Another Target to Consider
Dear Editor:
Dr. Haldeman is right on target in the need and the future need for more chiropractors. [Read “Primary Spine Care: Our Identity and Obligation” in the June 2023 issue.] However, there needs to be another target to consider. That target is patient access to chiropractic services.
We as a society and culture have become dependent on health insurance to cover our medical service needs. Patients feel their health care costs should be covered by their insurance carrier. We know from various studies the health benefit, cost-effectiveness and high patient satisfaction of chiropractic services.
This other target should be on the medical community to encourage better access to patient care. I worked on staff for a large medical group in Los Angeles for 27 years. I found the medical providers, in numerous specialties, saw the benefit of utilizing chiropractic services. They themselves received care at times.
The company had the foresight to provide this service. However, once this group was acquired a few years ago by a very large, expanding, nationwide medical company, the chiropractic services were no longer desired.
Ironic that a recent study published in this journal promoting the benefits of chiropractic care as first line of care for neck pain over other forms of health care services was released by the research department of this same large medical company. Obviously, the business department is not in communication with the research department and its medical providers in the trenches.
Perhaps helping the insurance industry recognize the benefits of providing better access should be the next target.
Patrick Wilbur, DC
Upland, Calif.
Editor’s Note: Comment on an article, address a trending topic, or share your thoughts on any issue relevant to the art, science or philosophy of chiropractic by submitting a short letter to the editor to editorial@mpamedia.com. Include your full name, degree(s), and the city and state in which you practice. Submission is acknowledgment that your letter may appear in an upcoming issue, and could be edited lightly for grammar and style guide considerations.
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?
