiropractic centennial. In this issue, "DC" recognizes ProGroup for its Platinum Crown Club sponsorship, and its commitment of at least $50,000 to our centennial.
"DC": Please tell us about ProGroup's commitment to chiropractic.
Mr. Benedict: ProGroup was founded in 1979 by Robert VanDenburgh, DC. Over the last 16 years we have committed to developing a family of software specifically for chiropractors. The company has six different chiropractic software programs, is the first company to offer family chiropractic software, and has plans to release two more chiropractic software titles in 1995. This software is designed to help chiropractors become more profitable and successful. Since our beginning 16 years ago, we have grown to be the largest chiropractic software company in the country with these programs.
"DC": Tell us why ProGroup decided to become a Platinum Crown Club Sponsor for the Chiropractic Centennial Celebration.
Mr. Benedict: ProGroup has committed $50,000 to the Chiropractic Centennial Foundation. We did this to express our appreciation for the support and business that chiropractors have given us over the years, and to help promote the growth of the profession.
We chose to be a Platinum Club Crown Sponsor in order to demonstrate our commitment to the profession. As the leader in chiropractic software, we felt it was our responsibility to lead by example and support the Centennial Celebration.
"DC": Now that chiropractic is entering its second century, what do you think the future holds for the chiropractic profession?
Mr. Benedict: The future of the chiropractic profession will require that chiropractors have improved human relations and better practice building skills in order to compete with other health care professions. Chiropractors will need to have better training in business and marketing, and will need to demand more practice building features in their software. Chiropractors will no longer be satisfied with software that only does billing. They will require their software to advise the doctor in treatment methods, manage and train staff, educate patients, promote the practice, and give practice building instructions to the doctor and staff.
Many of these features are already found in ProGroup's ProManager, but many of these are just now hitting the drawing boards.
"DC": Thank you for your sponsorship.
When I graduated from chiropractic college in 1981 and started practice, I heard it all, and very little was positive. “You are a quack; you do not know what a subluxation is; you couldn’t get into a real health care program, so you chose the one that is slightly above a mail-order degree; you have no proof that chiropractic works; Are you really licensed?”, and so much more.
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A central challenge in creating our identity is that chiropractic is a method of care, not a technique or procedure. This is an important concept for us to promote. Our patients are treated with lifestyle modification, exercise, nutritional supplements, diet and a whole-body approach to accelerate the natural healing process. We are not simply CMT providers.
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