Chiropractors are trend setters, and as we enter 2020, trends are all around chiropractic. Getting patients better faster is still a top trend, and doing it with your hands will never go out of style. But along with that, you will need to be able to find innovative ways to introduce healthy lifestyles, health optimization and physical activity into the public's daily life.
Patients are increasingly more educated and savvy, which means they have higher expectations. You will need to be more competent in more areas than manipulation alone. Surround yourself with a close circle of other practitioners who collaborate (refer to each other and learn together), and never stop training your staff. Anything you do now for patients to stay healthy and create a better quality of life, now and for later in life, will be in demand.
By anticipating trends, you are able to take delight in having a robust practice and offering your patients a variety of techniques and/or products before other doctors even know they are popular. So, without further ado, I give you the annual Tucker Trends List.
Youthing
Patients want to feel more youthful and slow down the aging process! Your job as a chiropractic trend setter for 2020 and beyond is to reverse one of the biggest trends of all: aging! It's about offering and teaching choices that help people function at their peak and keep them at their peak as time goes on.
Everyone wants to stay healthy much later into life than ever (anti-aging has become vitality), and they want to stay active for longer. That challenges us as doctors to think past traditional concepts of "old age." You can start by getting good at focusing on reversing the damage that is being done by sitting and using electronics constantly.
Youthing, anti-aging, vitality, or health and longevity; whatever you want to call it, if we could showcase how chiropractic can add healthy years to life (improve range of motion, maintain good posture, help neurology, slow down degeneration, etc.), that would be a great pillar message.
Non-Pharma Options
The translational and clinical research and efficacy of chiropractic continues to rise and the expenditure on non-drug ways of dealing with health is rapidly approaching the sales of drugs themselves. People want what we have, we just never gave them a clear message. You can jump on the "anti-opioid" bandwagon trend or not. It's a hot trend. See how many of these trends you can blend together: manual therapy, anti-aging, movement as medicine, regenerative medicine, optimization (performance, nutrition, neurology, ergonomics, etc.), aesthetics, integrative medicine, metabolic medicine, nutritional medicine, and holistic practice.
Food as Medicine
When healthy eating habits become a lifestyle, we are healthier and happier. Terms we used in the past are changing; here are a few examples to keep in mind as you assist your patients:
Diet is now personalized eating
Anti-aging is now vitality
Stress relief is about resilience
Exercise is now movement
Supplements are targeted nutrients
Antioxidants are cell modulators
Technology
Human behavior drives trends and for chiropractors, 2020 will see the progressive convergence of mobile devices, material biology, synthetic biology, privacy and security, robotics, nanotech, artificial intelligence, gaming, computer science, 3-D printing, crowd sourcing, big data and I.T., engagement, telecom, social networking, devices, apps, networks, computing and sensors.
This category includes modalities and in our profession, these are definitely trending. For the consumer it's dairy milk vs. almond milk vs. coconut vs. soy: lots of choices to pick from. For us, it's laser therapy vs. pulse therapy (shockwave) vs. lymphatic therapy vs. vibration/percussion therapy. (Call me if you need help making choices.)
Empathy
Creating that "human touch" and connection is absolutely essential. You'd better get good at this if you're not already! Overall, I see the younger generation of doctors willing to combine the best of evidence-based medicine, data, science and technology, but they may be short on empathy. The older practitioners seem to understand how patients get stressed in trying to figure out the work-life balance and are bigger on empathy.
You'll need to have high impact on patients; focus this year on offering real take-home value: tools, tips and advice that can make an immediate impact on your patients' health, life and business. Bring your best authentic personality to the table.
Movement Specialist
The Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services states that regular physical activity is one of most important things we can do to improve our health, prevent chronic disease, improve brain health, improve sleep quality, and reduce the risk of anxiety and depression. For substantial health benefits, adults should do at least 150-300 minutes a week of moderate-intensity, or 75-150 minutes a week of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity, or an equivalent combination of moderate- and vigorous-intensity aerobic activity.
Adults also should do muscle-strengthening activities of moderate or greater intensity and that involve all major muscles groups on two or more days a week, as these activities provide additional health benefits. Activity bouts of any duration contribute to the weekly goal.
Are you the trend setter who can motivate your patients to exercise throughout the day in bouts lasting less than five minutes each to accumulate these targets?
Specialization
One of the greatest opportunities for chiropractic professionals today is carving out a niche and being the best at it. There are many techniques for adjusting, weight loss, performance enhancement, diagnosis, etc., but can you really be good at them all? It takes time to learn something new. Consider specializing in headaches, women's health (hormones, pelvic floor disorders, aesthetics, etc.), men's health (hormone optimization), neurology or exercise rehabilitation. Create a "clinic within a clinic"; for example, I have a successful weight-loss center within my office. Some novel treatment approaches: transcranial direct current stimulation, repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation and laser therapy.
Off-the-Shelf Testing (Bio-Hacking)
This is so much fun. You can recommend tests such as blood glucose measuring, micronutrient and macronutrient testing, stool samples to learn about the gut microbiome, hormone testing for optimization, games for brain testing, etc. These tests are all available now online and the public doesn't need you to order many of them. However, people still need a doctor who can help interpret these results and write a program for them. Target the anti-inflammation and neurodegeneration message.
Other Trends to Consider
Other trends including CBD topicals, stem cell biology and regenerative medicine. Messaging about solid advice and procedures you can do to bolster the brain and prevent or reverse degenerative disease is trending. Don't forget that most diseases have an environmental, emotional or other component that tips you into a diseased state.
The public needs us now more than ever. I wish you tons of success in the new year.
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