The world we live in is constantly changing, of course, but it does not change smoothly. There are long periods of plateau and then something happens that forces change and the process begins again. We notice some of these events; others we don't.

Last month, I detailed the changes that occurred in the 1990s in the health care market and how those changes have adversely affected both the medical and chiropractic professions. That discussion reminded me of the enormous change that occurred in the automobile industry in the 1970s. It might serve us well to remember the lessons learned then as we cope with the present health care market.

In 1954, American Motors Corporation (AMC) was formed by a merger of Hudson and Nash, two forward-thinking companies that never made it big. In 1958, AMC began producing the AMC-marque Rambler, a smaller automobile compared to the behemoths coming from their competition. This was an idea that was ahead of its time. Sales for the Rambler quadrupled in just a few years. Unfortunately, AMC lost focus and tried to imitate the Big 3 -- Ford, General Motors, and Chrysler.

However, one of the best things AMC did was to purchase Jeep in 1970 from Kaiser Industries. Sales of the Jeep allowed the company to continue competing with Ford, General Motors, and Chrysler. In its final years, AMC was primarily a manufacturer of non-AMC vehicles, including Renault.

During the '70s, the oil embargo hit and the public clamored for smaller vehicles that provided improved gas mileage. The Big 3 couldn't deliver, and it would take them several years to meet market demands.

Additionally, quality control was a major problem. According to the expert I talked to, the automobiles coming off the production line and delivered to a dealer in the '70s had 100 defects on average. It was common knowledge in those days that new vehicles were unreliable. Better to buy a used car that had been driven 20,000 miles and had all the "bugs" worked out. Today, the number of defects in cars arriving at dealerships averages about 10.

The answer to our need for quality automobiles came from Japan: smaller vehicles, great gas mileage, and good quality control. After years on a creative and marketing plateau, Detroit automakers had to change and quickly.

Ford and General Motors lost enormous amounts of money and prestige. The government bailed Chrysler out with unprecedented loans. American Motors (Renault) sold out to Chrysler in 1987. Chrysler did have the vision to buy the rights to the Jeep and later invented the minivan. Chrysler has since been bought by the European company Daimler, apparently for the rights to the Jeep! The old World War II creation is still a valuable commodity.

This brings us back to the recent changes in the health care market. After years on a creative and marketing plateau and poor quality control, the medical profession is being forced to change.

I discussed at length last month how the pharmaceutical companies have found a way to market their drugs directly to the public and things will never be the same. How does this change affect chiropractic? How do we compete with this unprecedented advertising blitz? Will we go the way of American Motors, simply unable to change to meet changing consumer demands?

In our David vs. Goliath struggle we have one equalizing weapon -- our vitalistic philosophy -- which has stood the test of time, just like the venerable Jeep. Relieve the stress (be it mechanical, chemical, or emotional) and the body will heal itself, unless insurmountable tissue damage has already occurred.

Other health-related professions struggling for recognition have turned toward chiropractic answers to their dilemmas. I am sure you have noticed that, for some time now, many of the techniques that originated within the chiropractic profession have been incorporated into other professions that claim them as their own. Only our original philosophy, like the Jeep, remains intact. Perhaps it is time for us to look back to our roots and incorporate our heritage into a new marketing plan.

If we turn again to the automobile industry and update our story to 1989, we find the gasoline shortage is over. Detroit has regained its position of respect in the marketplace and is again appealing to luxury and big car buyers. In order to compete, Lexus introduces its LS400 model to compete with Lincoln and Cadillac but with an interesting twist: luxury with a lower price tag and better engineering!

That's my point. The chiropractor's major competitor is the drugstore. According to published statistics, the top three over-the-counter sellers in any pharmacy are pain relievers/anti-histamines, laxatives, and antacids.

If you were to incorporate within your practice a systematic examination of viscero-somatic reflexes, you could identify specific digestive problems, normalize bowel function, relieve allergies, and prevent associated painful inflammatory processes. Better diagnosis and preventative health care, with a lower price tag! All of this is well within your scope of practice and area of expertise.

(Dr. Loomis welcomes input on the subjects covered in this column. To make a comment or ask a question, write to him at 6421 Enterprise Lane, Madison, WI 53719. Visit www.loomisenzymes.com online or call 800/662-2630 for information on upcoming Loomis Institute seminars.)