Category: Interviews

Nutri-West was founded in 1981, a small nutritional supplement company offering a limited, but effective line of its own products. The company was the creation of a successful Wyoming chiropractor and nutrition expert, Dr. Paul White, and his wife Marcia. Their children, Tony, Michele and Tiffany, have been actively involved with the business since they were very young and know virtually every facet of this increasing enterprise. Four years ago, they became the sole owners of Nutri-West.

A great deal has changed since then. Nutri-West is, today, a multi-national giant with state-of-the-art manufacturing and shipping facilities serving distribution centers throughout the United States, Africa, Canada, England, Belgium, Norway, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Ireland, Switzerland, Poland, New Zealand, Australia, Tasmania, Ukrain, Ukraine, South America, Romania, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

The company’s product list has grown, too, expanding and developing from its limited beginnings into the largest, most diverse line of nutritional supplementation available today. There are now more than 685 separate Nutri-West products, including vitamins, minerals, glandulars, enzymes, amino acids, unsaturated fatty acids, specialty products, tinctures, herbals, gels, topicals, homeopathics and Chinese herbs.

For all of the changes that have taken place, it is what has stayed the same that remains the basis of Nutri-West’s success. The sole focus of operations is still helping the healthcare professional optimize the well being of his or her patients. As before, Nutri-West strives to provide ever-more-effective supplements developed by its research panel of more than 20 eminent doctors. Realizing that patient compliance is a key to patient health, the company continues to offer only high-potency, all-natural products that are easy to carry, easy to take and, in general, easy to make a part of one’s regular quest for health.

In its continuing policy of marketing exclusively through chiropractors, nutritionists, medical doctors and other licensed professionals and never through health food stores or other retail outlets, the company maintains a founding commitment to healthcare professions. In fact, under the continuing aegis of Dr. White, it is the only nutritional firm in existence today that is owned and operated by a healthcare professional for healthcare.The American Chiropractor (TAC) interviewed Dr. White recently about how this Mom-and-Pop enterprise turned into such a giant and what keeps Nutri-West going and growing.

TAC:  How did you develop your first products?

White: Actually, the first products we manufactured were just for our own family and patients. I was lecturing all over the world at that time with the White/Walther Applied Kinesiology seminars.  When the doctors found out I was manufacturing a few products, they wanted them.  We didn’t intend to start Nutri-West—it just happened.

TAC:  What prompted you to develop these products?

White: I got tired of products that didn’t work and whose quality went up and down.  When we started our first few products, it was because I really needed them in our own practice and for our family and friends.  Nutri-West took off and has never stopped growing. 

TAC: Is there any additional education chiropractors need in order to achieve maximum results from your products?

White:  There really isn’t.  Most doctors of chiropractic are nutritionally and naturally minded to begin with—Nutri-West is a perfect fit for them.  We have a number of fantastic doctors that lecture for Nutri-West.  They have treatment techniques that make it easier to diagnose and treat with Nutri-West products.  Dr. John Brimhall teaches classes using his own seven-step wellness program that simplifies and hones in on nutritional testing plus all aspects of health.  Dr. Dan Murphy is an expert on Omega 3 fish oils, and Dr. Evan Mladenoff is an expert on teaching his sports techniques.  Most of our Nutri West distributors are experts in all phases of the Brimhall technique, and/or Applied Kinesiology, or reflex analysis, etc., and can also help their physician customers with any questions they might have.

TAC: What are some comments you get back from chiropractors and/or their patients?

White: Most doctors and patients are amazed at the efficacy of the products.  We attribute this to our “hands on” approach.  We are a family run business and we constantly check and monitor everything.   There are days when we are all back in manufacturing, doing the actual measuring, tableting, encapsulating—anything that needs doing!  These are OUR products and they reflect on our family—we want them to be the best on the market and, if we have to work all night to achieve those results, WE DO IT!

TAC: Are there any specific areas in which or complimentary treatments with which your products work best?

White: We think our products work the best in all areas with any complimentary treatment!

TAC: To what type of doctor do your products appeal most?

White: Some doctors think, because I taught Applied Kinesiology for years, that we appeal only to AK doctors.  This is not true—we have doctors that practice every type of chiropractic there is.

TAC: Are there any other benefits your company offers chiropractors that use your products?

White: Probably the biggest benefit is faster and more efficacious results.

TAC:  How have you and your family’s nutritional habits (diet and nutritional supplements) changed over the years in response to what you’ve learned about health and nutrition?

White: Nutrition is such a science in progress; there are so many new things all the time.  We find that we use our family and ourselves as guinea pigs on many of the new raw materials.  We’ve always eaten right, and have tried to teach our children (and now grandchildren) the healthiest way we know.

When our children were little, my wife stayed at home.  She ground fresh wheat and grains to make bread, even made our own butter and ice cream.  Our children drank raw milk, and never had any sugar until they were older—or so we thought.

A few years ago, they started telling us how they went to school with these thick homemade sandwiches, and fruit, etc. (their cookies were made out of ground figs, homemade peanut butter or sesame butter and dates).  They traded them off for Wonder Bread with store bought peanut butter and grape jelly!!!

But, we figure we helped a lot of kids in town to be healthier!  They all still laugh about this! We all probably take more nutrition than 99 percent of the population but, so far, it has worked—no one is ever sick. I can’t remember any of our family ever missing a day of work due to illness.  Once in a great while, one of us feels like he or she is coming down with the flu, but we take about four Total Probiotics, three or four L-Glutamine Plus and then one per hour until we feel better.

For more information on Nutri-West, call 307-358-5066, or visit www.nutri-west.com.

George Goodheart is a second generation Doctor of Chiropractic and graduated from National College of Chiropractic in 1939. In 1964, Dr. Goodheart began making a series of revolutionary observations about muscle function and health and disease that evolved into applied kinesiology.

By stimulating various neurological receptors and observing excitatory and inhibitory responses of muscles to manual testing, Dr. Goodheart was able to identify optimal treatment methods to restore normal muscle function for structural stability. Dr. Goodheart synthesized methods from many disciplines into AK, using the body as a diagnostic tool. He has annually published his observations since 1964.

One of Goodheart’s most used observations is that stimulation of taste buds with nutritional substances that are appropriate for a patient results in an excitatory response of a weak testing muscle. Similarly, oral exposure to toxic or allergic substances will result in muscle inhibition of previously strong testing muscles. Application of these concepts, in combination with laboratory, history, and other exam findings, allows for precise targeting of a patient’s unique biochemical needs.

His correction of a chronic problem of a doctor on the United States Olympic Committee’s Sports Medicine team afforded him an appointment as the first Doctor of Chiropractic on the USOC Sports Medicine Team, whereupon he served at the 1980 Lake Placid Winter Games. This opened the door for chiropractors’ participation in the USOC movement that continues to this day.

Dr. Goodheart is the Research Director for the International College of Applied Kinesiology, a multidisciplinary group of physicians with chapters all over the world. Hundreds of doctors have presented thousands of clinical observations at ICAK meetings, based on Dr. Goodheart’s original findings. Muscle testing has become an unparalleled diagnostic tool for real-time evaluation of a patient’s status and response to treatment.

In addition to being an exceptional and prolific clinical investigator, Dr. Goodheart is the consumate family doctor. He has delivered over 100 babies and tended to the family health needs of some families for over five generations. And if all of this isn’t amazing enough, today, at 87, he still works in his office in Grosse Pointe Woods, Michigan, and lectures many weekends of the year.

At the request of The American Chiropractor, Dr. David Leaf, Chairman of the International College of Applied Kinesiology, recently interviewed Dr. Goodheart, an amazing chiropractor and a legend among us, whose work has profoundly impacted the lives of so many.

Leaf: Dr. Goodheart, the impression held by many chiropractors is that doctors using applied kinesiology do not manipulate the spine. How would you respond?

Goodheart: Personally, I manipulate 100 percent of all of my patients. Since the beginning, in 1964, spinal manipulation has been at the heart of applied kinesiology. Whether you are talking about structural or chemical problems, every one of the patients will have a subluxation and or a fixation complex as part of the treatment. For example, Felix Mann, in his classic book on acupuncture, Reinventing Acupuncture: A New Concept of Ancient Medicine, stated “every meridian imbalance would have a spinal imbalance.”

Leaf: There are many different treatment options that you have at your disposal in applied kinesiology. Where do you put the spinal manipulation?

Goodheart: Over the years, we have taken the concept of muscle testing and found many ways to determine which treatments were appropriate for a patient. For example, trigger points can be treated in many ways. We have developed methods to determine which one is correct for a specific trigger point in a patient. I fit the treatments needed to the needs of the patient instead of fitting the patient to my treatment. However, correction of the related spinal subluxations is primary and, without this, the success rate with the patient is greatly diminished. 

Leaf: Can you give an example of where muscle testing is an aid in the analysis of the patient’s spine?

Goodheart: Chiropractors are well trained in finding subluxations, but many patients suffer from fixations. These vertebrae are not “out of position” but, instead, locked in place by contraction of muscles. Motion palpation may be used to find these, but we have found that muscle testing helps us to find them. Each area of the spine has classic muscle weakness patterns that help us isolate these fixation patterns. One of the advantages of using muscle testing as a diagnostic tool is that it can be used with the patient in different positions. Sometimes, these fixation patterns will only be found with the patient supine, or standing or in a work position. The muscle test screening procedure also lets us, as well as the patient, know when we have corrected the problem. This is one of the great advantages of using muscle testing. The patients are impressed with the changes in their musculoskeletal systems as a result of the treatments.

Leaf: In what area or areas do you find the most important subluxations and fixations?

Goodheart: When lecturing, I like to describe the dura. As you well know, the dura attaches firmly in the pelvis and the sacrum, in the upper cervical area, and inside the skull, in what the osteopaths call the cranial bowl.

The first two great schools of chiropractic centered their treatments in the pelvis and the upper cervical area. Sacro Occipital Technique and Craniosacral therapy have also advanced these original findings. Using muscle testing, we are able to uncover many hidden problems in the functioning of the sacrum and in the upper cervical area. Proper functioning of the piriformis is critical for stabilization of sacral problems. In the upper cervical area, we find not only subluxations but also fixations and micro fixations. These imbalances have many deleterious effects on the body.

The dorsolumbar junction is the area of the most common fixations. D.D. Palmer first wrote about this and I concur. Most of the patients that you see will have a gait imbalance. They walk with one stride longer than the other. This pattern causes changes in the mechanics of the spine and fixations, especially at this level of the spine. Correction of the fixation complex normalizes the bilateral muscle weakness that is associated with it. This is the key. The weakness pattern confirms the palpatory findings, and the correct spinal manipulation is confirmed by strengthening of the muscle weakness pattern.

Leaf: What advice can you give the readers?

Goodheart: When confronted with a problem, ask, “Why?” Why do people walk the way they do or move in a certain way? Then, test and measure something. Treat the patient and then re-test. If you are stumped, first reduce the pelvis and upper cervical areas to a zero defect level and let the person walk about. Then, re-test for changes.

Finally, keep an open mind and continue to learn. I have been practicing for over 60 years and am continually amazed at what we can learn from our patients and how we, as chiropractors, can better their health using applied kinesiology.

After the dust had settled and the ballots were tallied, on April 15, 2005, the International Chiropractors Association had elected a new president in a landslide vote.  Who is this doctor who inspired such an impressive mandate by the oldest national chiropractic organization in the world, and what is his vision for chiropractic?  Find out, in the following interview between The American Chiropractor (TAC), and Dr. John Maltby.

TAC: First of all, congratulations on winning the ICA election. Was it a surprise to you?

Maltby: Though I was cautiously optimistic, the overwhelming support of the electorate was both a surprise and quite humbling.

TAC: Tell us about yourself.

Maltby: My wife, Debbie, and I will be celebrating our 30th wedding anniversary this September. I have two children:  Melisa, who lives in Lancaster, PA, and my son John II, who is presently serving in the US Air Force, stationed in Japan. I also have two grandchildren: Jesse, four, and Eden, one and a half. I loved being a dad, but I was born to be a grandpa.

I graduated from Palmer College of Chiropractic, Davenport in 1977 and have been in private practice since that time in Blythe, CA. I have served as President of the International Chiropractors Association of California, as well as Chairman of the Board and am presently serving as the 15th President of the International Chiropractor’s Association, as well as program co-coordinator for the Council of Applied Chiropractic Sciences.

TAC: We understand that you are still a 100 percent practicing chiropractor. Tell us what makes your practice unique and why.

Maltby: I don’t know that my practice is unique. During the winter months, I have a large volume of winter visitors, “snow birds,” so much of my patient base is in excess of 70 years old.  Our office works on one principle: Love everyone who walks through the door.

I have never turned down anyone for financial reasons and I don’t keep statistics on volume. The success of my practice is not based on the money I make or the number of patients I see. It is based on the love and quality of care I give, one patient at a time.

TAC: As a speaker, what topics do you cover?

Maltby: I have spoken on a number of topics. “Clinical Implications of Chiropractic Care for the Elderly,” “It’s OK to Adjust,” “Clinical Documentation and Record Keeping” for the Chiropractic Certification in Spinal Trauma Program, and “Ethics in Chiropractic.”

TAC: What valuable feedback have you received from your audiences?

Maltby: Probably the most common thing I hear is that I don’t talk down to the audience. I am a practicing chiropractor, just like them, dealing with the same problems they do. I try to make sure that they know they are not alone and that I am there to help.

TAC: Do you have any special concerns regarding the profession of chiropractic?

Maltby: Several.  First, it is absolutely imperative that chiropractors get involved in their state and national associations. Less than 15 percent of the profession are members of any national association. Participation by every practicing D.C. is the key to our future.

Secondly, there needs to be a greater emphasis on research done by chiropractors. I recently visited the research department at Parker College, as well as reviewed a research proposal from New Zealand Chiropractic College. I am excited that this is happening, but we need to develop more ways the practicing D.C. can participate.

TAC: How do you see ICA affecting the chiropractic profession now and in the future?

Maltby: The ICA has always maintained the primary purpose of defending the chiropractor’s unique right to correct the subluxation. This is being challenged by 3rd party payers, the courts, legislature and other health care providers. It will continue to be ICA’s main focus to protect the chiropractor’s right to practice chiropractic.

TAC: How will chiropractors benefit from the actions of the ICA?

Maltby: The main benefit for chiropractors will be knowing that there is a national association which has one major concern: their right to practice chiropractic, and their unique expertise as the only ones qualified to correct subluxation by the chiropractic adjustment.

TAC: Any immediate plans for the upcoming year?

Maltby: Right now, the ICA is getting the word out to all chiropractors to get involved by joining the ICA. This is not about who gets the credit for doing the job; this is about getting the job done, and the ICA’s job is to protect chiropractic. We are also planning an “80th Anniversary Celebration” in conjunction with our annual meeting, May 6, 2006, in Washington, DC. This will be a time of celebrating the 80 years of service to chiropractic by recognizing the pioneers of the profession, as well as the ICA’s many accomplishments.

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

Maltby: I feel the future of chiropractic is bright. There is nothing I would rather do. Everyday, I have the opportunity to change somebody’s life through the wonders of chiropractic. It doesn’t get any better than that.

TAC: Do you have any other issue you’d like to present to our readers?

Maltby: My motivation for involvement in the ICA and chiropractic is that I owe. I owe it to B.J. Palmer who founded the ICA 80 years ago. I owe it to the hundreds of chiropractors who went to jail practicing ethical chiropractic. I owe it to my son, who serves this country and someday wants to be a chiropractor, so we have the freedom to choose. I owe it to my grandchildren, Jesse and Eden, to be able to grow up with chiropractic available to them, as it was to their parents. And lastly, I owe it to chiropractic, which saved my life when I was 19 years old.

Dr. Maltby may be reached by email at [email protected].

Thomas DePuydt is an M.D. who specializes in Sports Medicine, and recognizes the importance of taking an integrated approach to treating musculoskeletal injuries.

In an interview with The American Chiropractor (TAC), Dr. DePuydt discusses the “paradigm change” which he sees taking place in modern day medicine.

TAC: Give our readers some background information about yourself.

DePuydt: I grew up in Northern Michigan wanting to become a professional football player.  I was an all-state fullback, middle linebacker in football my senior year and I had a full ride football scholarship at Michigan State University.  I was on my way to achieving my goals and dreams, when, during my last game and on the last play of the half, I received a career ending knee injury.

When this occurred, I redirected my energies to academics at Michigan State University.  After completing my undergraduate degree, I was accepted into veterinary school at MSU. Three years into the program, I decided that human medicine was where I wanted to focus my energies.  My primary goal was to become a sports medicine physician.

My initial practice was in Petoskey, Michigan, doing family practice with an emphasis on prevention and sports medicine. By 1980, I had joined my current colleague, Steven T. Bramwell, MD, in founding the second sports medicine clinic in the state, Washington Sports Medicine Clinic. Currently, we are team physicians for the professional ice hockey team, the Seattle Thunderbirds, and the professional soccer team, the Seattle Sounders. I also continue to be the team physician for the Cedarcrest High School Redwolves.

TAC: What influenced you to become a sports medicine physician?

DePuydt: At the time of my career ending knee injury, there were no true team physicians at the high school level.  Generally, if there were an injury on the field, a call would go out to the stands for a doctor to come out to the field. Consequently, a player might be seen by a surgeon, a pediatrician or even an obstetrician, if his or her son was on the team. 
Today, an athlete would be evaluated by the sports medicine physician and certified athletic trainer. With this type of injury, he or she would be taken out of the game and referred to an orthopedic surgeon for appropriate surgical intervention. After surgery, referrals for physical therapy and acupuncture would be appropriate. For a back injury, referrals to physical therapy, massage, chiropractic and acupuncture would be made, if appropriate for the injury.

After transferring to the College of Human Medicine at Michigan State, I wanted to prevent this from ever happening to another athlete by focusing my medical career on prevention and sports medicine for all patients but, particularly, at the high school and university levels.

TAC: How do you apply the principles of prevention and sports medicine in your practice?

DePuydt: Emerson said, “The first wealth is health.” Good health is a direct result of a healthy diet, a regular exercise program and pharmacy grade supplements.  No one can perform at the highest level for an extended period of time without these three things.

I think that the single most important thing that I do to apply the principles of prevention in my practice is to live them and to talk about them on a continuing basis with my patients. This allows me to build the trust and confidence that my patients have in me and in my advice.

I also use an inclusive approach in my practice. When a patient comes to me with a musculoskeletal injury, I use as many different types of medical intervention as are appropriate to bring about optimal results for that patient, be it an athlete, housewife or business executive. These could include a referral to a chiropractor, acupuncturist, physical therapist, massage therapist, podiatrist, clinical psychologist or nutritionist. I have used all of these or just one or two, depending on the nature of the injury. I am also very careful about who my patients see. These practitioners must also want to work using a multidiscipline approach. 

TAC: What is the role of allopathic and holistic medicine in chiropractic medicine?

DePuydt: In my opinion, it is imperative that both allopathic and holistic practitioners develop a wellness format that addresses the total health and fitness of the patient, not just a presenting symptom, like “low back pain.”  It would be, in my opinion, negligent for me to treat such a patient with just prescription medications and nothing else. The same is true of a chiropractor who treats with just adjustments or an acupuncturist who only uses acupuncture.

A patient with low back pain has other issues than just pain that need to be evaluated.  Why is the pain occurring? Does the patient need to be referred to a physical therapist to deal with the underlying instability of the low back muscles and posture issues or a chiropractor for adjustments and stabilization of the spine? If the patient is having radicular pain, an MRI, epidural injections and possibly massage and acupuncture need to be added.  Does the patient smoke?  Explaining to a patient that nicotine causes atherosclerotic vascular changes as well as oxidative free radical injuries to the intervertebral disks could result in the patient’s making the decision to quit smoking and to take a more active role in his or her health and well being.

In this respect, it is important for all professionals in the health field to discuss negative lifestyle issues with patients before they become medical problems.  By focusing on issues like smoking, obesity, strength and flexibility, alcohol intake, diet and exercise, not only can we prevent a whole host of medical conditions, but also our patients will feel comfortable with coming to us for advice based on science, not the latest headline in The Enquirer.

TAC: Which supplements do you recommend to your patients?

DePuydt: First, I would like to state, most emphatically, that supplements do not and should not replace a healthy diet.  It is a supplement to a healthy diet not a substitute or replacement for a poor diet.

The cornerstone of any supplemental nutritional program should be pharmaceutical grade multivitamins, antioxidants and phytonutrients.  A pharmaceutical grade supplement will provide bioavaible vitamins, minerals and antioxidants to the cells of the body.

I recommend fish oil supplements to provide the body with essential omega 3 fatty acids, eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid.  Scientific evidence documents that these have multiple health benefits to the cardiac system, the brain, the immune system and they decrease the cellular inflammatory response. I use this, specifically, to decrease the inflammatory PGE-2 prostaglandins when treating patients with musculoskeletal injuries and patients with osteoarthritis.  By decreasing the systemic inflammatory response, the patient can help to decrease the risk for myocardial infarction and cerebrovascular accidents.  Omega 3 fatty acids, EPA and DHA are essential for the synthesis of phospholipids.  Phospholipids are the essential components of all cell membranes, which are particularly important for healthy neurons and cells within the brain.

For my osteoarthritis patients, I use a pharmaceutical grade glucosamine sulphate and a new arthritis supplement called ASU (Avocado-Soybean Unsaponifiable).  ASU is a supplement made from phytosterol oils extracted from soybeans and avocados. ASU has been used in Europe for the past 15 years with excellent results.  The Europeans have conducted basic science studies and controlled clinical trials that support its ability to decrease enzymatic destruction of articular cartilage and increase synthesis.

I also prefer to use herbal NSAID supplements for patients with chronic conditions in place of the potentially toxic Cox-2 NSAID.  Vioxx is an excellent example of the harmful effects that can occur with long term use.

TAC: What recommendations would you have for chiropractors who aspire to be sports medicine physicians?

DePuydt: Chiropractors are a vital and integral part of a multidiscipline sports medicine team.  For chiropractors aspiring to become sports medicine physicians, I have the following recommendations.  First and foremost, you must have the desire and the passion to be a part of the athletic community and be willing to donate hundreds of hours of your time and expertise as a community service for school and recreational athletic programs.  As a sports medicine physician, you must also want to be part of the team by being involved with the coaches and athletes, both on the field and in the locker room, and by being a student of the game.

The next step is to contact a colleague within your community who is already involved and make a commitment to help them. Learn your limits as a physician and develop a core group of physicians who have different areas of expertise for injury referral and then use them.

Make yourself visible to the community as a physician who is willing to donate your time and expertise to help the athletic community by contacting recreational soccer, baseball, and football leagues or any other athletic organization and offer your services. Enroll in courses that are available through the chiropractic colleges to become certified as a chiropractic sports medicine physician.

If you make a commitment to providing quality professional care to athletes as a community service, not only will you benefit your practice, but you will be rewarded in knowing that you have made a real difference and provided a valuable and valued service for the community in which you live.

TAC: Do you have any final words of advice to our readers?

DePuydt: I strongly encourage you to look at your patients in a proactive wellness manner and not just as patients with back or neck pain. Look at positive and negative lifestyle issues and spend time with your patients educating, not just adjusting their spine. Providing education to your patients on the importance of a healthy diet and exercise program will help not only their spines but all of their other systems as well, and they will return to you time and again for your guidance and expertise. 
I also encourage you to practice, in your daily personal lives, what you profess in your professional ones.

I firmly believe that medicine, as we know it, is on the cusp of a paradigm change.  It is time for each of us to expand our horizons, stop worrying about losing patients and start thinking outside of our security blankets.  Allopathic and alternative medicine physicians need to start forging alliances. We need to stop defending our turfs and use a proactive integrative wellness approach to treat our patients.

After twenty-five years of utilizing an integrative approach in my practice of sports medicine, I have seen its power to heal. I have also seen what happens to patients when their physicians do not use this approach and they, then, come to me through sheer frustration. Our patients are demanding integration, and we must, if we are to remain in practice, embrace it. As a collective unit, we can help our patients to lead healthier, happier and more active lives.

Dr. DePuydt may be reached by email at [email protected], or call 425-820-1221.

TAC: What does the FCA do for its members to stimulate practice growth?

FCA: The primary mission of the FCA is to improve access to chiropractic services for Floridians.  We do this by legislative initiatives, seeking to knock down barriers and overcome inequities in all of the state-regulated programs that provide for health care services.  We also provide continuous updates to our members on the ever-changing methods and procedures for best clinical, documentation and claims procedures through programs at our five annual convention/expositions and at three Success Basic Training programs each year.  The FCA web site, www.fcachiro.org, and the FCA Journal keep members up-to-date and informed.  While we can’t physically deliver patients to their doors, we can make it easier for Floridians to choose chiropractic and help our members deliver a high quality of service that will be appreciated by their patients and properly reimbursed by the many and varied payors.

TAC: Does the FCA have any relationship with any of the national chiropractic associations? If so, to what extent?

FCA: The FCA has a good working relationship with the American Chiropractic Association, although it is not formally affiliated with any national or international organization. The FCA works cooperatively with the ACA in addressing issues affecting our members, which are national in scope, in areas such as Medicare, Employee Retirement Income Security Act, federal government employee plans, managed care and workers’ compensation, to name a few. The FCA also engages its grassroots network to contact Florida’s congressional delegation when support is requested by the ACA for its legislative initiatives. The FCA has supported legal efforts by the ACA and has been a steady contributor to the National Chiropractic Legal Assistance Fund since its inception, with more than $26,000 in direct contributions made to date. 

TAC: After Florida State University rejected the chiropractic college that the FCA worked so hard to realize, what impact do you feel this might have had on the image of chiropractors in Florida?

FCA: In fact, Florida State University did not reject the chiropractic college. It was the Florida Board of Governors—a new higher education governing body established by Florida voters via constitutional amendment—that rejected the proposal. The Board of Governors chose to exercise its authority and make a political statement to the Florida Legislature, which had fully funded the school without prior approval or consideration by the BOG. The chiropractic degree program proposal was caught in a political power play. Adding to the volatile situation was fear mongering and interference by a few in the medical community who manufactured a controversy in the media. The pain was very real for all in the chiropractic community who worked so hard to make the chiropractic public degree program a reality.

We are extremely encouraged, however, by the results of a Mason-Dixon poll conducted during the heat of the controversy, which showed that 72 percent of Floridians favored the establishment of a public chiropractic degree program. Apparently, the consuming public in Florida highly approves of chiropractic!

TAC: Do you intend to seek university affiliation elsewhere?

FCA: Based on input from our elected leadership, the FCA would again pursue this same initiative at another public university. What we learned from this experience is that it would take a highly motivated university that really wants the program to really push for its approval through the many levels of political hierarchy in the university system.

While the general public values chiropractic services, those in the university system have had very little direct interaction with chiropractic educators and researchers and are highly skeptical as a result. The right university would need to educate its faculty from within, build a strong consensus of support for the program and then invest the effort and dollars to push for the program within the university governance system. Only a strong and highly motivated university would have standing to move such a proposal forward within Florida’s current governance system.

TAC: Any other particular issue of interest about which you want to let our readers know?

FCA: We are excited about the upcoming FCA National Convention, August 26-28, at the Gaylord Palms Resort & Convention Center in Kissimmee. This is a perfect facility that our attendees will truly enjoy and it has lots of space to allow our expo to expand to a record 500 exhibits. It offers great opportunities for family fun, as well. We will have more than 40 concurrent educational sessions showcasing some of the brightest minds in chiropractic and kick-off plenary sessions that will focus on the future of chiropractic and what doctors of chiropractic can do in their offices each day to improve not only their own individual futures, but the future of the entire profession.

The ACA Sports Council will hold its Annual Sports Symposium concurrently with FCA National. It’s going to be a huge, fun and enlightening event!

TAC: What legal issues are chiropractors dealing with in Florida that are typical throughout the country?

FCA: The legal issues are similar to those nationwide, typically having to do with barriers to access, equality and a constant “changing of the rules” by the various third party reimbursement systems. Because virtually every Florida-regulated health care program includes chiropractic, the diversity of different programs and the ever-changing “rules” of claim filing can be very tough for the D.C. and his or her office staff to manage. 

TAC: How is the Florida chiropractic community handling reimbursement issues with insurance companies? Any creative solutions you’d like to share?

FCA: As we mentioned, the diversity of the programs that pay for care—from health insurance to Personal Injury Protocol to Medicaid to Medicare to workers’ compensation—creates a challenge for our members. We have used member e-mail bulletins to tremendous advantage when a policy, procedure or coding change occurs. The 55 percent of our membership that is on the e-mail list receives immediate word of any change and the appropriate form or detailed information is posted immediately on the FCA web site.  The other 45 percent of our membership, then, is “snail mailed” the same information.  When we hear of specific patterns of abuse by carriers, our members are alerted to provide documentation and the matter is handled by General Counsel with the appropriate regulatory agency.

The FCA has a full-time insurance liaison on staff and very active volunteer committees who will engage to meet with and educate specific payors or address specific problem areas. Some problems are best addressed by seeking a change in the statute through legislative lobbying efforts or by asking for a clarification in bureaucratic rules. The FCA web site has proved to be an invaluable asset, keeping vital and current information right at our members’ fingertips.

For more information, e-mail [email protected] or call 407-290-5883.

Dr. John C. Donofrio, Summa Cum Laude graduate of Pennsylvania College of Chiropractic, credits much of his success to his becoming a Board Certified Chiropractic Neurologist. Now practicing in Reading, PA, Donofrio also recognizes that “healing occurs from within….” In his interview with The American Chiropractor (TAC), this “Amazing Chiropractor” gives us a look at what drives him and what keeps him on top.

TAC: What originally sparked your interest in chiropractic?

Donofrio: When I was child, I was diagnosed with asthmatic bronchitis; so I started going to a chiropractor, and my asthma was resolved due to the chiropractic care. This really impressed me about the power of the body to heal itself. From that time period, I realized that healing occurs from within the body and not necessarily by outside intervention.

TAC: What type of patients do you generally treat or attract?

Donofrio: Most of the patients that I treat have already seen other health care practitioners and have not yet had resolutions of their symptomatology or condition.  I have had referrals from Europe, South America, Canada, and as far west in the United States as California.
The top conditions in my office seem to be multiple sclerosis, vertigo, fibromyalgia, Parkinson’s, reflex sympathetic dystrophy and back pain. But, since there are so many referrals, the conditions are very diverse and it is hard just to choose a limited few.

TAC: Which techniques do you use and why?

Donofrio: The techniques that are often used in my office depend on the patient that walks through the door.  I utilize the neurological technique of coupled reduction, Diversified, Gonstead, Toggle, Activator, and Applied Kinesiology. In my opinion, not every patient responds 100 percent to the same technique, so a wide diversification is helpful in achieving maximum results.

TAC: What type(s) of diagnostic testing procedures do you use and why?

Donofrio: I use a full neurological/orthopedic/physical examination that I learned while achieving my diplomate status as a Chiropractic Neurologist. I use these procedures because my ability to diagnose and assess has increased tenfold since finishing my training and now utilizing the neurological approach to chiropractic. 

TAC: Tell us your most amazing patient success story.

Donofrio: There have been many but there is one that does come to mind first. A woman who was a concert pianist had surgery for cervical spinal stenosis.  Her cervical vertebrae were fused from C2-C7 in the surgery. After the surgery, her right arm went into a flexion spasm. She was unable to use the arm for one year. She was referred to the Mayo Clinic and Johns Hopkins University. Their treatment was to inject this woman with Botox to relieve the spasm and, in essence, this caused her to lose function of her right arm. She was then referred to me and, to make a long story short, after my neurological exam and assessment, I adjusted this woman one time. When she got off the adjusting table, her arm straightened out and she was capable of buttoning her own clothes for the first time in over a year. That evening she went home and played the piano.

TAC: Is there any one thing or incident that really impacted your growth as a chiropractor and/or your practice’s growth?

Donofrio: Yes. Training with Dr. Frederick Robert Carrick and becoming a Board Certified Chiropractic Neurologist has greatly impacted my chiropractic career. It gave me the science behind the philosophy of chiropractic. Up until that point, the miracles that occurred with my patients could not be reproduced with any regularity. Once I learned the neurological approach to adjusting, my clinical outcomes improved dramatically and my practice exploded. 

TAC: With your practice being cash-based, can you tell our readers your advice about setting up and maintaining such a practice in today’s healthcare system?

Donofrio: A cash practice is the best practice but, for it to achieve success, you must get results as soon as possible. If you do, you will keep your patients and referrals will be endless.

TAC: What marketing strategies do you use to attract new patients and to keep current patients?

Donofrio: My marketing strategy is the same now as it has always been. I learned this from late, great Dr. Russell Erhardt, who was one of my mentors. He always used to say to me, “Never focus on the money, but always provide your patients with a service. If you do, you will never have to worry about money.” This is the best advice I can give to any doctor, especially the recent graduates. Providing my patients with a service not only attracts new patients but also maintains my current patient base.
Specifically, I market to the patients that have chronic problems and have not found satisfaction or relief in the chiropractic or medical community. For this reason, thirty percent of my practice consists of  referrals from other chiropractors. 

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

Donofrio: I see chiropractic achieving its rightful place in the healthcare industry as the level of education and intelligence rises.

TAC: Any final words for our readers?

Donofrio: Chiropractic is the greatest profession we can be a part of. If we focus on getting sick people well, all else will follow!

Dr. John Donofrio’s Profile

PERSONAL
Married: to Dr. Yvonne C. YuRichko, Board Certified Chiropractic Neurologist
Recreation and Leisure:  Golf, bowling and all sports, including Fantasy Sports
Professional Affiliations: American Chiropractic Association, Pennsylvania Chiropractic Association, American Academy of Pain Management, Physicians Committee for responsible Medicine, President of The American Chiropractic Neurology Board.
Seminar Attendance:  Cold Light Laser Seminars, Parker College for Practicing Success, Y-File Seminars, Certified in Soft Tissue Prevention, Neurology Re-Certification Seminars
Vacations:  Caribbean Island, Canada, Europe, Florida, Maui

PRACTICE PARTICULARS
Clinic:  Berks County Chiropractic Specialists, 2611 Hampden Blvd., Reading, PA 19604
Office Hours:  9 AM-7 PM, Monday through Friday
Techniques:  Coupled Reduction Neurological Techniques, Diversified, Gonstead, Activator, Applied Kinesiology, Toggle.

Dr. John Donofrio’s Toolkit

To give you a clear idea of what an amazing chiropractor uses to run his practice, we’ve asked Dr. Donofrio to share with us some specific products & equipment that he uses to reach his practice’s goal of bringing health to his community.

TABLES: Zenith High-Lo, Toggle

DIAGNOSTIC EQUIPMENT: Neurological Equipment for Neurological Exam, Pulsed Oximeter

REHABILITATION EQUIPMENT: Erchonia Cold Light Laser, Erchonia Percussor, Wobble Board, Optic Kinetic Strips for Eye Rehabilitation

NUTRITIONAL SUPPLEMENTS: Life Force International, Standard Process, Now Foods, King-Bio Homeopathics

COMPUTER SOFTWARE: Forte Systems-Chiro8000

X-RAY EQUIPMENT: Continental Unit

To contact Dr. Donofrio, call (610) 921-2030 or visit www.Dronemorestep.com

Editor’s Note:  Do you know an Amazing Chiropractor that you’d like TAC to highlight in our The Amazing Chiropractor series?  Contact Carey Berends, by phone at 888-668-8728 or 305-434-8865, or email [email protected]. We want your inspiring story!  Contact us today!

For Dr. George Curry, chiropractic is truly a family affair.  “I graduated from Palmer College of Chiropractic in 1982, my stepfather graduated from Palmer in the 60’s, my stepbrother in the 70’s and my nephew graduated in 2002.  The two oldest of my six children plan to enroll in chiropractic college in 2006 and 2008,” says Dr. Curry. This Connecticut-based chiropractor heads a successful, high volume family practice in which he utilizes his own experience, knowledge and education, along with that of family and mentors to deliver the best possible care to his clients.

In an interview with The American Chiropractor (TAC), Dr. Curry describes what inspired him in the beginning, what keeps him inspired, and how he sees chiropractic now and in the future. Clearly, his devotion to his clients and to chiropractic makes him a TAC “Amazing Chiropractor.”

TAC: What originally sparked your interest in chiropractic?

Curry: When I was a child, I slipped from a tree that I was climbing and landed flat on my back. The wind was knocked out of me but, otherwise, I felt fine.

A short time later, I developed severe migraine headaches. My mother, who was a single parent, took me to several specialists, which lead to extensive hospital diagnostic testing. The doctors could only recommend strong medication, which my mother did not want me to take. I would suffer from 2-3 days of sickness each month.

At age seven, when I met my stepfather, who was a chiropractor, he examined my spine and found that my C2 was severely rotated. He began adjusting my spine and, for the first time, I was free of headaches. Now, when I see patients in my office who suffer from headaches, I can sympathize with them.  I find great satisfaction in helping them get their lives back. The ability to improve the quality of a person’s life is a great gift.

TAC: What type of patients do you generally treat or attract?

Curry: I run a high volume family practice that cares for up to three generations of patients.  All of our patients are educated as to the value of lifetime chiropractic care.  Vertebral subluxation detection and correction is the cornerstone of our educational program.  I believe that, when patients understand the devastating effects of the vertebral subluxation complex and the tremendous benefits of living a life subluxation-free, they will be motivated to refer their family and friends to our office.  Patients who have had subluxation correction frequently respond in our office to conditions like asthma, ear infections, and digestive disorders.

TAC: What techniques do you use & why?

Curry: I practice the techniques I learned at Palmer including Upper Cervical Specific, Gonstead, Thompson, and Pierce.  These techniques allow me to utilize state-of-the-art chiropractic adjusting. 

TAC: What type(s) of diagnostic testing procedures do you use and why?

Curry: Each patient receives a thorough orthopedic, neurologic and chiropractic examination.  Chiropractic analysis includes postural analysis, spinal range of motion, static and motion palpation, leg length analysis and chiropractic instrumentation.  We utilize plain film radiology and the digital motion X-ray for vertebral subluxation analysis.  We use the Dermathermograph and the Tytron. These procedures allow me to analyze the spine to find out when I need to adjust the spine and to monitor the body’s physiology relative to nerve interference. Specific adjusting, when done only at the right place at the right time, will help chronic and difficult cases.

TAC: Tell us your most amazing patient success story.

Curry: Over the years, I have seen thousands of miracles through chiropractic care.  One of the most rewarding and satisfying experiences was that of the Christian Chiropractors Association’s mission work in Poland, in 1994.  I was able to perform over a thousand adjustments per day and see people wait in lines spanning city blocks for the opportunity to have their spines checked.  We had countless miraculous testimonials videotaped each day.  I was able to go into the public schools and check and adjust all the students as they dismissed them.

TAC: Is there any one thing or incident that really impacted your growth as a chiropractor and/or your practice’s growth?

Curry: I can honestly say that I can attribute most of my success to the mentors who helped me from the beginning of my practice.  My technique mentors are Dr. Joe Stucky and the late Drs. Michael Kale, Clay Thomson and Vern Pierce.  My philosophy mentors are Dr. Reggie Gold, Dr. James Sigafoose and the late Dr. Fred Barge.

My practice success models are Dr. R.C. Herfert and Dr. Sid Williams. I met Dr. Herfert while I was a student at Palmer. He was my roommate’s father. Dr. Herfert practiced in Michigan and was seeing 200-300 people a day in one of the largest and most modern offices in the country. He was one of the first chiropractors in the world to completely manage and automate his practice with computers. I was fortunate enough to learn how to run a high volume, profitable practice, built on the chiropractic principles developed by D.D. and B.J. Palmer.

These doctors along with the help of the ICA (International Chiropractic Association) have been the springboards to my success.
 
TAC: What marketing strategies do you use to attract new patients and keep current patients?

Curry: We use all the standard New Patient marketing procedures including direct mail, outside lectures and spinal screenings.  I have hosted a 30-minute television show, called “Today’s Health”, which airs weekly across the state of Connecticut.  Our high retention is a factor of our patient education program.  In addition to our two-day Report of Findings (ROF), we have weekly health care classes to teach people the principles of lifetime chiropractic care.  After the 12th and 24th visit, the patient receives an additive ROF.

TAC: With your practice being a mix of cash-based and insurance-based, can you tell our readers your advice about setting up and maintaining such a practice in today’s healthcare system?

Curry: Our practice is a mix of cash and third party pay.  Patients who are in relief phase of care utilize their insurance, and people in corrective and wellness care pay cash.  I feel it would be difficult to manage your practice without an efficient chiropractic computer software program.  Herfert computer management system has been fantastic for us. 

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

Curry: There has never been a better time to be a chiropractor.  Chiropractic is positioned to take its place as the leader in the wellness revolution.  People want to live their lives to their full potential without the use of drugs and surgery.

You may contact Dr. Curry at [email protected] or call 860-668-1218.

Editor’s Note:  Do you know an Amazing Chiropractor that you’d like TAC to highlight in our The Amazing Chiropractor series?  Contact Carey Berends, by phone at 888-668-8728 or 305-434-8865, or email [email protected]. We want your inspiring story!  Contact us today!

Interview with Steve Shanks, Vice President of Erchonia Medical.

TAC: Tell us about your product and what it does?

Shanks: The Erchonia laser is the first low level laser to receive FDA market clearance; Erchonia opened a whole new industry in non-invasive patient care. We currently have FDA approval for chronic neck and shoulder pain and post-surgical pain. We should have another approval for the treatment of acne by the time this article is published. We are also doing clinical trials on wound healing, burns, carpal tunnel and several other indications.

TAC: How did you develop this product?

Shanks: We started in the laser business in 1996, when my partner, Kevin Tucek, started fixing lasers from Europe. At that time, he built his first prototype and filed his patents and we have been growing ever since. We currently have several device and application patents and have several more pending. We continue to do ongoing product development, which is proven through the many patents we have.

TAC: Is there any training needed to successfully use your product?

Shanks: Yes, and that is one of the problems. For chiropractors, we definitely feel there is a need for training. You can point and shoot and get results similar to ultrasound; but if you really want to learn to use a laser, go to a seminar by John Brimhall, Jeff Spencer, John Donofrio or Dan Murphy and Richard Amy, You can see some of the biggest names in chiropractic lecture on how to use the Erchonia laser, because they know it works and their reputations are on the line.

TAC: Are there any precautions that need to be taken before using it?

Shanks: That depends on the laser. There are no known side effects with low level lasers, but they are lasers. Depending on the power, some require safety glasses and some don’t. There are class IV lasers that are now approved that are being marketed to chiropractors. A lot of these lasers are not in their scope of practice or you have to start putting interlocking mechanisms on your doors before you can use them. The doctors really need to do their homework

TAC: Is there anything controversial about the use of your product or others like it?

Shanks: Yes. This is a new industry and, just like a lot of other industries, manufacturers will say anything to sell you a laser. Most don’t have the proper regulations to even sell their product. Some companies are advertising light products as laser and all the research says light therapy is not nearly as effective as laser therapy. There is a lot of bad information out there on depth of penetration and power. Penetration and power do not guaranty a good clinical result. Look at the science and research behind a device before you purchase any medical device.

TAC: What are some of the comments you get back from chiropractors and/or their patients?

Shanks: I have testimonials on every condition you can imagine but, because of FDA restrictions, I will leave it at that. The doctors that have the lasers love them and a lot of them purchase multiple units as their practices begin to grow, because of the results they are getting. We did a survey of Erchonia purchasers and the doctors that replied back stated that their practices have grown an average of 5% to 50% because of our equipment.

Chiropractors are the best doctors for low level laser therapy because they understand how the whole body works together. Other professions keep chasing symptoms.

TAC: What are specific areas in which your product works best?

Shanks: Any musculoskeletal condition or anything that has to do with pain or tissue healing. I believe the applications are as limited as the doctor’s imagination. In the future, I believe that lasers will be as big in healing as the computer is to information technology.

TAC: Is your product being tested in other areas currently?

Shanks: Yes. We are currently doing clinical trials on burns, wound healing, carpal tunnel, acne, neck and shoulder pain, knee replacements, bunion surgery and hair restoration, just to name few.

TAC: What do you say to doctors interested in your product?

Shanks: The Erchonia low level laser is the most researched low level laser in the world, but do your homework. Do not listen to a sales pitch. Ask what research has been done and what has been published with the device that you are purchasing. Don’t purchase something from someone whose laser is just as good as an Erchonia laser unless they can prove it through the research they’ve done. We spend more money on research and patents than all of the other low level laser companies combined. We opened up the market in the US and plan to stay ahead of everyone else by giving our customers the quality and research backing they deserve.

TAC: To what type of doctor does your product appeal most?

Shanks: Chiropractic is our biggest market, but we also sell to physical therapists, plastic surgeons, cosmetic surgeons, dermatologists and pretty much every other medical profession. I believe Erchonia will help bridge the gap between the professions. We have more surgeons wanting to come to chiropractic seminars to learn how to treat pain.

TAC: Tells us the difference between ultrasound and cold lasers and when a doctor should choose one over the other?

Shanks: There is a new study that just came out that shows ultrasound works better for treating carpal tunnel than laser, if you are using an infrared laser. That is one of the reasons we don’t build infrared lasers. I believe I know why this is, but I don’t want to give my competitors an edge. I believe that we will be able to show better results with the Erchonia laser when our clinical trial is finished.

TAC: How is your laser different from others?

Shanks: We have done a lot of cellular research, which helps us tune our lasers into the precise power. We know through our research that, if we treat the body with too much power, the cells shut down and you get very little effect. There is a biological law called Arnat/Shultz that states “weak stimuli excites biological activity.” We also know, through research, that by pulsing the laser we can get much better effects than with constant wave lasers. We believe that is the biggest difference between Erchonia Medical and everybody else.

For more information, contact Erchonia Medical, at 4751 E. Indigo St., Mesa, AZ 85205. Phone 480-633-3129 or 888-242-0571; email [email protected] or visit www.erchonia.com.

Dr. Ken Krimpelbein, former high school physical education teacher and personal trainer, and a 1995 graduate of Cleveland Chiropractic College, is now the owner of a successful multidiscipline practice in Oak Creek, Wisconsin. He presently employs three chiropractors, a massage therapist, a registered dietician, five personal trainers and will soon have a physical therapist and a neurologist on staff. “Treat your patients the way you would want to be treated. Implement nothing in your office unless you, yourself, would want that service,” is the cornerstone of his success.

In an interview with The American Chiropractor (TAC), Dr. Krimpelbein describes his practice now, and how he sees it and chiropractic in the future.  With his dedication to his patients and to the chiropractic profession, he is a TAC “Amazing Chiropractor.”

TAC: How did you become involved in chiropractic, Dr. Krimpelbein?

Krimpelbein: In the summer of 1990, I was living above a chiropractic practice while I was doing my undergraduate studies in physical education and health. The girl I was dating at the time got a bug up her butt and wanted to move out to California; I had nothing better to do, so I moved out there with her. During the day, I would teach high school physical education and health classes and, in the evenings, I would ride my bike to a chiropractor’s office and personal train some of his clientele. The chiropractor I worked for had a fitness center connected to his practice. That is when the light went on.

Soon after this experience, I called my friend, Dr. John Freidrichs, who was enrolled at Cleveland Chiropractic College in Kansas City, Missouri. He told me to get my butt to Kansas City. The next thing you know, I had packed up a U-Haul and moved from California to Kansas City. I often tell other chiropractors that they did not choose chiropractic. Chiropractic chooses us. We are the chosen ones.

TAC: What types of patients do you generally treat or attract?

Krimpelbein: We treat anybody with a spine. The conditions we see in our office are no different than those that are seen in any other chiropractic office.  My job is to take the spine from where it is to where it needs to be, regardless of the patients symptoms.

TAC: What techniques do you use and why?

Krimpelbein: Techniques that we use include Diversified, Chiropractic Bio-Physics and Cox Flexion Distraction. My motto is, “Fit the technique to the patient, not the patient to your technique.”

TAC:  Tell us your most amazing patient success story.

Krimpelbein: I can’t tell you one that sticks out the most, but I can tell you about the patient that resonates with me the most—the patient that comes in here with the mindset that I’m going to make them feel better and they leave here with the mindset knowing that they’re responsible for their health. Based on that information, this patient decides, on their own, to continue with chiropractic wellness care, implement a sound nutritional program, and become a member at the health club I own. That is the reason that I get out of bed each morning. As chiropractors, we preach the inside out philosophy of healing, yet, most of our interventions are outside in. To me, a true inside out healer is one that has the ability to empower the patient to realize that they’re responsible for their health, not their doctor and certainly not their insurance company.

TAC: Is there any one thing or incident that really impacted your growth as a chiropractor and/or your practice’s growth?

Krimpelbein: Currently, I am a senior coach of Breakthrough Coaching. I originally became a Breakthrough Coaching client because of my desire to master Rehab/Active Care. Presently, I’m creating a multidiscipline practice. Multidiscipline practice is not for everyone. Thanks to my staff, I am able to run a very successful chiropractic practice. Other professions are certainly not needed in this practice.

However, I really struggle knowing that there are procedures that could help my patients that I can’t offer. Many times I feel uncomfortable referring to other professionals, because I don’t know what is being said to them when they are outside the walls of my facility.

At this time, my facility employs three chiropractors, a massage therapist, a registered dietician, five personal trainers and, in the near future, a physical therapist and a neurologist. The neurologist that is going to be working in this facility is not just any medical doctor. He has an M.D., Ph.D., Pharm.D. and an M.B.A., and played a key role in removing Vioxx from the market. He is very wellness based and I look forward to building on the relationship that we have established.

TAC: What marketing strategies do you use to attract new patients and to keep current patients?

Krimpelbein: Hands down, the one thing that has built this facility is my New Patient Orientation. I’ve been in practice now for ten years and have consistently done a New Patient Orientation every other week. Our Patient Visit Average (PVA) on a patient that attends a New Patient Orientation is double that of one that does not. The purpose of the New Patient Orientation is to sell the principle of chiropractic. Care plans tend to run out, but the principle lives forever. Once a patient grasps the inside out principle of healing, they are yours for life.  It is also a great opportunity for them to not only buy into the message, but for them to buy into the messenger.

TAC: With your practice being multidisciplinary, can you tell our readers your advice about setting up and maintaining such a practice in today’s healthcare system?

Krimpelbein: My advice in creating a multidisciplinary practice is to not build a house of cards. Make sure you have all of your policies, procedures and protocols in place before another professional, such as a physical therapist or medical doctor, comes into your clinic. You do not want the inmates to run the asylum. If you’re not sure where to start, find yourself a reputable consultant with a good track record to help you with this process. Mistakes cannot only be costly, they can jeopardize your license.

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

Krimpelbein: The wellness revolution is here and we are positioned perfectly to take over that role, but we all have our responsibilities. I can’t fathom why anybody would not belong to a national or state organization and would not contribute their money or energy toward the advancement of this great profession. I’m proud to be a coach for a team that just contributed $500,000 toward the Campaign for Chiropractic. I hope other organizations step up to the plate as well.

TAC: Any final words for our readers?

Krimpelbein: Treat your patients the way you would want to be treated. Implement nothing in your office unless you, yourself, would want that service.

You may contact Dr. Krimpelbein via email at [email protected].