June 2006

Stop giving the care away

by Dr. Eric Plasker

Attention all chiropractors. It's time for our profession to stop giving the care away. This includes doctors with very heavy insurance‑based practices who are having their fees slashed by insurance companies and only collecting 40, 50 or 60% of their services. This also includes subluxation‑based practitioners who think they must give their services away and not charge reasonable fees. They feel that in order to get new patients they must compromise their fees to get people under chiropractic care. In both cases, nothing can be further from the truth.

I learned the value of chiropractic care at an early age. When I was 15 years‑old, I was injured on the football field and told not to play football. I went to the best medical experts and they all gave me the same diagnosis and prognosis. Fortunately, my mother took me to a chiropractor the next day. I received care and played that afternoon without any pain. I knew from the moment of my first adjustment that I was going to be a chiropractor. The value of chiropractic to me was unlimited.

I also learned the value of chiropractic care after my son became paralyzed from a fall. We were told by all the medical experts that he would never walk, never talk, and never use his right arm. Within 20 minutes of receiving his chiropractic adjustment, his breathing stabilized, he woke up, he regained full range of motion in his neck and he began to move. Today, he's a thriving, healthy 16‑year‑old young man. I can't tell you how much the value of chiropractic care means to him, his life, and our family.

We've all seen miracle cases within in our practices. We've all seen people suffering from acute pain who tried all types of health care and then received chiropractic care and got better. We've all seen the athlete who was able to get back on the field and compete at the highest level after receiving chiropractic care for an injury. What's the value of chiropractic to them?

We've also seen people who've been under long‑term chiropractic care, who used to be prone to illness, yet no longer get sick as often because their immune systems and body are stronger. They can fight off infections, their stamina increases, they need less sleep, and they have more energy to experience and enjoy life. We've all seen children under chiropractic care experience better health and well‑being. We've all seen seniors who thought that life was over and that they were destined for inactivity receive chiropractic care and become active, healthy older adults engaging in life, feeling great and having fun again. What's the value of chiropractic to all of these people?

Giving the care away is frustrating to all of us because we know the value of what we do. We just don't know how to package and communicate the care so that people will buy it in today's marketplace. If you know the answer to this challenge, you'll attract more patients, get better results and enjoy the most profitable and exciting time in the history of your practice.

What I have learned from helping thousands of chiropractors see millions of patients and help millions of people is that packaging is a fundamental part of this process. Many chiropractors have their services packaged in ways the public doesn't understand. This is not profitable. Nothing can be more frustrating for a healer than wanting to serve people and not being able to attract those in need.

Package your care with the mindset that you are no longer an insurance‑based practitioner or cash‑based practitioner. There are no more insurance patients or cash patients. There are no PI cases or rehab cases. There are only people who need your products and services. There are only people who can benefit from the care that you provide as a chiropractor. Build a care‑based practice.

Base your practice on the long‑term needs of patients, not just for their current condition. By focusing on improving their health throughout the course of their lifetime, you'll be amazed at how many people appreciate the value of what we do and will commit to care and refer like crazy. "Thank God I found a doctor who's focused on my needs and is willing to help me be the best I can be," people will say. They'll spread your name like wildfire and you'll build your practice based on the fundamentals of chiropractic care and the service that we provide.

At The Family Practice, we've seen thousands of chiropractors enjoy more patients, better success, an increase in office visits and collections by dramatic numbers by becoming care‑based and care‑oriented chiropractors without giving the care away. I've seen chiropractors grow to the point where they save more money every month than they used to gross every month. Now it's your turn.

Stop giving the care away and build the quality of life you deserve as a chiropractor while you help more people than ever to reach their full health potential.

(Dr. Eric Plasker is a licensed chiropractor and founder of The Family Practice chiropractic coaching and training organization, which provides all the systems, tools and support to build a highly successful and profitable family practice. An internationally known speaker and educator, he is best known for rallying the chiropractic profession around the LCfE (Lifetime Care For Everyone) and Family Practice visions. For a seminar schedule, coaching, training, or product information, call The Family Practice toll‑free at 866‑LEAD‑DCS (532‑3327), ext. 118. Or visit The Family Practice website at www.thefamilypractice.net)