Q: What do you predict for the future growth of chiropractic practices?
A: Approximately 30% of medical physicians remain in private practice, and the day of the solo chiropractic practice is gone as well. The chiropractor of the future will be a member of a group practice. With student debt running at over $100,000, the financial resources required to open a new practice from scratch are beyond the means of most new practitioners. The trend of the group practice–a senior physician with associate team members–is a win/win for both parties.
The new practitioner benefits from the confidence, experience, and patient base of the seasoned doctor. The senior physician benefits from the up-to-date knowledge, energy and enthusiasm of the younger doctor, who is a candidate for future partnership. In addition, the group practice provides “safety in numbers”. Overhead costs can be shared, vacation coverage is assured, and often “two heads are better than one” when it comes to strategic planning and decision-making. The group chiropractic practice is the chiropractic practice of the future, so be sure to choose a consultant who is familiar with how to recruit, train, motivate and compensate your associates.
Q: What is your opinion of multidisciplinary practices?
A: The multidisciplinary practice is on the cutting-edge of the battleground of integrating chiropractic into the mainstream of healthcare. There is a clear scope of practice between allopathic and chiropractic healthcare, and multidisciplinary practices provide patients with the best of both disciplines. The most successful multidisciplinary practices maintain a musculoskeletal focus and refer primary care, when needed, outside the practice.
A true multidisciplinary practice provides patients with a team approach to healthcare. The chiropractor provides the practice with the delivery of chiropractic care, the medical physician provides upgraded diagnostic capabilities, and the physical therapist provides active care rehabilitation. It is important to note that the paradigm of multidisciplinary practice is one fraught with many pitfalls, and those physicians who are contemplating it should do so only at the advice of a consultant and legal counsel who are well versed in the model. There are many laws, regulations, and guidelines that must be adhered to in chiropractic practice, and in multidisciplinary practice these are multiplied many fold.
Dr. Mark Sanna is the CEO of Breakthrough Coaching, LLC, a leading resource for personal coaching to chiropractic and multidisciplinary practices throughout the country. He can be reached at Breakthrough Coaching, LLC, by calling 1?800-7-ADVICE. TAC