Category: Cover Stories

Oftentimes, the tools used will determine the possibility for success in accomplishing any task. Making the right decision with regard to the documentation software, record keeping and other products you use will have a tremendous impact on the heights that your clinic may be able to reach. Use this market review to get to know some of your options.

 

 

Acom
Product Name: ACOM Health Documentation and Practice Management Software
Price Range: You can own our software for a low monthly fee, no credit check required.
Best Feature Description: ACOM Health’s Documentation and Practice Management software solution integrates the clinical and management aspects of your office activities with a complete workflow system that turns tedious, manual obligations into simple automated tasks, establishing a seamless, paperless office environment to help you maximize collections and eliminate billing challenges by delivering exactly what payors need to see.
Contact Info: 1-866-286-5315, ext. 217

  

 

Chirotouch
Product Name: ChiroTouch
Price Range: $10,000 to $15,000
Best Feature Description: ChiroTouch has developed its HIPAA-compliant total practice management system to drastically reduce the time it takes to perform tasks you are already doing! That gives you more time to see more clients—having a direct, measurable impact on practice profitability and quality of care.
Contact Info: 1-800-852-1771

 

E-Z Bis, Inc.
Product Name: E-Z BIS EHR
Price Range: $1795
Best Feature Description: E-Z BIS offers a complete electronic health record solution that gives doctors the ability to operate a paperless office, by recording histories, exam results, X-ray findings, care plans, daily treatment notes and all other pertinent patient health data. E-Z BIS also offers complete integration with billing, scheduling, collection and management features.
Contact Info: 1-800-445-7816

 

 

Eon Systems
Product Name: Documentor™
Price Range: $2595
Best Feature Description: With a Tablet PC, Documentor™ is a giant leap beyond the “canned” note writers. It is designed to cut down your writing time and produce terrific notes, narratives and reports. Protect yourself in an insurance audit by having your notes say exactly what you want them to.
Contact Info: 1-800-955-6448

 

 

InPhase Technology Group
Product Name: InPhase Practice Management Software
Price Range: $2750 to 3500
Best Feature Description: InPhase makes your follow-up with carriers speedy, productive, and painless. Our Money Pit module tracks every unpaid claim and logs your progress. It even calculates carriers’ average response time. The Money Pit gives you all the information you will need to make that call and get your claims paid.
Contact Info: 1-800-490-3780.

 

 

 

Life Systems Software
Product Name: ChiroSuiteEHR; ChiroPadEMR & ChiroOffice
Price Range: $1495 to $7995
Best Feature Description: Integrated SOAP documentation and Office Management providing computerized paperless efficiency to increase income and patient visits, and reduce expenses. Features include SOAP notes generate billing; automatic diagnosis pointing; self auditing; electronic claims; electronic phone log; scheduling; missed appointment tracking; electronic sign out collection protection.
Contact Info: 1-800-543-3001, option 1
 

 

 

TGI Solutions
Price range:  150/month – Subscription, Purchase starting at $1995
Product Name:  TGI- Autumn8
Best Feature Description:  Fully integrated office scheduling, billing, EMR, including patient self-check in.
Contact info:  1-800-645-4309

 

 

JTECH Medical
Product Name: Eval Express Chiropractic Toolkit
Price Range: $7490
Best Feature Description: Eval Express Chiropractic Toolkit provides objective justification for treatment and rehabilitation, while showing the functional effects of subluxation to your patients. The Toolkit includes objective Range of Motion, muscle strength and pain evaluation and the exciting new Quick Screen module for patient marketing that eliminates the need for other screening products.
Contact Info: 1-800-985-8324

 

 

TyQ Corporation
Product Name: Q-ROM Range of Motion Station
Price Range: $1995 to $4795; $95/mo. lease plan
Best Feature Description: The Q-ROM Station is a computerized and automated diagnostic system that quickly and accurately measures spinal ranges of motion. It uses 3D-Enhanced dual inclinometry along with an advanced graphical user interface to enable simple and fast measurements.
Contact Info: 1-770-880-7903

 

 

Future Health
Price range:  $ 6,995.-
Product Name:  Documentation/HER/Scheduler
Best Feature Description:  Future Health’s documentation is fully integrated and includes a TRUE EHR and Scheduler. Easy, user-friendly and secure. FREE, unlimited training and support! Our customers rave about our complete, compliant and professional notes, customization, intuitive design and SPEED. Documentation also fully integrates with Future Health’s billing to expedite getting paid and patient education to increase your patient’s understanding.
Contact info:  1-888-434-7347

 

 

 

 

 

Practice Perfect
Product Name: MD/DC/PT Integration
Price Range: $1,000 to $1,500/month
Best Feature Description: Practice Perfect is the largest MD/DC, DC/PT Integration health care management and consulting firm in the country. Dr. Dahan has trained thousands of dedicated doctors to become the most achieved health care providers.
Contact Info: 1-800-598-6289

 

EWDC
Price range:  $399.99
Product Name:  ECLIPSEtoOutlook (E2O)
Best Feature Description:  E2O synchronizes your ECLIPSE^® patient schedule to your Microsoft Outlook calendar, allowing you to view your entire calendar in one place.
Contact info:  1-877-226-0314

 

Successful Marketing the “CLA WAY” by Patrick Gentempo Jr., D.C., CEO of Chiropractic Leadership Alliance.

Marketing is a primary function for any successful business, whether it be a chiropractic

You may contact Dr. Patrick Gentempo at 1 International Blvd., #750, Mahwah, NJ 07495. Phone 1-201-252-3220, Executive Assistant Mike Thompson, Ext. 114, or visit www.subluxation.com  or www.creatingwellness.com.

practice or a Fortune 500 company. Despite its importance, marketing is not well studied by most DC’s and is not a disciplined part of their business structure. I recently held a marketing boot camp for our high-achiever CLA clients. I was blown away with the ideas and creativity. They left with a budgeted, 12 month marketing plan with built in metrics that will assure their continued success. I want the.

same for you. In the brief space I have for this format, I will give you the best highlights I can. Let’s start with a couple of important premises.
Entire chapters can be written on the procedures for each of these. The purpose of my writing this short essay is to give highlights and context to the subject of marketing. Be bold. Be multi-dimensional. Be consistent. Stand out. Leverage all you’ve got to make it happen!

 

 

What I Learned from a New Jersey Boardwalk by Mark Mandell, D.C., M.B.A.

Dr. Mark Mandell is the President of The Vitality Depot, a national chiropractic supply company focusing on innovative equipment and extraordinary value. He is a popular lecturer on business growth and the author of Spark Your Sales. Reach him at 1-866-941-8867 or [email protected].

It rained when I was out walking on a New Jersey boardwalk. As soon as it started to rain, I saw the boardwalk vendors bring out the umbrellas.

Some of the vendors placed signs outside that read “Umbrellas for Sale.” These are pure entrepreneurs who were prepared to react to the rainy situation and make a simple profit by selling umbrellas for a few bucks each.

A whole other group of vendors opened up giant golf umbrellas and were running out to the people on the boardwalk, shielding them from the rain and escorting them into their shops. Some of the braver ones were even meeting prospects standing at the outer edges of other shops and walking them through the rain to their shop, while shielding them with umbrellas. In my mind, these were the true salespeople. These were the people who were not relying on signs, but using smiles, service and salesmanship to earn more business.

If it rained on your street, would you start selling umbrellas, use them as marketing tools or use them as sales tools?

Your business is what you make of it. Your success depends on your creativity and your gumption.

Your business is what you make of it. Your success depends on your creativity and your gumption.

  Former Patients Are Where the Money Is by Daniel T. Drubin, CEO of Pro Practice Partners

 

Daniel T. Drubin is Co-Founder and Managing Partner of ProPractice Partners, LLC, a chiropractic management and marketing company and was previously President and founder of 4th Dimension Management Corporation, a company specializing in personalized business management and consulting, corporate motivational speaking and business development. Call 1-520-575-0207 or visit www.ProPracticePartners.com  for more information.

When Willie Sutton, the multiple bank robber, was finally apprehended, he was asked the following question. “Why do you keep robbing banks?”

His response was simple and to the point…. “Because that’s where they keep the money!”

Well, if you want to know where some of the money is in your practice, take a look at your inactive files. They are just filled with people that you have already had successful experiences with and many of them are just waiting for you to remind them that they are still part of your practice. And, while our marketing plan often contains events and activities that are outside of the office, these outside activities frequently come at the expense of some of the easiest things that we can do inside the office.

At ProPractice Partners, our statistical tracking indicates that, if you follow the four simple rules of former patient contact, for every ten people you reach, two to three will return to the practice.

As for what to say, keep it simple. I suggest, “(patient’s name), this is (doctor’s name), I just wanted to touch base and remind you that you are due for a check-up. When would be a good day to get you in?”

 

That’s it. You will be astonished at how many patients will reactivate themselves as a result of this simple reminder.

Just do it and enjoy the results.

 

The 3 Elements to Ensure Success to Your Marketing Strategy by Dennis Nikitow, D.C., Founder of Certainty Practice Products and Seminars

 

Dr. Nikitow is one of the most sought after experts in the profession. He is the founder and developer of Certainty Practice Products and Seminars. Dr. Nikitow has been practicing for 29 years, and teaching for 20 years. For more information on Certainty Practice Products or The Certainty Seminar, call 1-800 544-3884 or visit www.certaintypracticeproducts.com.

All marketing requires identifying a problem, providing a solution and establishing your solution as unique to that individual.

As a chiropractor, your ability to communicate chiropractic is the most important key to your success. Uniqueness is found in our philosophy and principles. When you know how to communicate our philosophy and principles as the solution to their problems, a profound repositioning occurs to people’s health care paradigm and they put you on their health care team for the entire family.

I have proved this in both internal and external marketing to build the largest most successful practices in the world for 25 years.

By incorporating the following three elements into every marketing strategy, you will insure its success. See table.

These elements will impact people to take action and never fail you in any marketing strategy you do. I incorporate these on the radio, at screenings and talks, in print ads and even in one on one encounters.

 

As long as you learn to communicate them with certainty, you will be perceived as having a unique solution to their problems, and your practice will continue to grow and thrive.

 

 

Focus on All Marketing Aspects, Not Just One! by Lisa Goldberg, CEO of Allcare Consultants

 

Lisa Goldberg is the executive director of Physicians Choice Concierge (PCC), a company specializing in revenue enhancement. If you have a question, email [email protected]  or call 1-888-369-2224.

What some people fall short of knowing is that your practice is a business; therefore, it should operate like one. The marketing approach that most businesses focus on first is outbound marketing, which includes advertising and promotions, sales, and public relations. Too often, a business jumps right into getting the “word” out before they even decide what the “word” is. It is very important, especially in today’s economy, to focus on your company’s inbound or internal marketing first, which consists of understanding your market and knowing how your products and services will meet the needs of that market, along with proper pricing and value proposition, customer service and customer satisfaction. Time and time again, businesses end up pushing products and services onto people who really do not want or need the products or services at all. With effective inbound or internal marketing, outbound marketing will be much more efficient and uncomplicated.

Keep in mind that marketing consists of a wide range of activities that involves your business meeting the needs of your customers, while getting appropriate value in return. It is not only about advertising and pushing sales through. Nine of ten customers will tell their friends about a bad experience they have had with your company, which creates a ripple effect of negativity on your potential customers. Patient surveys are a good way of getting feedback on your performance. Marketing with regard to customer satisfaction and customer service is crucial, so remember to focus on the customers that you already have and keep them happy! Referral-based marketing can lead to an influx of business. It is important to know your referral sources and to thank them, whether it is a patient referring a patient or a physician referring a physician or patient. Also, consider your future and be strategic. You may know what your patients need now, but do you know what they may need six months from now? Will they still be your patients at that point in time? Keep those happy customers coming back time and time again and focus on all marketing, not just one aspect.

 

Creating Practice Growth through Sophisticated Simplicity by Shawn Veltman

The biggest secret for successful marketing is to forget about new patients. Not forever,

Shawn Veltman is a practice growth expert operating out of Hamilton, Ontario, and the founder of SV&A Chiropractic Consulting. He has helped practices in Canada, and the U.S., develop systems to bring back patients, retain existing patients, and run their practices more effectively. For more information about SV&A Chiropractic, visit www.svachiro.com.

of course, but for the next six months or so.

In that time, take a long hard look at all the things you’re doing right and wrong between the time somebody calls your office for an assessment, and the time they have their final visit.

Look at EVERYTHING in your practice with fresh eyes—with the eyes of a brand new patient, who doesn’t know ANYTHING about chiropractic.

Then figure out how to make the experience better and more meaningful for that patient.

Look at things that are extremely important (Are you communicating your findings to them in a way that they can easily understand?), and seemingly trivial (Did the person at the front desk make eye contact, smile, and make them feel comfortable when they walked in the door?).

Look at the conversations you have with new patients. Are you sure you’re fully addressing all their questions, worries and concerns (especially the unspoken ones)? Remember, most patients won’t necessarily tell you if they have any reservations— they’ll just never come back.

Looking inward and working in these areas ensures a better and more meaningful experience for all your patients, which translates into happier, healthier patients who will stay longer, refer more, and, in general, contribute to a better practice for everybody.

      

 

The fitness and nutrition industries are poised to take a leadership role in health care. They have all the research that demonstrates their role in achieving optimum health and prevention of sickness and disease. These elements of a healthy lifestyle are being sought after by the public who are trying to decipher between the good and the bad, the real and the snake oil, and they are searching for a trusting voice. If you want your practice to thrive, it is critical that your practice brand itself toward delivering relevant information regarding these important lifestyle components without giving up your chiropractic identity, and that you learn how to work with the fitness industry.

Phillip and Jackie Mills, M.D., are passionate about the health of the planet.

When you establish a brand for your practice, consider your overall vision. Do you want to be strictly a pain based practice, insurance based practice, or an office that creates patients that stay with you for life? Do you want a revolving door of relief care and inactive files or do you want to be their doctor primary health care provider? If you are a pain clinic, and you brand yourself that way, no matter how hard you try you will have tremendous difficulty getting patients to understand why they should continue on with their care after they feel better. Your brand will establish your identity and determine the type of patients you attract, as well as your ability to attract supportive companies and organizations who want to co-brand with you.

 

Co-branding becomes a very powerful and cost effective way to leverage your brand with companies and organizations that can help you grow. We see co-brands everywhere, including FedexKinkos, Delta and American Express, Apple and ATT, and even in your practice. If you use Foot Levelers products, you are co-branding with Foot Levelers and they are doing the same with you to help more patients. You may be doing the same with nutritional products, professional memberships and the chiropractic college you graduated from. Co-branding brings credibility and invites the customers affiliated with your co-brands to be more receptive to your practice.

 

One of the strongest brands in the fitness industry is Les Mills. Founded in 1968 by Les and Colleen Mills in New Zealand out of their passion for fitness, Les Mills now provides fitness classes in over 12,000 fitness centers around the world, certifies instructors and has become the global group fitness leader. Currently owned and run by Les’ son Phillip and his wife, Jackie Mills, MD, Les Mills exercises more than five million people per week. Phillip and Dr. Jackie, who co-authored the book Fighting Globesity, are passionate about their business and truly care about the health of our planet. The unique focus of Les Mills is that they provide innovative, creative fitness classes and they do this for their co-brands, the gyms that they work with in the United States, Canada, and worldwide. They work together with the owners of these facilities to keep this department on the cutting edge of fitness and fun for their members. It is very common that, when people travel and are looking for a good workout, they go to www.lesmills.com to find a gym with classes that they know they will love. This is the power of the brand and demonstrates the value of their co-brand with the gym, and they maintain their unique focus in every location. The Family Practice and several other companies co-branded with Les Mills on a Stress Less America campaign, that was designed to de-stress America, while also directing lots of people to Les MIlls for a work-out as well as to the chiropractors who participated. It was very successful and landed me on several news programs around the country.

Our expertise in chiropractic relates to the spine and nerve system. We know that we can influence the health of the entire body through the spine and not only provide rapid relief, but we can also provide a lifetime of health through our knowledge about the body, our philosophy, and keeping the spine and nerve system healthy as an important component of a healthy lifestyle. Too many chiropractors, in their attempt to sell the healthy lifestyle, lose their identity, become unclear of their business model, and dilute their brand in the process. This is not necessary and can be solved through the power of co-branding.

 

 

 

I have had the opportunity to work with Gold’s Gyms around the country by speaking at their Gold’s Gym Challenge, their international convention, and being appointed to their Gold’s Gym Fitness Institute. The gym provides the endurance and strength training, while the chiropractors take care of the structure, the spine and nerve system. There are quite a few Gold’s Gyms that have chiropractors working inside their facilities, with the goal of enhancing the Endurance, Strength and Structure, or what I call the ESS principles.

 

If you want to build a relationship with gyms and the fitness industry, you have to brand yourself in such a way that makes your relationship with them relevant, and you have to consistently provide cutting edge information and content for their members in the area of lifestyle. When you do this, they will more seriously consider working with you.

 

Being successful working with the fitness industry in your area requires a branding for your practice that is lifestyle oriented and recognizes the need for everyone working together, doing their part to help people live healthier lives.

 

If your only focus is on making their customers new patients and getting a series of quick hits from them, they will drop you like a hot potato and you will be giving chiropractic a bad name. You will not only ruin the relationship for yourself, but you will ruin the relationship for chiropractors everywhere. If you play your cards right, by providing their clients with great information and by becoming a fantastic referral source to them, you will build a relationship that can last a lifetime and that is also very profitable for your practice. The quality of your relationship will be based on what you are willing to give.

 

Fitness companies love chiropractic. Associations and companies love working with chiropractors who bring quality lifestyle information to their members or employees. As an example, many of the doctors who co-brand with The 100 Year Lifestyle are finding this to be true. Dr. Peter Huber, in California, capitalized on this co-brand to become a featured speaker for the American Heart Association. Dr. Sonny Gotro, in North Carolina, used this co-brand to implement The 100 Year Lifestyle wellness program in his town, which includes fitness, nutrition, and chiropractic. Chiropractic is such an important element of living a healthy lifestyle and, if you brand yourself this way, fitness companies and leading organizations in your town will seek you out and become great allies in helping you improve the health of your community and give you an important strategic positioning for your practice.

 

Fitness is going to become a core element of health care reform. The cost of obesity and unhealthy lifestyles is bankrupting our system and the change will happen very rapidly, with you or without you. Chiropractors have been teaching this health and wellness lifestyle for decades. The world is finally listening but, if you do not strategically brand and position your practice properly, this wave will pass you by. If you have already positioned yourself this way and your practice is not thriving, it is important to bring your message up to speed and your delivery system into the present.

Do not allow yourself to be blindsided by how quickly things are changing in the world of health care and in the mind of the consumer. Our culture is going to begin making health a primary value. Be the Lifestyle Leader in your community and blend fitness and chiropractic to keep the people in your town as healthy as possible.

Dr. Eric Plasker is the founder of The Family Practice, a marketing and training company for chiropractors, and the author of the international best selling book, The 100 Year Lifestyle, and the creator of The 100 Year Lifestyle Certification Program. He can be reached at 1-866-532-3327 or [email protected]. For a free audio download to help you build your practice, visit www.thefamilypractice.net

 

 

Dr. Kennedy is a graduate of Palmer College and has been in both private and MD/DC practices in Berlin, PA, for over 23 years. He is a leading authority in North America on decompression and rehabilitation procedures and has successfully treated tens of thousands of patients. He has pioneered decompression therapy technique since 1993. Dr. Kennedy is also a renowned product designer and holds multiple patents. Dr. Kennedy is a frequent guest lecturer at leading chiropractic colleges and decompression therapy certification seminars throughout the US. For more information email [email protected].

Decompression, a.k.a. traction therapy, as a primary treatment modality for herniated lumbar and cervical discs is well known in physical therapy (PT) and chiropractic. Over 50% of PT’s report using traction therapy as a primary treatment for herniated discs, especially conditions showing nerve tension signs. I believe up to 15% of DC’s now utilize decompression with 70% using Flexion/Distraction, primarily to affect disc and nerve conditions. Cervical traction is far more prevalent than lumbar traction, in both PT & DC practice, according to a recent survey by Hartte et al. However, both cervical and lumbar traction therapy tend, at least in the PT world, to be directed toward nerve encroachment syndrome (A condition with few other safe and utilitarian options).

Interestingly, lumbar traction has been completely usurped by disc decompression, even though they are one and the same. It is not far fetched to suggest advertising and marketing slogans are the primary differences. Decompression is the potential disc related outcome achieved during axial traction. The prime contingency being that the disc must be intact and hydrostatic (pressurized fluid). When axial tension is applied, a centripetal effect can enhance osmotic renewal. Movement of fluid and nutrients can expedite healing in many cases. This is typically referred to as molecular solute transport and the hydrophilic property of the proteoglycan molecules affords the nucleus its pressure deformation and resiliency characteristics. Keep in mind, decompression isn’t ‘table dependent’, it is an inherent action of axial elongation applied to an intact (hydrostatic) disc.

The primary clinical question is; why Decompression does not always work and why, if so theoretically valuable does it so rarely demonstrate dramatic efficacy in controlled trials? (see Cochrane collaboration; traction review 2006) That remains one of the most puzzling questions for those of us regularly using traction and convinced of its efficacy.

Traction (axial tension) apparently affords 3 potential outcomes:

1. Decompression…if the above mentioned criteria of disc patency hold true.

2. Stretch…creating pain modulation via mechanoreceptor/nociceptor pain gate mechanisms.

3. Directional preference…a range-of-motion that tends to centralize referral pain based on a potential migration or stress-shielding effect of the disc.

These actions-of-traction allow a theoretical answer to why a clinical outcome is attained from treatment. However, we don’t as of yet have the ability to know with certainty what is actually causing the pain and how traction is affecting it specifically. It remains largely theoretical and its benefits largely empirical. My experience through 15 years of clinical use and study of traction tells me it does offer improvement, often dramatically, in disc herniation conditions, with or without nerve involvement. I believe, it will become a primary treatment modality in chiropractic and is fast approaching a tipping-point acceptance.

 

 

 

Dr. Michael Schneider has been a practicing chiropractor for 27 years. He has a PhD in rehabilitation science from the University of Pittsburgh where he presently is an Assistant Professor in the School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences. Dr. Schneider has obtained a five-year Federal grant from the National Institutes of Health to conduct chiropractic research on low back pain

Rehabilitation involves the use of therapeutic exercises and activities to stabilize the spine. The evidence based approach to rehabilitation of herniated discs has two basic components:

1. Directional preference exercises to directly affect the disc

2. Stabilization exercises to improve function in the muscles around the disc

Direct treatment of the disc requires that the chiropractor pay careful attention to how various movements affect the patient’s lumbar and leg symptoms. McKenzie was the first to describe the centralization phenomenon, in which repeated movements cause a receding of leg symptoms proximally toward the spine. Old time chiropractors used the term “retracing” to describe the same observation of pain leaving the foot and slowly retracing back to the spine. When a particular movement causes centralization of symptoms, this is called a directional preference, and is thought to be mechanically causing movement of the herniated nucleus pulposis back toward the center of the disc. When the disc has herniated posteriorly, often repeated extension movements will drive the nuclear material anteriorly and reduce the sciatic symptoms. In patients with a lateral shift or antalgia, repeated lateral bending movements into the same side of pain will cause centralization. This concept was called “closing the open wedge” by some old time chiropractors.

Once directional preference exercises have helped to reduce the disc herniation and symptoms are centralizing, the next step is to stabilize the spine with rehabilitative exercises. Patients should first be taught the postural cat-horse exercise in order to be able to sense their “neutral position”, which is the normal lumbar lordosis. Next, patients should learn how to tighten their abdominal muscles as if someone were to punch them in the stomach. This reflexive tightening of the abdominals is known as an abdominal brace, and immediately stiffens all of the muscles surrounding the spine. Finally, McGill talks about the “big three” exercises for spinal stabilization which consists of training these key muscle groups:

a) Partial crunches: Activates the rectus abdominis without flexion of the spine

b) Side bridge: Activates the oblique abdominals without rotation of the trunk

c) “Dog Pointer”: Activates the erector spinae muscles without hyperextension

Most patients with herniated discs need to be careful not to aggravate their condition with exercises that are beyond their ability. This mistake is made in many physical therapy clinics who take a “no pain – no gain” attitude. McGill has shown that most disc patients do not require intensive strength training to stabilize their spines, with his research showing that only a 5-10% improvement in muscular strength is needed to greatly improve spine stability. Chiropractors can easily incorporate these directional preference and stabilization exercises into their practices without expensive equipment, and help many disc patients to improve.

 

Dr. Seaman is an Adjunct Associate Professor at Palmer College of Chiropractic Florida, has a part-time practice in Ormond Beach, and is the Clinical Education Director for Anabolic Laboratories. He has written numerous articles on the treatment options for chronic pain patients, with a focus on nutritional management. He can be reached at [email protected].

For many years, we have known that the presence of disc herniation does not equate with the presence or severity of back/leg pain.¹ It is also known that, substantial disc degeneration associated with a grade II spondylolisthesis can be pain-free.² Thus, the first treatment technique should be to reassure the patient that disc degeneration, internal disruption, and herniation are common and often remain painless throughout one’s life. Reassurance, as a treatment, is important because we know that there can be a negative effect on outcomes when patients view images of their degenerated spine.³ The second treatment technique involves the realization that no treatment technique fits all patients and so there is no specific technique that is responsible for reducing herniations. Interestingly, if a patient does not have progressive neurologic changes and they can withstand the pain of discopathy, most herniated discs will resorb on their own within two to twelve months.⁴

In terms of managing patients with herniated discs, the goal should be to reduce the pain to a tolerable level, while the natural resorption process occurs. In addition to traction, manual procedures, and rehabilitative exercises, both dietary and nutritional supplementation may be helpful. While there is no specific “nutrition” technique for discs, it is important to realize that the pain process with herniated discs is no different than any other pain. Foods known to reduce inflammation in general include omega-3 fish, vegetables, fruit, and nuts. Lean meats and skinless chicken are also acceptable. Tubers such as potatoes are also anti-inflammatory, so long as they are consumed with the aforementioned low glycemic index/load foods. Foods that are less anti-inflammatory are whole grains, legumes and dairy. And foods that are overtly pro-inflammatory are refined grains, grain/flour products, sugar-rich foods, deep fried foods, trans fat-containing foods, and dressings/foods that contain omega-6 fatty acids from oils derived from corn, safflower, sunflower, cottonseed, peanuts, and soybeans. Ensuring adequate digestive function is also an important consideration. Bearing down during a bowel movement increases intrathecal pressure and can dramatically increase back and leg pain in those with disc herniations. In addition to eating anti-inflammatory foods, supplemental fiber such as psyllium husks can dramatically improve bowel habits. Meals should be spiced with ginger, turmeric, oregano, and other spices, and/or these can be taken as supplements. Not well known is that these spices have anti-inflammatory actions that are similar to NSAIDs. Three key supplements that can influence inflammatory and nociceptive processes include magnesium, vitamin D, and EPA/DHA, which are omega-3 fatty acids from fish oil.

These nutritional recommendations are known to reduce levels of inflammatory mediators in humans, and so should be considered in all of our pain patients.

In the 20th century, the electric motor became part of our culture. The creation of intermittent power traction became a reality. This remained unchanged until Dr. Allen Dyer introduced decompression therapy in 1991.¹

Dr. Dyer felt that, to reach the inner disc core, traditional traction needed modification.

Although intermittent traction is an effective therapy for elasticity, circulation, inflammation and facet movement, it did not adequately address the internal needs of the disc. In other words, to more effectively treat the intervertebral disc, the pull-release ratios needed to change. Dr. Dyer discovered and developed a unique pull-release pattern that proved more effective to the disc than traditional traction.

This was the creation of the “logarithmic pattern.” Although it is technically a traction pattern, it is the only traction pattern classified as decompression.

Figure 1 represents the logarithmic pattern. Simply defined, it is a unique 100-second cycle comprised of a 60-second loading of the pull-force, followed by a 30-second unloading of the pull-force, and finishing with a 10-second rest. The cycle repeats itself for the 30-minute session.²

 

Currently there are as many as 14 decompression systems. About half the systems are manufactured by independent companies. The others are manufactured by “outsource” manufacturers who cosmetically re-badge them to look different and retail under private labels as unique machines.

Pricing for the larger sophisticated systems ranges from $65,000 to $149,000. They all claim superiority but, in many respects, they are the same. However there are some distinct differences you should be aware of.

 Pull-Release Forces: All decompression systems create their pull and release forces using one of two available systems. They either use a modified “cable-winch” motor, or the more sophisticated “actuator” motor.

So what’s the difference?

The winch motor system is comprised of a cable wrapped around a spool like a fishing reel. Function wise, the cable-winch provides a satisfactory pull but it has very little control of the release value other than to simply unreel and “let go.”

The actuator motor is a more sophisticated system, comprised of an internal gear attached to a long threaded axel shaft. The gear and shaft provide extreme accuracy in both the pull and the release. In addition, actuator motors can be manufactured with internal sensors that provide feedback to locate the position of the actuator shaft. This means the actuator has the capability of setting its pull-release forces by poundage (like cable systems) and by distance (only actuators can control distance). On a clinical note, patients with elongation limitations, i.e., post surgical, tissue sensitivity or geriatric issues, can be treated more safely using distance values. It is an excellent safety feature that should be consider when researching your system.

 Postures: There are three postures currently used in decompression. They include supine, prone and reclined sitting.

 

Because back pain is generally relieved in a reclined position, the majority of traction systems have been designed to treat patients either prone or supine. As equipment improved, there was little thought that went into improving or changing the reclined posture.

In the 1980’s, manufacturers began to improve their creativity by providing the ability to adjust the location or position of the pull-source. For example, tables with the ability to raise or lower the pull source, or shift the pull source to the left or the right, were introduced. Doctors began to realize that pulling the spine in directions other than straight had clinical advantages.

Flexion-distraction systems modified the pull-source position by adding the ability to move the lower extremities “along with” and “in the same direction” as the pull source. This was accomplished by hinging the source of the pull-force under the pelvis.

However, in 2005, the FDA cleared the first system that could treat the spine in a reclined “sitting posture.” This was the first major change in patient treatment posture since the introduction of traction.

Science has proven that postures affect disc pressure. The vertical bar chart in Figure 2 shows how.

The bio-mechanical theory behind “reclined sitting” is based on vertebral-disc positioning. “When sitting in an upright weight bearing posture, the vertebral bodies are flexed onto the disc. This increases disc pressures more than standing. Therefore, if we can decompress the spine in a reclined “sitting” posture, we can create stronger disc vacuums than supine or prone.³

Simply stated, the postures that create the greatest disc pressures under gravity produce the greatest disc vacuums under decompression.

 Range of Motion: Range of motion refers to the motion capabilities of a joint. With respect to spinal decompression, range of motion refers to the ability to adjust and vary the spine’s posture during the decompression. The ability to vary and change the posture of the spine as you decompress the spine changes how and where the pull-forces move through the spine.

Combining spinal range of motion (ROM) with decompression is the newest addition to decompression. The ability to articulate the spine through its ranges of motion adds a new and sophisticated dimension to decompression.

If you are researching range of motion, the following planes need to be included:

• Vertical elongation of the spine,

• Flexion and extension of the spine,

• Lateral flexion of the spine,

• Rotation along the vertical axial plane,

• Translation anteriorly and posteriorly.

ROM features or articulating features provide three methods of treatment.

Pre-Postured decompression: This is where the spine is strategically pre-positioned based on X-ray or MRI to vary and improve the effects of the pull-forces through the spine. It can succeed where straight linear pulling fails.

ROM therapy: This is a therapeutic procedure that involves actively moving the spine through a series of postures while the spine is distracted, to restore or improve spinal ranges of motion.

Antalgic Decompression: This is where the patient is positioned into the posture of “least pain” prior to beginning of the decompression cycling.

Regarding axial rotation, the postures used with conventional Flexion-Distraction tables limit rotation because the patient is lying straight. Conversely, the flexed hip and knee posture of reclined sitting enables 90 degrees of lumbar-pelvis rotation because the posture simulates the lumbar side-posture adjustment.

Conclusion

There are many traction-decompression systems to choose from. With so many systems to consider, you must choose wisely. Look for the following features:

• Are the pull-forces created by actuator?

• Can the pull-forces be set by poundage AND distance?

• Can the ROM features provide at least 10 planes of motion?

• Does the system have “built in” patient safety features?

• Does the system have report writing software?

• Are there research studies on the system?

David Bass, D.C., LAc, DOM, invented the articulating ROM Antalgic-Trak and is current President of Spinetronics the manufacturer of Antalgic-Trak. You can reach him at [email protected]  or visit www.Spinetronics.com.

Through the family practice, dr. Eric plasker helps chiropractors grow their practice and become life-style leaders in their community

Dr. Eric Plasker is a graduate of Life Chiropractic College and former owner of two highly successful family practices, where he practiced for 16 years.

In 2000, he founded The Family Practice, a personal coaching company that offers marketing and patient education programs which helped thousands of doctors grow their practices. As the author of the best selling book The 100 Year Lifestyle and, soon to be released, The 100 Year Lifestyle Workout, Dr. Plasker has defined a new health care model that includes chiropractors as leaders.

He is an official media correspondent for The American Chiropractor, who has generated over 70 million media impressions and counting for chiropractic through The 100 Year Lifestyle.

 

In an interview with The American Chiropractor, Dr. Eric Plasker tells us about his path to success in chiropractic and life.

TAC: Why are you so passionate about chiropractic and the message of lifetime care?

PLASKER: Chiropractic saved my high school football career and, through ongoing care, I was able to continue playing and excel in sports. My family has experienced incredible quality of life because of the chiropractic lifestyle.

From a practice perspective, the principles of lifetime care helped me to build two highly successful family practices that provide an incredible life for my family. And, through The Family Practice, I have seen thousands of doctors duplicate this success with their clinical results, their practice growth, and their financial success. I get nice letters from doctors and their patients all the time expressing their gratitude. This is very rewarding and fuels my passion.

TAC: Why do you think chiropractors are so successful with this model of practice?

PLASKER: Their success is very exciting. The doctors who we track are growing by a collective $20 million per year and they are becoming Lifestyle Leaders™ in their community. One doctor saw 52 new patients last month, without spending a penny on advertising. Several doctors just reported that, in the first quarter of 2009, they were up by over $25,000 compared to the first quarter of 2008, even in this down economy. That’s $100,000 increase for the year.

One reason for this is that these doctors are filling a very important void in our heath care system. There are no family doctors in the world of medicine anymore and people are searching for healthy, drugless solutions. Chiropractors who are practicing this model are meeting the demands of the public who are starving for answers.

You’ve heard the expression, “You should practice what you preach.” Chiropractors need to do just the opposite. We need to start preaching what we practice. Most chiropractors are under regular chiropractic care, and so are their families and their teams. When doctors focus this practice around their truth, they begin to attract five, ten or even twenty new patients at a time, instead of just one at a time, because they are attracting families. This could be the traditional family which includes mom, dad, kids, parents and grandparents or it can be the inner circle family, which includes your patient’s friends, co-workers, sports community or religious affiliations. This leads to immediate and lasting growth for a practice. These patients stay for life. They value their care and are willing to pay you, regardless of third party involvement. You become their primary care doctor and they will pay you for life, so you don’t have to worry about new patients all the time. This gives many doctors the stability that they have been so desperately searching for, and it sure beats accumulating an office full of inactive files.

TAC: The 100 Year Lifestyle has become a bestselling book that has gained incredible media exposure for chiropractic and for chiropractors. Why did you write it?

PLASKER: To the world, The 100 Year Lifestyle is a book that people love to read, share with their families and use as a reference guide for healthy living. I am honored by its success and I love that it is changing so many people’s lives. This is one reason why I wrote it. The second reason was as a strategy, and that strategy is to create a brand new health care model, in a world of extended life span, that includes chiropractors as leaders.

Many people are unaware that 100-year-old people are one of the world’s fastest growing segments of our population. Unfortunately, they were blindsided by their extended life. They are outliving their life expectancy—which was only 50-years-old when they were born—by a staggering five decades and they are suffering because of it. Our generation is the first generation in history that is getting the advance notice that we will probably live longer than we ever thought, whether we want to or not.

There are 79 million Baby Boomers who are seeing their aging parents and grandparents deteriorate and end up in nursing homes and they are thinking to themselves, “Wow, I have their genes, but I don’t want to be like that when I am that age.” The 100 Year Lifestyle uses what we call this Leverage of Longevity to motivate Baby Boomers to make lifestyle changes now, in the present, for themselves and their families, so they can age differently than their parents and grandparents, and make the most of their extended lives. Obviously this includes chiropractic care to keep their spines and nerve systems healthy for life.

TAC: When you work with families, do you have a hard time getting everyone involved?

PLASKER: If families are an afterthought for you and your team then, yes, you may struggle with getting everyone involved. However, if it is a core part of your procedure, your marketing, and your clinical skill set, you will attract them naturally.

The target market of The 100 Year Lifestyle is Baby Boomers and, in particular, Baby Boomer women. Women buy more books and make the health care decisions for their families. When you get the Baby Boomer women plugged into this model, you will get the entire family under care right away.

TAC: Can you tell us the significance of The 100 Year Lifestyle brand and how doctors can utilize it?

PLASKER: Over the past 2 years, The The 100 Year Lifestyle has generated over 70 million media impressions through television, including CNN, TBS, Movie and a Makeover, FOX, ABC and NBC, hundreds of radio interviews and print media ranging from small local newspapers to Family Circle and Women’s World magazines. Doctors are co-branding with The 100 Year Lifestyle through our licensed marketing and training programs to build their practices and become Lifestyle Leaders in their communities. Co-branding is a very important business strategy, especially in this economy. Think about FedEx Kinko’s, Microsoft/Intel, Delta/American Express, Apple/ATT, and the NFL/United Way, to name a few. The list of strong co-brands goes on and on. Co-branding with The 100 Year Lifestyle helps doctors stand out in the health and wellness crowd.

Since wellness has become such a confusing mess and, in the mind of the public, includes everything from cancer treatments, wonder drugs, massage, beds, nutritional supplements and chiropractic care, just to name a few, The 100 Year Lifestyle brand gives chiropractors the edge ahead and provides them with turn key co-branded marketing and training resources to help them grow. All of the co-branded marketing is very high integrity and includes simple implementation strategies such as newsletters and very creative patient handouts to power point presentations, flyers, gift certificates, media campaigns, ads and more. We often use themes to target specific groups of people including families through our Healthy Generations Campaign, corporations through our Stress Less, Live More Campaign, women and men through our Go Girl and Stand Strong outreach programs, athletes, kids and so on. These campaigns are extremely effective and are producing great results for doctors. It saves them hundreds of hours and thousands of dollars that it would take to put marketing like this together, plus they get to capitalize on the media impact of The 100 Year Lifestyle brand. This Family Practice Program also includes training and implementation support and can be viewed on our website.

TAC: You have developed a Certification Program which is being implemented by the California Chiropractic Association, with many other associations considering coming on board as well. What is the purpose of this Certification Program?

PLASKER: We created a brand new health care model for a world of extended life spans that includes chiropractors as leaders. I am excited about this program because, in working with the state and national associations, we are creating clinical excellence in this model which, combined with the co-branded marketing, can cause social change. We will not only train doctors to deliver chiropractic care through this model but we will also be able to raise the resources through the associations that will enable us to pass laws for our profession and cause social change. I have traveled around the world for the past ten years helping chiropractors grow and have been very fortunate and successful. Now, for the next go around, we will, through this growing and very recognizable brand and our collective efforts, elevate social consciousness around the issue of longevity, human performance and chiropractic. The best part is that it is working across the board.

TAC: Do you have any plans for building your brand in the future?

PLASKER: I believe that, for chiropractic and chiropractors to be relevant during this time of rapid health care transition, we must be leaders in the areas of longevity, fitness and human performance. The soon to be released 100-year Lifestyle Workout will tell America and the world that, if you want to live an active, healthy, long life, then you must Get Your ESS in Shape. The ESS stands for Endurance, Strength and Structure, and all three are essential if you want to have quality of life as you age. The fitness industry is poised and positioned to lead health care. They have all the research. The structural component of the ESS, which obviously includes the spine and chiropractic, is a critical piece and is at the core of this model. The chiropractors who are implementing this in their practices now are booming and building relationships with fitness centers, personal trainers, nutrition companies, corporations and municipalities to deliver this very effective, fun and important message.

TAC: So, you mentioned that several figures have endorsed your program; could you mention some of them?

PLASKER: Everyone. This has been very exciting and humbling. In addition to being endorsed and utilized by thousands of chiropractors and endorsed by doctors in nearly every chiropractic association and college, it is being endorsed by individuals such as Jack LaLanne, Stedman Graham, NFL Grammy Winner Great Roger Craig, Olympian Terry Schroeder, and Usher, as well as companies and associations such as Foot Levelers, Gold’s Gym International, Les Mills International (creators of BodyPump), and the National Academy of Sports Medicine, to name just a few. The list is growing every day as chiropractors spread the word and attract business and community leaders in cities around the world.

TAC: What is your ultimate vision?

PLASKER: My vision is to create a healthier world through this new health care model. Through the public relations and media capabilities of The 100 Year Lifestyle and the on-the-ground delivery of chiropractic care through doctors, we will reach the masses. I believe that the combination of these elements is essential to the success of the individual doctor and our profession. I am very grateful to The American Chiropractor for their leadership in bringing this message to the profession.

Dr. Eric Plasker can be reached at www.thefamilypractice.net, www.100yearlifestyle.com and www.twitter.com/Drericplasker or 1-866-532-3327 x109.

In 1958 he was the Only One….

Fifty years ago, when Dr. Lester Bryman began his career, he felt like he was the only practitioner in his field that thought or talked about a nutrition oriented practice: No one he knew ever wondered about the therapeutic value of eating, let alone that whole foods (non-processed products) were healthy and non-foods were bad.

In 1959, he moved into his first small office in the Bronx, which he shared with his older brother, Dr. Larry Bryman. Together, they practiced straight chiropractic. It was simple and straightforward. People came in. They got an adjustment. They came back. They got great results…and he experienced many miracles. But he still felt something was missing.

One afternoon—he remembers the exact moment—he made a decision to introduce nutrition into his practice. “I was looking at two identical cases,” he said. “One was doing great and the other was very similar—but with no results at all.

“I questioned both patients. One ate only really good foods. The other was on a diet of soda, candy, cake, and ice cream, etc. I thought, no wonder no results. So I got the sugared-up patient to gradually cut the sugar out of his diet, and the positive results came right alongside.”

Bryman applied this simple solution to all his cases that were failing or not moving ahead fast enough. Almost all started to improve.

In 1968 he found the key: Combining Nutrition and Chiropractic

In 1962, Bryman added Parker Chiropractic Procedures to his practice. “Simply put,” he said, “Parker showed me how to present a report of findings to my patients which gave them a choice of treatments; they chose one which they would agree to do and, then, they’d get well.”

That simple procedure boomed Bryman’s office. In 1965, he bought a beautiful building down the street which was set up to see a hundred people a day, very easily. He was still doing straight chiropractic, still no insurance cases, and still intensely interested in nutrition.

However, Bryman began to see a problematic pattern in the chiropractic preventive care he was providing. During the first decade of his practice, his adjustments helped his patients; almost one for one made excellent gains. But, by 1968, it became obvious to Dr. Bryman that preventive chiropractic care was becoming less effective. The adjustments would not hold quite as well as they did years earlier. He knew that there was something missing, and he was certain that combining nutrition and chiropractic was the key.

In 1967, Bryman opened another practice in White Plains, New York. He was still a straight chiropractor, but was always seeking to learn from other successful chiropractors who were older and wiser. He noticed a common thread: They all had a prepayment system that required their patients to buy a package of care (basically offering twelve visits for the price of ten). This plan allowed the patients enough time and opportunity to get real results—and, by doing so, Bryman discovered he now had time to help his patients with their diets. His practice boomed.

By 1978, Solutions Were Revealed: Helping the Body Heal Itself

In 1970, Bryman attended his first nutritional-chiropractic seminar, Dr. Herbert Anderson’s Applied Kinesiology. He said, “I was very impressed with the theory and application of muscle testing and experienced personal gains as well. The instructor noticed that I had a sty in my right eye. He gave me three Thymex tablets from Standard Process,” the company he still uses to this day. “He asked if I would take them for my sty and report back to him the next day.

“My sty had been there for three months and I really did not expect that it would go away in one day. However, it disappeared in 24 hours, just from taking the exact right nutritional product. Well, that really got my attention and, from that moment, I never looked back. I knew I was on the right path.”

By 1988: Working with the Technology of Nutrition Response Testing^SM

Bryman sold his White Plains office, gave his Bronx office to his older brother as a gift, and sought to work with the very best in the field. George Goodheart, DC, and Dr. Herbert Anderson, DC, both outstanding Applied Kinesiologists, shared their knowledge openly; Frederick Keck, DC, taught Bryman about upper cervical technique. He met Dr. Herbert Smith, DC; Dr. Ray Behm, DDS; and Dr. Freddie Ulan—the one individual who has taught him the most. Together, he and Dr. Ulan set up a practice in Glen Falls, NY, where they developed Nutrition Response Testing.

Bryman describes Nutrition Response Testing as “a system that any clinician can learn and apply with great results. It is completely duplicatable. It identifies ‘neurological switching’ and ‘blocked Autonomic Nervous system malfunction,’ the two primary states that prevent the body from working normally to allow healing to occur. This opens the door to nutritional handling at a NEVER before level of healing ability.

“Additionally, due to Nutrition Response Testing’s workable technology, doctors in training are continually improving on the healing processes through nutritional handlings. For example, on a visit by visit basis, one can handle metal detox and chemical detoxification to verify detoxification, not only if it is happening but at what rate and speed, for complete controlled handling with no adverse reaction.”

1998 and Onward: Creating a Healthy Future

A valid and effective system to determine nutritional needs is needed today more than ever. The vast majority of people no longer buy nor eat real foods purchased fresh from Mom and Pop stores, like Bryman’s dad’s Kosher Butcher shop. Back at the start of his career, Bryman remembers, “Folks bought enough to eat for just three days or so, everything fresh. Over the years, food has progressively degraded, to the point where, today, everything you get is packaged, filled with additives and preservatives that actually make you sick.”

There are fewer healthy foods available now. Also, people have been progressively indoctrinated into eating the new fast foods, like McDonald’s, Pizza Hut, etc. Bryman says, “They do not know the difference between foods and products. Sadly enough, people think this food is better, or they don’t even give it a second thought.

“That’s why children today, as a result, are getting weaker and weaker and more susceptible to dis-ease, (a word coined by D. D. Palmer, meaning lack of innate healing ability which manifests as abnormal function). So, a body gets a normal reaction to an abnormal processed product which is dis-ease.”

2008 and Beyond… Nutrition Response Testing’s Workable Solution

“It was clear to me, at that time,” Dr. Bryman says, “that there were few, if any, nutritional courses that had components that permitted direct application of a technology which one could use immediately to get results. The answer was Nutrition Response Testing.”

Nutrition Response Testing is taught in an extremely well organized and thorough training program, available in seminars around the country. These programs enable practitioners to immediately apply what they learn in order to restore their patients’ own innate healing ability.

Bryman says “There are training DVD’s and CD’s available that present specific cases that clinicians can study in their own homes and become better and better. After all, it is a Science and an Art; therefore, it must be practiced and studied.

Nutrition Response Testing is clearly at the forefront of today’s chiropractic wellness movement.

For more information on Nutrition Response Testing, contact Dr. Bryman at Ulan Nutritional Systems, Inc., by calling 866-418-4801 or e-mailing [email protected]. “NUTRITION RESPONSE TESTING is a Service mark owned by Freddie Ulan.”

With over 175 professional athletes under care (as well as the CEO’s of major corporations such as Tupperware and Harris Corp.), Dr. Gerry Mattia shares his secrets to success.

Gerald R. Mattia, B.S., D.C., has thirty-one years of experience as a chiropractic physician. He earned his chiropractic degree from New York Chiropractic College in 1977, and has been a member of the International Chiropractic Association for more than thirty years and a member of the Board of Directors of the ICA for twenty years. He was named Chiropractor of the Year and Sports Chiropractor of the Year and was appointed to the Board of Chiropractic Examiners by the Governor of New Jersey. He is presently serving as President of ICA’s Council on Fitness and Sports Health Science.

Dr. Mattia describes his clinic as high tech where the adjustments are the core procedure in the office with a good percentage of the practice geared toward maintenance chiropractic care. In his practice, he utilizes several chiropractic techniques, including decompression therapy, specializing in disc problems in the low back and neck. He travels the country speaking on this subject.

Dr. Mattia practices at Mattia Chiropractic Wellness Center with his wife, Paulette Mattia, D.C., and their nephew Brian Moriarty, D.C.

In an interview with The American Chiropractor (TAC), Dr. Gerry Mattia talks about his history and practice particulars that have helped him achieve such a successful practice.

TAC: What was it about chiropractic that got you interested in the profession?

Mattia: Chiropractic saved my life. I was born with Aortic Stenosis of the heart. My parents were told that I would live to about the age of seventeen. The first seventeen years of my life, I spent many hours in St. Michaels Hospital in Newark, NJ.

In 1968, doctors wanted to perform open heart surgery on me; the success rate at that time was one percent. My cardiologist told my mother to cancel the operation. He thought, at least she would have her son another six months.

I also had allergies. Our neighbor told my mother that her son went to a chiropractor and his allergies went away.

I started chiropractic care three times a week for six months with no results. Finally, my allergies cleared. I was still alive and feeling better than I had in the past. I kept going to the chiropractor. A year later I had another cardiac catherization, and the results confused the cardiologist because my aortic valve stopped closing. I knew that day that I was going to be a chiropractor. Chiropractic saved my life.

TAC: What type of patient makes up the majority of your practice?

Mattia: The professional athlete is a major part of my office as is chiropractic maintenance care for all ages. Over the last couple of years, we’ve developed a reputation in spinal decompression. We now have patients flying in from all over the world to have decompression on their lower back and cervical region. Most of our patients, today, have some sort of disc problem. We specialize in difficult cases.

 

TAC: Is Sports Chiropractic something you envisioned yourself doing when you started?

Mattia: When I first went into practice, the last thing on my mind was sports chiropractic. I was interested in becoming successful. Back in 1977, chiropractors were not well accepted. My partner, Dr. Susan Guarino, and I wanted to change that. We did patient education classes every week and rented a hall once a month to educate people in chiropractic. The athletes came later in the practice. I never forgot, however, what it was that got me into chiropractic in the first place, and for the first twenty-five years of practice, I had a policy in which I’d treat all patients fifteen years old and younger at no charge. That was my way of giving back.

 

TAC: Could you tell our readers how exactly you have been able to tap into the professional athlete market so effectively?

Mattia: I have a passion for sports. I enjoy watching and playing sports. I never tried to get professional athletes as patients. I tried to be the best in chiropractic. I always worked on referrals. It happened one referral of an athlete lead to another, to another, to another, which has led now to several hundred professional athletes, from Major League Baseball, NFL, NBA, PGA, LPGA, European Golfers, to professional wake boarders. This is great for our profession that athletes such as Johnny Damon, Duane Clemons, Barry Larkin, and Trevor Immelman, 2008 Masters Champion, recognize our profession and its value to their health. But, let us not forget the value of every mother, child and father that has chosen chiropractic as their choice of health care. Those are the people that make our profession successful.

 

TAC: Do you prefer one technique over another? If so, why?

Mattia: All techniques work, but not all patients accept each technique the same. Diversified, Gonstead, and Thompson Terminal Point have been used the most. For patients who come in with an antalgic lean, SOT Cat 3 is used. Activator and Toggle Recoil have been used. The techniques which allow me to put my hands on patients have been used the most. An innate sense instills in me that we’re on right path to their health.

 

TAC: Do you see value in Spinal Decompression?

Mattia: When Vax-D came out in the early 1990’s, I saw little value because of the low success rate. With the development of new decompression companies, like other technologies, as time passes results have improved. Using decompression for the past several years led me, along with Dr. Eric Kaplan, to develop protocols for greater results. With our success rate on bulging, protruded, herniated and degenerative discs, my practice has drastically changed. We have patients fly in from all over the world for decompression. Right now, our farthest traveled patient has come from New Zealand. With a favorable success rate using decompression, we have treated people from England, Spain, Australia, South Africa, Germany, Netherlands, India, France, and Italy.

 

 

Decompression, along with the adjustment, has also given us an edge with athletes.

 

TAC: Is there any mentor or one specific person that has really shaped you to be the doctor that you’ve become?

Mattia: First, I would have to say my parents. They were my teachers in life. They inspired me to always do my best, taught me right from wrong but, most of all, they instilled in me a passion to help other people. My parents gave me values. Values are everything.

In chiropractic, Dr. Tom Whitehorne made me understand the philosophy and principles of chiropractic. His passion for chiropractic was great.

Next, was Dr. Bill Remling. I worked for Dr. Remling when I was a student. He finished his office hours late every night. He would then stay and teach me techniques and talk over office situations and how to handle them, so I could learn. I thank God every day that He sent these people into my life.

 

TAC: What are you plans for the future?

Mattia: I would like to develop equipment that will aid chiropractic practice. I believe we have to embrace technology yet keep the chiropractic adjustment as the core of the practice. I presently work part time four afternoons a week. Over the next three years, my nephew, Dr. Brian Moriarty, will take over more and more of the operations of the office. He has been working with us since he graduated and has been welcomed by our patients.

Our patients have come from different areas of the world to experience our office. I would like to travel with my wife, Dr. Paulette Mattia, and visit some of the places they have come from. I would like to speak on chiropractic and share my story.

 

TAC: What is the most common problem you see among chiropractors today?

Mattia: I love chiropractors and chiropractic. What troubles me is the lack of confidence some of the chiropractors have today and what chiropractic can do for the world. There needs to be a passion for the profession. Too many treat it as a job. Unfortunately, the insurance industry is not favorable to chiropractic, so we cannot base our practices anymore on reimbursement. Health care is turning back to the responsibility of the consumer. More and more chiropractors must become non-participants in reimbursement plans or they will not have the freedom to practice as they choose.

 

TAC: What is the biggest problem or challenge you see in the chiropractic profession today?

Mattia: Doctors of chiropractic embracing technologies and becoming independent of the reimbursement networks and insurance industry. Patients are willing to pay for something they believe to have value.

 

TAC: Can you think of one change that a chiropractor can do to significantly impact his/her practice’s growth immediately?

Mattia: Market your office and your profession. Most other professions and industries do this. We have done it with spinal decompression in our area. We have used infomercials with professional athletes. We have a valuable commodity to offer people. We must market our value.

 

TAC: Do you have any recommended marketing strategies that chiropractors can do to attract new patients and to keep current patients?

Mattia: Get out in your community. Be the doctor that everyone is talking about. Use marketing to your advantage. Dare to be different. Make sure your skills as a chiropractor are fine tuned.

Just as an athlete trains and practices before an event, we must prepare to take care of our patients. Believe what you do for your patients cannot be done anywhere else.

 

TAC: Dr. Mattia, I understand that you’re very hands on with the equipment utilized in your practice and that you’ve assisted with the development of several different tools. Can you tell us about that?

Mattia: Yes. Over the years, while looking for the right tools to better serve my patients, like many chiropractors, I’d find that sometimes the right tool just didn’t exist yet. While working with professional athletes, I’d find that doing the right thing isn’t enough, but you need to have the right technology and documentation to show the clients just how much they are improving with care. Athletes are goal-oriented people and like to have a plan from start to finish to show their progress. This is what led to my work with K-Health in helping to develop the R.O.M. device that I use on my athletes. With athletes, of course, rehabilitation and exercise are important components, which is why I do rehab geared at the core muscles and connective tissue with protocols and equipment which I helped to develop. My most recent involvement has been with Disc Force for decompression therapy. I got together with the engineers of the Disc Force company and they were very receptive to making changes to improve the equipment for better patient needs and standards. From my experience, working with my own decompression tables, it is an undeniably beneficial treatment method for spinal conditions which has helped me with patients of all kinds, not only athletes, but CEOs, and all patients.

So, maybe I’m a bit of an overachiever, but I believe in being the change you want to see in the world. If the tool doesn’t exist, then make it! If you don’t have the time to make your own tools, then at least look within chiropractic to build off the work of other chiropractors before you, so you don’t have to start from scratch.

 

TAC: Where do you see the future of chiropractic headed?

Mattia: I wish I could look into a crystal ball and see where chiropractic is headed. With the healthcare industry changing, I cannot really say. However, with the value chiropractic has for its services and results we get for our services, the public will be ready to pay. The reimbursement system has changed.

Will socialized healthcare be part of our future? I never understood how healthcare could be part of the government. Medicare is not the panacea for seniors that it was envisioned to be. Chiropractic has withstood many challenges for over 100 years.

 

TAC: Thank you, Dr. Mattia.

To contact Dr. Gerry Mattia, you may call his clinic at 407-909-4788 or email him at [email protected].

 

Doctors, look around your office, clear out the deadwood and do something different that will change lives and your practice. Decide what type of practice you want and what type of patients you want to serve. Find out as much as you can about that group’s wants and needs; give it to them and watch your practice grow.

We know that chiropractic is the largest alternative healthcare system in the world, but our patients aren’t lining up outside our offices like they do in the medical profession. The chiropractic profession doesn’t get the mass media coverage that the drug companies and medical profession do. The only way to grow a practice is by referrals or by going out and getting new patients through lectures, screenings or other external marketing strategies.

You know that if you do not promote your practice it will not grow. You need a way to get the attention of the public. The questions become, “How do you become unique, get the attention of the public, address the needs in your community and grow the practice? How do you get inline with mass media and create demand for chiropractic in that group of the population you want to serve?”

Most chiropractors will care for anybody who walks through the door. After all, who is turning down new patients these days? But most chiropractors do have a preference for the type of people they treat.

I have a family practice with an emphasis on the over-sixty crowd. I chose this area because I feel seniors need chiropractic care the most and I figured out how to have the above-mentioned mass media work for me and chiropractic.

I realized that, through mass media, everyday one can read or hear about the benefits of exercise in such periodicals as US News and World Report, Time Magazine, News Week, AARP Magazine and just about every TV news program. Research is showing that everything from heart disease, bone density and Alzheimer’s can be helped through exercise. The National Institutes of Health, and many gerontologists and researchers have found exercise is the closest thing to an anti-aging pill that exists. People who are physically fit can measure out to be ten to twenty years younger biologically than their chronological age. The seniors are responding to this information. International Health, Racquet and Sportsclub Association (IHRSA) reports seniors’ willingness to exercise has increased 350 percent over the past twenty years. The problem is that the exercise industry has left out the seniors.

It became obvious to me it was time to put in some type of fitness program into my practice for seniors. Our profession needs to tap into the 46 million (sixty-plus) senior market which is the fastest growing market today, comprising almost 40 percent of the U.S. adult population. Every seven seconds, someone turns sixty. Please know that seniors spend more than $1 trillion per year on goods and services and seniors spend more money on health and personal care than any other age group. The chiropractic profession has an opportunity to tap into the senior market, with mass media and the seniors’ fitness trend on its side.

In my office, I have a senior safe, senior specific, doctor supervised, efficient aerobic and anaerobic thirty-minute circuit training program, which is best for the aging senior population. All exercise is given while the senior is under chiropractic care in my office, to enable their spines to safely receive the full benefits of the exercise program. My care protocol is chiropractic care and exercise; I find and remove subluxations and provide exercise to strengthen and stabilize the spine, along with all of the other health benefits of exercise.

I decided that the exercise would be free as long as the senior was an active member of my practice and they had their spine checked regularly. I am not in the gym business; I am in the healthcare business. The economic driver for me is an increase in patient volume. The demand created by the external media coverage for seniors to exercise causes potential patients to come in for exercise and learn about and/or receive the benefits of chiropractic care.

Doctors, externally marketing your practice is great but, when a senior or any patient is in your office, you have to educate them as well, whether passive or head on. I do it passively while they are exercising. I have them listening to fifties and sixties music while being educated about health and chiropractic through sophisticated health education videos on flat screened televisions, which I have throughout the work out area. I want these seniors to know why their kids and grand kids should have their spines checked in my office as well as themselves. Getting referrals has never been easier either.

When asking for referrals for chiropractic care, most patients have to think of someone they know that is suffering from some kind of health problem that they think chiropractic can help, usually neck or back pain. Asking for referrals for my program is a snap. All the seniors they know need to exercise and what better place to do it than in my office with their friends? Lifetime chiropractic care has never been easier to promote, because everyone already accepts that they should exercise for the rest of their life. Since the health benefits of exercise are so universally accepted, about half the new people that come in for this program have never been under chiropractic care before. I am finally tapping into that 90 percent of the population that doesn’t utilize chiropractic services.

The energy in the office has never been better or more fun. The office stats have never been better either. More new patients that consistently refer, stay and pay add up to a more successful practice. The exercise program has allowed seniors to stay fit and has helped my practice to grow bigger and stronger than ever before.

In these economic times, it is important to try to stand apart from the crowd and do things a little differently and, at the same time, deliver real life-changing benefits to patients. So, whichever part of the population you want to take care of, research the best possible program and keep several other things in mind. Do not increase staff or rent overhead, and make sure nothing takes away from your time in the adjusting rooms.

I have seniors receiving chiropractic care, exercising, having fun, losing weight, increasing bone density, and lowering cholesterol and blood pressure. The seniors love coming to my chiropractic office because it is a place where they have fun and receive the combined benefits of chiropractic care and exercise; whether they have symptoms or not—truly answering the paradigm shift to wellness.

Don’t forget this is about bringing chiropractic to that part of society you want to attract. For me, it’s about serving our seniors and their families.

Roger Russo, D.C., is the President and cofounder of Stay Fit Seniors, Inc., in 2006. He is a Palmer graduate (1980) and still in private practice. He started the Stay Fit Seniors program in 2004 in order to create demand for his practice and chiropractic, through the demand for exercise driven by mass media. He and Anthony Lauro, D.C., have developed this turnkey program for the entire profession. Call 1-800-385-1141 or visit www.stayfitseniors.com.

David O’Bryon , J.D., LL.D (Hon), F.I.C.C., is founder and president of O’Bryon & Company. With more than thirty years of association and government experience, he has served organizations as an executive, consultant, and volunteer. His responsibilities have included policy formulation and implementation for associations; design and management of membership recruitment efforts; development and implementation of government relations strategies and public affairs programs; volunteer and staff recruitment; designing, writing and editing communications/publications; and administrative management of budgeting and financial oversight. He registered as a lobbyist before the U.S. Congress in 1980 and has been involved in virtually all the major federal legislative initiatives for the chiropractic profession since that time. He has served as Executive Director of the Association of Chiropractic Colleges (ACC) since 1996.

Mr. O’Bryon is a Certified Association Executive (CAE). The Federation of Chiropractic Licensing Boards honored him last year with its Presidential Leadership Award.

In an interview with The American Chiropractor (TAC), Mr. David O’Bryon tells us about the ACC and it’s part in helping achieve progress for the chiropractic profession.

TAC: Dr. O’Bryon, give us some background on the Association of Chiropractic Colleges.

O’Bryon: The ACC was formed in 1988 and was the successor of the organization known as the Association of Chiropractic College Presidents. As the organizing document stated, “The specific purpose of the corporation is to provide an opportunity to have a cooperative base whereby chiropractic colleges may participate together in pursuit of the most effective practices and concepts for the academic, clinical and continuing education of students and practitioners of chiropractic, including the funding of educational offerings, research efforts and general operational concerns.” The board is comprised of the chief executive officer of the institution or a designee. Individually, the chiropractic colleges are working to strengthen their institutions. ACC’s current president, Dr. Carl Cleveland III of Cleveland Chiropractic Colleges–Kansas City and Los Angeles, has witnessed the changes and noted that chiropractic educational institutions have grown and strengthened and that is reflected in the major capital improvements of our campuses. The most recent example is Cleveland Chiropractic College–KC, which has just completed a move to a new campus. We have seen a number of new technology state of the art buildings added to our campuses.

 

TAC: Tell us about your position and your responsibilities. 

O’Bryon: From 1988 to 1996 the ACC was administered by the president of the association and his/her institution. In 1996, the ACC leaders hired me as its first Executive Director. The position’s responsibilities include oversight of the association’s everyday activities and budget along with its programs and outreach as the association’s chief staff officer. I have represented the profession in Washington, D.C., since 1980. Previously, I worked for the United States Congress.

TAC: What are ACC’s goals for the chiropractic profession?

O’Bryon: The ACC’s goals are to further chiropractic education, advance research and enhance the profession.

TAC: How do the ACC’s actions affect or impact the already practicing DC’s?

O’Bryon: The ACC schools want to help their graduates succeed and want to help create job opportunities. The ACC has been directly involved in advancing chiropractic as a service in the United States Armed Forces and in the United States Department of Veterans Affairs. A further example is the ACC’s CVA DVD that seeks to inform, update and educate the field on important research and public safety issues.

TAC: What are the most pressing issues facing chiropractic education currently?

O’Bryon: The health care delivery system is changing and the educational community must be training the next generation of practitioners for that new environment. We are currently evaluating educational outcomes and that will impact our future curriculums.

TAC: What are the latest projects the ACC has been involved in?

O’Bryon: The ACC is just completing an Informed Consent document that outlines the elements that should be included in such a document. We are also working to develop an educational template containing the elements for training chiropractic office workers and assistants. The ACC is sponsoring an educational conference with the World Federation of Chiropractic (WFC) in Beijing in November at the World Health Organization (WHO) meeting.

TAC: The ACC/RAC (Research Agenda Conference) meeting was held this past March 13-15, 2008, in Washington, DC. What is the purpose of this conference?

O’Bryon: Each year the ACC sponsors an educational conference designed to improve and enhance the various institutional departments as well as advance the educational system itself. The abstracts of the peer reviewed papers and posters that are presented are then published in the Journal on Chiropractic Education. The educational conference was joined with the Research Agenda Conference a number of years ago and the ACC/RAC conference has become the premier educational event in the profession. Speakers come from around the world to discuss the most recent advances in research.

TAC: Can you tell us ACC’s recent plans to increase/develop the chiropractic relationships with other health care providers?

O’Bryon: One of the most exciting developments is the participation of chiropractic programs and their students with the Department of Veterans Affairs. ACC was a prime supporter of the Congressional law that authorized the service. At the time the chiropractic program in the VA was initiated, the then VA Secretary said all colleges should develop a working relationship with his agency. I think that integrative health care is the future and we are working to train the next generation of chiropractors to be prepared for professional interaction. I currently am serving in my second year as president of the Federation of Schools of the Allied Health Professions, a Washington, D.C. based federation comprised of over a dozen of the associations of all the major health disciplines, The Federation of Associations of Schools of the Health Professions (FASHP). The organization is working together to advance health care education and cooperation. Also the ACC worked with the World Health Organization (WHO) to develop WHO’s guidelines on international growth of chiropractic education.

TAC: Any highlights regarding the research promoted by the ACC that has taken place in the last two years?

O’Bryon: We continue to work on a number of fronts. The colleges are working to strengthen their resources and have been successful with obtaining competitive federal grants. One example is the recent study about chiropractic reducing blood pressure; it bears further study as the profession offers great promise in a number of areas.

TAC: What is the biggest problem or challenge you see in the chiropractic profession today?

O’Bryon: The ACC is starting a new centralized application service for the chiropractic schools. We are entering a new ground with a common purpose that will help prospective students find their way to chiropractic. We want to create a process that starts by helping students enter chiropractic education to successfully launching them on to their career path, be that as clinicians, academicians or researchers. The health care delivery system is a changing one and giving today’s student the necessary skills and training to evolve and thrive in an integrative system that is directed at patient care is the challenge.

TAC: Where do you see the future of chiropractic headed?

O’Bryon: I think we are at the tipping point for chiropractic to surge forward. We need to embrace the demographic and cultural changes that are upon us. The profession needs to reach out and be inclusive. Also the baby boom generation wants to remain strong and active without drugs, so chiropractic’s conservative care should be quite popular. Professional and Olympic athletes have discovered chiropractic and that is a testament to our care. The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Outlook reports a strong need for chiropractors with a growth of 14 percent for chiropractic.

TAC: Any final words for our readers?

O’Bryon: Keep recommending those outstanding students to chiropractic institutions!

You may contact David O’Bryon at [email protected].