This "menu of services" appears on a banner displayed in front of a building I pass most days on my way to work. Every time I read it, I can't help but wonder what it says about chiropractic's image.
About the same time this sign appeared, the medical doctor I see (every five years for a "check-up") sent me a letter letting me know that he has converted to a "concierge-style practice" and that it will cost me $5,000 a year to continue as a patient (cash only, thank you). This does not include specific tests, procedures, etc. Talk about dichotomies.
The first question I have to ask about this sign is: What does this doctor of chiropractic think about how chiropractic care should be provided to patients? This immediately leads me to a few other questions:
While I can't answer these questions for the doctor, I have to assume they are just trying to compete in a down economy and feel forced to take this approach in order to keep their practice going. Sadly, this sends a message to the public about chiropractic that is not helping our image.
My next question is: "Has chiropractic become a commodity?" In layman's terms, the definition of a commodity is a product characterized by little variation between brands. Notebook paper and facial tissue are commodities. The brand doesn't particularly matter. For most people (unless you practice organic), milk, eggs, fruit and vegetables are also commodities.
For chiropractic to be a commodity would mean that overall care by one DC is about the same as care provided by another DC, and it really doesn't matter much which one you go to. Take it from a person who has been a chiropractic patient for 55 years; it does matter. Chiropractic has many different techniques as well as specialties.
So, the follow-up question is: "Do some patients/consumers view chiropractic as a commodity?" If the answer is yes, even for a small percentage of the public, then we have an image challenge we need to be thinking about. We need to be looking at ways to educate consumers about the qualifications a doctor of chiropractic brings to the health care world. This is probably an issue that should be addressed in our chiropractic marketing campaigns.
Generally speaking, people only understand what they are told. Perhaps it is also time to look at how we communicate with our patients when we see them. Face-to-face is the best format for communication. This is a great time to explain the science, art and philosophy of chiropractic. If we don't, we allow our patients to think about chiropractic based on what they see (and share their opinion with others). We allow patients to assume that "cracking my back is just like cracking my knuckles, only bigger" (something I've actually heard people say!).
Please, if you aren't doing it already, take some time with your patients to share the importance of chiropractic care and how you, as their doctor, are working to keep them at the peak of health and wellness. Let's not let our patients (and their friends, family and neighbors) make assumptions about chiropractic based on what they see us do.
Chiropractic is not a commodity.
Read more findings on my blog: http://blog.toyourhealth.com/wrblog/. You can also visit me on Facebook.
When sports chiropractors first appeared at the Olympic Games in the 1980s, it was alongside individual athletes who had experienced the benefits of chiropractic care in their training and recovery processes at home. Fast forward to Paris 2024, where chiropractic care was available in the polyclinic for all athletes, and the attitude has now evolved to recognize that “every athlete deserves access to sports chiropractic."
It is estimated that 61% of patients with CTS avoid taking surgical options due to postoperative complications and costly surgical procedures. Chiropractic care offers a comprehensive and effective treatment for carpal tunnel syndrome, addressing the condition from multiple angles. Recent studies also have unveiled a game-changing adjunct to chiropractic treatments for CTS: nerve flossing.
Some doctors thrive in a personality-based clinic and have a loyal following no matter what services or equipment they offer, but for most chiropractic offices who are trying to grow and expand, new equipment purchases help us stay relevant and continue to service our client base in the best, most up-to-date manner possible. So, regarding equipment purchasing: should you lease, get a bank loan, or pay cash?
