Unfortunately, and foolishly, the chiropractic profession has created an unnecessary rite of passage I call the "weak-end" paradigm. This seemingly immutable law states that in order to be successful, chiropractors must perform countless weekend spinal screenings to attract patients.

New chiropractors, in particular, are encouraged to devote their weekends to "community service" events, instead of relaxing and rejuvenating for the following work week. But is this ritual a necessity?

Absolutely not!

Certainly weekend screenings offer some value. What better way to learn tenacity than to force yourself, spine in hand, to stand in front of a nutrition store or a booth at a community fair and hawk your offerings to passers-by? Where else can you hone your communication skills into a two-minute sales pitch on the benefits of chiropractic?

But does the typical weekend screening truly generate a substantial number of new patients? Is the effort worth the expense? And by expense, I am referring not simply to the dollar cost but also the emotional and physical cost of giving up your weekend down time.

My own experience, and that of the doctors I speak with, indicates that up to 70% of the people who stop to chat at weekend screening events choose not to accept chiropractic care.

The reasons for this are threefold.

First, the doctor's office location may be inconvenient for the person. Next, he or she may be unemployed or employed without insurance and unable to afford the cost of care. Finally, the person may have an HMO and be unwilling to pay for or participate in care not covered by his or her insurance plan.

Even the 30% of people who do agree to come to your office for an initial consultation dwindle to an average of 9-10 new patients. The bottom line is that a 20-hour weekend event, if stunningly successful, may net a doctor nine new patients.

"Not bad" some doctors may think. "Weak" I say! Weekend screening events are time- consuming and inefficient -- the proverbial needle in a haystack. Furthermore, most doctors can't participate in more than 10 events per year, given the significant investment required in hours and energy. It's time for chiropractors to reclaim their weekends and pursue other, more effective venues during normal business hours.

Consider the usual obstacles to care -- location, cost and insurance. Now, consider what venue allows a doctor to overcome these obstacles before performing a single screening? The answer is obvious: the corporate world.

Corporate America is a venue that few chiropractors understand. Yet, it's a powerful source of new clients for doctors who know how to approach and gain access to its employees.

My clients enjoy relationships with corporations that are no more than a 15-minute drive from their chiropractic offices. These businesses invite them to participate in (or even organize) corporate health fairs. Following my model, they can schedule anywhere from 24 to 60 events a year. Not only are health fairs held during the week, but they rarely exceed four hours. And, each event produces as many clients as -- or more than -- an all weekend screening.

Of course, most corporations provide health insurance plans that cover chiropractic care. Can you think of a better way to hedge your bets than to do screenings for only pre-qualified patients? Especially when you learn that every health fair yields an average of nine new patients!

Would you prefer to invest your time in a two-day weekend screening for the general public (i.e., individuals unqualified for chiropractic care) or, would you rather spend a few weekday hours at a local business screening pre-qualified individuals?

Again, the answer's obvious.

Ask yourself if you're stuck in the weak-end paradigm. I spend every weekend where I belong -- with my family. Where will you spend this weekend?