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ISSUE #14: SEPTEMBER 10, 2009
The Magazine Dedicated to Practice Growth and Prosperity Since 1954 • www.ChiroEco.com
Get to know a revolution in alternative medicine PAGE 15
How you can attract new patients PAGE 29
The key to connecting with your community PAGE 43
Get a short-term plan for long-term employees PAGE 49
Should you change accounting methods? PAGE 60 Dr. Carl S. Cleveland III PLUS Retail Products Directory Living PAGE 52 a Legacy PAGE 32 CHEC_2.ps 8/20/09 10:22 AM Page 2 CHEC_3.ps 8/20/09 10:24 AM Page 3 CHEC_4.ps 8/20/09 10:26 AM Page 4
contentsCHIROPRACTIC ECONOMICS • VOLUME 55, ISSUE 14
clinical research IN EVERY ISSUE A revolution in alternative medicine ...... 15 EDITOR’S MESSAGE ...... 8 By Beth Bay NEWS ...... 10 ADVERTISERS INDEX ...... 64 DATEBOOK ...... 65 nutrition PRODUCTS ...... 70 MARKETPLACE ...... 71 Unearthing necessary minerals ...... 23 CLASSIFIEDS ...... 72 By Richard Drucker, BS, MS, ND, PhD RETAIL PRODUCTS GUIDE . . . . . 52 marketing Chiropractic The law of attraction ...... 29 ECONOMICS By Kort Harshman, DC Chiropractic Economics (ISSN 1087-1985) (USPS 019-178) is published 18 times per year and two of the issues, in July and November, will include a special editorial supplement. In addition, two issues are mailed in January, February, April, June, feature Aug., and Sept. One issue is mailed March, May, Oct., and Dec. Address: Chiropractic Living a legacy ...... 32 Economics, Inc., 5150 Palm Valley Road, By Stanford Erickson Suite 103, Ponte Vedra Beach, FL 32082. Phone: 904-285-6020, Fax: 904-285-9944. Web Contact: www.ChiroEco.com. (A Florida Corporation). POSTMASTER: Please send form #3579 to personal development Chiropractic Economics, PO Box 3521, Northbrook, IL 60065-9955. Periodicals Connecting with your community ...... 43 class postage paid at Ponte Vedra, Florida and at additional mailing offices. GST By Shelley Simon, BSN, DC, MPH, EdD #131868416. Subscription Rates: U.S. and possessions, $39.95 one year, Canadian subscribers add $35 per year shipping and handling; overseas subscribers add $60 per year practice management shipping and handling. Students, $19.95, Single copy, $4. Short-term plan for long-term employees ...... 49 Statement: While encouraging the free By Laurie Mosier expression of opinion by contributors to this publication, Chiropractic Economics and members of its staff do not necessarily agree with/or endorse the statements made in the advertisements or contributed articles. Chiropractic Economics is owned by finances Chiropractic Economics, Inc. a Florida Corporation, Joseph D. Doyle, President To be forewarned is to be forearmed ...... 57 and CEO and Wendy Bautista, Editor. By Jason Newfield, Esq., and Justin C. Frankel, Esq. Authorization for the use of photographs and/or illustrations is the responsibility of the author(s). All materials submitted for Finance and taxes: publication shall remain the property of this Changing accounting methods midstream ...... 60 magazine until published.
By Mark E. Battersby Change of Address: Six to eight weeks prior to moving, please clip the mailing label from the most recent issue and send it along with your new address (including zip code) to the CHIROPRACTIC ECONOMICS studentDC.com CIRCULATION DEPARTMENT, PO Box 3521, Northbrook, IL 60065-9955. For a faster 7 strategies to help you create change, go to www.ChiroEco.com and click on “Customer Service.” SUCCESS after graduation ...... 66
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NOW ONLINE HOME PAGE FOR THE SUCCESSFUL DOCTOR OF CHIROPRACTIC
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First Tuesday @ 2 More from this issue Webinar Series Find success strategies from Cleveland Chiropractic Economics hosts a free Chiropractic College at Find us online! Webinar series on the first Tuesday of www.studentdc.com. Check out Chiropractic Economics on each month at 2 p.m. Sign up for our Facebook and Twitter. next Webinar or view our archive at Resources for www.ChiroEco.com/facebook www.ChiroEco.com/FirstTuesday. Canadian DCs www.ChiroEco.com/twitter Our Web site section for Canadian Job Board DCs features news from schools, Resource Centers Visit www.ChiroEco.com/jobboard organizations, and seminars. The site for employment opportunity listings also includes Canada-specific coding Lasers for: and billing information. Check it out www.ChiroEco.com/erchonia • Associates at www.ChiroEco.com/Canada. • What are you treating with lasers? • Billing • The highs and lows of lasers • Chiropractic Resource Guide Assistants and Directory Instrument Adjusting Our patient retention resource guide • Doctors of www.ChiroEco.com/neuromechanical and directory is now available online Chiropractic • Bring adjusting instruments to at www.ChiroEco.com/directory. • Faculty the table • Front Office/ Reception/Scheduling • Integrating instrument adjusting in your practice • Independent Contractors Online Poll • Marketing Has our profile of Cleveland Electronic Health Record • Massage Therapists Chiropractic College influenced your opinion • Multidisciplinary Practice www.ChiroEco.com/futurehealth of the school? Opportunities • Guest Editorial - How to keep To enter your response and • Office Management EHRs secure view the results of our last poll, • A case study in billing • Temporary Positions visit www.ChiroEco.com. • Other
Expert Insights Blogs by Jean Murray, Perry Nickelston, Michelle Geller-Vino, Kelly Robbins, Kathy Mills Chang, Jasper Sidhu, Paul Varnas, and the Chiropractic Economics editorial staff. We have chosen these bloggers from different niches: Practice startup, reimbursement, strategies from the ‘real world’ of chiropractic, and the chiropractic press. We do this to make sure you get the big picture about chiropractic success. Miller's Moments The Chiropractic ChiroMasterMind Revenue Centers: Marketing Connection Only 2 reasons Question #2 Don’t let low self-esteem stop you from marketing your practice By K. Jeff Miller, DC By Kelly Robbins By Perry Nickelston www.ChiroEco.com/miller www.ChiroEco.com/robbins www.ChiroEco.com/nickelston
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ACTIC E PR C O O editor’s message R N I
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1954 - A 2 R
00 Y Chiropractic 9 ECONOMICS It’s all about knowing DEDICATED TO PRACTICE GROWTH AND PROSPERITY SINCE 1954 Volume 55, Number 14
ome people say the more you know, the better Editorial Director Stanford Erickson Syou are and the better you will feel. [email protected] Apply that “philosophy” to your practice and it is: The more you know, the Editor better you can serve your patients and the better they will feel (and more will Wendy Bautista come knocking on your door). [email protected] In “Unearthing necessary minerals” on page 23, it Assistant Editor Ryan Daley discusses the exact meaning and purpose of minerals [email protected] and why they, as opposed to vitamins, are so important Editorial Assistant for excellent health and well-being. By knowing what is Melissa Heyboer beneficial, you can ensure your patients are getting all [email protected] the minerals, vitamins, and nutrients they need. Art Director “The law of attraction” on page 29 informs you of Christine Wojton [email protected] some of the methods and steps you can take to increase Let me know what’s your volume of new patients. Knowing how to better Production Assistant on your mind: Nicole Evans 904-567-1539 market your practice, can definitely help in your quest [email protected] Fax: 904-285-9944 for the right patient base — and have them lining up [email protected] Vice President, Web Operations/ at your door! Audience Development On page 32, you will find the second in a series of interviews with chiropractic Manuel Lirio [email protected] university and college presidents. Editorial Director Stanford Erickson sat down with Carl S. Cleveland III, DC, president of Cleveland Chiropractic College Web Developer Darryl Green (CCC), and got to know him better. In [email protected] “Living a legacy,” Dr. Cleveland III discusses Accountant how his family of chiropractors was a major Brenda Murphy influence on his life and his profession, and [email protected] how his connection to the chiropractic National Account Executives community has helped build a better Jeff Pruitt, 904-567-1542 [email protected] chiropractic college. Janice Ruddiman Long, 904-567-1541 Let Dr. Cleveland III as well as the other stories in this issue show you how [email protected] this “philosophy” can work and help you achieve a better practice with Joel Morris, 904-567-1548 happier patients. [email protected] It all comes down to the more you know. Jill Upton, 904-567-1546 Wishing you success, [email protected] Advertising Coordinator Hustin Wildman, 904-567-1543 [email protected] Wendy Bautista, Editor Classifieds Account Executive Tina Farber, 904-567-1551 CHIROPRACTIC’S TIMELINE [email protected] As part of our celebrating 55 years in the profession, Chiropractic President/CEO Economics will feature a section of the chiropractic historical timeline in Joseph D. Doyle each issue leading up to 2009. [email protected]
2006 The New York Chiropractic Council and the New York State Business & Editorial Offices Chiropractic Association joined forces and created a Joint Legislative 5150 Palm Valley Rd., Ste. 103 Task Force to identify and pass legislation that will benefit chiropractic Ponte Vedra Beach, FL 32082 patients and the profession. Phone: 904-285-6020, Fax: 904-285-9944 www.chiroeco.com
2006 The Michigan Chiropractic Society and the Michigan Chiropractic Founded 1954 Association merged into one unified association, the Michigan William L. Luckey and Helen C. Luckey Association of Chiropractors.
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news flash TOP NEWS NBCE joins Twitter The National Board of Chiropractic Examiners (NBCE) Chiropractic Summit recently joined the popular social networking site, Twitter as a way to remind interested parties about upcoming policy paper highlights examination deadlines or other important information. potential The NBCE will use the site only to send time-sensitive notices about events that effect chiropractic students, The Chiropractic Summit’s 28-page paper titled “The state boards, and other professionals in the field. Path to Change in the U.S. Health Care System: the If you wish to follow the NBCE on Twitter, go to Chiropractic Perspective” provides chiropractic Twitter.com and search for “NBCE.” You may also go organizations and doctors with a comprehensive, directly to http://twitter.com/ntlboardchiro. If you create a authoritative document regarding the potential role of user account, you can choose to follow the NBCE and chiropractic in national healthcare reform. automatically receive NBCE notices, or “tweets,” by text The Summit paper is offered as a means to message, e-mail, or on the Twitter Web site. substantively contribute to the national healthcare reform Source: National Board of Chiropractic Examiners, www.nbce.org debate, to help foster timely action on key health reform principles, and to offer a new perspective on how a system in crisis can be redesigned into a system that works, in Canadian-American which the public has confidence and which the nation Chamber of Commerce and its citizens can afford. names Lamarche chairman The paper provides policymakers, consumers, and the Dr. Gilles Lamarche was named to the post of media detailed information and recommendations on how Chairman of the Advisory Council in a statement chiropractic can best be utilized in a reformed national released by Canadian-American Chamber of Commerce healthcare system. The paper outlines the unique (CACC) President and Founder Joseph Scott. strengths and applications of chiropractic as well as Lamarche is the author and co-author of more than documents how chiropractic’s clinical and cost- nine books including the recently updated Parker System effectiveness offer tangible ways and means of relieving for Professional Success (PSPS). A member of the Parker significant pressure on the current failing system. College postgraduate faculty since 1990, Lamarche was Other sections of the paper address the growing demand named Canadian Chiropractor of the Year for 2005-2006 for chiropractic services, chiropractic’s extensive integration by Canadian Chiropractor magazine readers, accepted the in current healthcare programs and systems, chiropractic position of acting director of Parker Seminars in education, and how chiropractic can significantly help November 2006, and was named vice president of Parker address the shortage of healthcare professionals. Seminars in October 2008. The Summit paper addresses not only chiropractic’s Source: Parker College of Chiropractic, www.parkercc.edu greater potential role and aspirations in health reform, but provides a well-articulated summary of what needs to be Study: Chiropractic cost-effective done system-wide to address the roots of the current failure. As a starting premise, the paper addresses the need for a for musculoskeletal disorders fundamental paradigm shift, away from the current system A new pilot program shows that conservative of sick-care, to a true prevention and wellness model. healthcare — including chiropractic — may reduce The full text of the Summit paper is available online overall healthcare costs in patients with musculoskeletal from your state or national chiropractic organization. This disorders, such as back and neck pain. document may be printed and downloaded for lobbying The pilot, conducted by Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue purposes at no charge. Shield to measure quality of patient care for its members Source: Foot Levelers, www.footlevelers.com in Iowa and South Dakota, also shows promising outcomes for the patients choosing chiropractic and other Go to www.ChiroEco.com for more news that conservative care. affects your practice and its growth. Wellmark conducted the Physical Medicine Pilot on News you can use is posted every day. Quality in 2008 for Iowa and South Dakota physical medicine providers. A total of 238 chiropractors, physical
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news flash
therapists, and occupational therapists provided care to college conferred one Master of Science in Clinical 5,500 members with musculoskeletal disorders. Anatomy, which went to Kathy Dooley, DC. According to Wellmark, data from participating Source: New York Chiropractic College, www.nycc.edu clinicians show that 89 percent of the patients treated in the pilot reported a greater than 30 percent improvement HEALTH NEWS in 30 days. The pilot compared data for Wellmark members who A natural guide received care from doctors of chiropractic or physical therapists with a member population with similar to managing migraines demographics who did not receive such services. The According to the Migraine Research Foundation, comparison showed that those who received chiropractic nearly 30 million people in the United States are affected care or physical therapy were less likely to have surgery by migraine headaches. Many migraine sufferers feel their and experienced lower total healthcare costs, according only option is to take prescription or over-the-counter to Wellmark. medications to help reduce the frequency and severity of Source: American Chiropractic Association, www.acatoday.org the migraine. However, according to Amy Horton, DC, an assistant professor and faculty clinician at Northwestern Health COLLEGE NEWS Sciences University, there are many effective natural Northwestern Health Sciences treatment options that may help. Dr. Horton offers many simple reminders for people University graduates 56 prone to migraines, including relaxation, rest, and On Aug. 15, the School of Massage Therapy and the watching what you eat. And by keeping a journal, it may Minnesota College of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine help you determine what foods, activities, or other at Northwestern Health Sciences University presented 36 patterns trigger a migraine. students with a certificate in massage therapy, as well as six Dr. Horton also suggests such natural alternatives for students with a master’s degree in acupuncture, and 14 treating migraines as acupuncture, biofeedback, students with a master’s degree in Oriental medicine. chiropractic care, massage, and herbs and supplements. Source: Northwestern Health Sciences University, Some evidence indicates that the herbs feverfew and www.nwhealth.edu/nwtoday/index.html butterbur may prevent or reduce the severity of migraines. A high dose of riboflavin (vitamin B-2) also may prevent NYCC graduates migraines by correcting tiny deficiencies in the brain 82 in five programs cells. Herbs and supplements should be taken under the direction of your healthcare practitioner. New York Chiropractic College (NYCC) conferred Source: Northwestern Health Sciences University, degrees Aug. 1 upon candidates in five graduate level www.nwhealth.edu/nwtoday/index.html programs: Doctor of Chiropractic; Master of Science in Applied Clinical Nutrition; Master of Science in Clinical GET THE MOST NEWS Anatomy; Master of Science in Acupuncture; and Master ChiroEco.com is your source for news. News on chiropractic, of Science in Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine. healthcare, and small business is posted every day at Twenty-seven candidates received their Doctor of www.ChiroEco.com. Make www.ChiroEco.com your home Chiropractic degrees, 34 their Master of Science in page and stay “in the know” about all events that affect you and your practice. Applied Clinical Nutrition, and for the first time the
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clinical research
A revolution in alternative medicine By Beth Bay
eurological stress reduction While NSRT is unique, work supporting its development originated 50 years ago through the work of Dr. Reinhard therapy (NSRT) is a Voll. Voll’s work, which is often referred to as EAV (Electro- Nrevolutionary technique rooted Acupuncture According to Voll), is based on theories of in Eastern medicine dating back more quantum physics. The theory set out to prove that organized electromagnetic fields extend from the human body and than 5,000 years. intelligently interact with the environment. NSRT encompasses a holistic approach to healing that Voll, who began to study Eastern medicine and Chinese addresses the underlying cause of disease and teaches that acupuncture meridian systems in the late 1940s, reasoned symptoms are a response to an imbalance in the body. that if there were channels of energy that ran throughout Treatment works with the body to stimulate balanced the body and came to the skin’s surface at various healing while taking into account the unique acupuncture points, there should be a way to measure this characteristics of the individual and the ailment. energy. Very simply, NSRT is about providing care for the He developed a device that measured the body’s ability individual who has a symptom or condition rather than to conduct this energy and compared the measurements of treating the condition or symptom impacting the individual. healthy patients to those who had conventional diseases.
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When an individual is faced with stress, the body goes into a fight or flight response where the heart rate increases, breathing is accelerated, and muscles tense up.
He found that the electrical conductivity reading outside of the normal range revealed disturbances in tissues and organs traditionally associated with these acupuncture points. He also noticed that major disturbances in the body produced a steady decay of the conductivity indicator as the point was being measured. Second, he discovered that medicines placed in the proximity of the patient could change acupuncture point readings, and that simply holding a substance would indicate how the body would respond if ingested. One theory explaining this phenomenon is that all matter, alive and innate, vibrates at a specific and unique frequency as a result of the electric charges of the particles at the atomic level, and thus emit electromagnetic waves. These waves are picked up by cells, all of which have a receptor designed specifically to receive electromagnetic signals from the surrounding environment.
Methodologies EAV set the groundwork for future homeopathic frameworks, which include applied kinesiology (AK), Nambudripad’s allergy elimination technique (NAET), Brimhall wellness technique, and NSRT. • Applied kinesiology (AK). AK uses manual muscle testing to evaluate body function through the dynamics of the muscoskeletal system. In 1964, George J. Goodheart, DC, discovered that a weak muscle could test strong through massage of its extreme ends where the tendons attach to the bone. An AK doctor will use muscle tests to evaluate the physiological responses to physical, chemical, and mental stimulus and then integrate them with clinical history, physical examination, lab tests, x-rays, and other diagnostic methods to determine the best course of treatment.
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clinical research
• Nambudripad’s allergy acupressure, allopathy, chiropractic, Wellness,” which he identified as elimination technique (NAET). nutritional, and kinesiological structural imbalance, electromagnetic NAET is a drug-free and noninvasive concepts — to identify the substance radiation, nutritional deficiencies, approach designed specifically to specific allergen and then to balance allergies and sensitivities, negative eliminate allergies of all types the natural occurring energies of the emotional patterns, and toxicity. through the unblocking of energy body with the electromagnetic Brimhall uses a modified version pathways or meridians and the energies found in one’s environment. of NAET for allergy testing and AK restarting of normal circulation NAET treatments include muscle testing as a primary through the energy channels. acupuncture or acupressure, followed diagnostic tool for each of these six Developed in 1983 by Devi S. by 20 minutes of rest. steps. Nambudripad, MD (WI), DC, LAc, • Brimhall wellness technique. • Neurological substance PhD (acu), it uses a combination of John Brimhall, DC, developed a relaxation therapy (NSRT). The testing procedures — acupuncture and model based on “Six Steps to school of thought behind NSRT is that if a reaction can be learned, it can also be unlearned, and the body can be taught to respond in a more neutral manner using what Ivan Pavlov called positive conditioning or classical conditioning. NSRT is based on four facts: 1. Stress causes or exacerbates most health-related conditions. 2. General reduction of stress levels can significantly decrease symptoms of many conditions including, but not limited to, allergies. Allergies, as one example, are defined as the body’s inappropriate reaction or response to an otherwise harmless substance. 3. The brain creates associations between stressful events and substances, which are oftentimes inappropriate and subsequently lead to a host of chronic and acute conditions. 4. These associations can be broken by introducing a positive stimulus in conjunction with the specific stress-inducing substances, and symptoms can be reduced or eliminated.
The stress factor While all the above-mentioned approaches recognize stress as an important factor in the development of disease, the success of NSRT lies in how it addresses the “stress” reaction in an individual’s system.
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Many studies have shown that glands release epinephrine, ultimately result in death. stress contributes to a significant norepinephrine, and corticosteroid NSRT can play a role in percent of major illness, including hormones into the bloodstream. This alleviating the stress associated with cardiovascular disease. It has been reaction causes digestion to stop, many of these conditions. By shown that: blood sugar levels to increase, and addressing the dominant role stress • 70 percent to 80 percent of all the heart to pump more blood. plays in people’s daily lives, NSRT doctor visits are for stress-related If stress persists, there may may prove to be one of the most- and stress-induced illnesses; eventually be a breakdown of bodily effective preventative health • Stress contributes to 50 percent resources and a reduction of levels of measures, as well as one of the most- of all illness in the U.S.; and epinephrine and norepinephrine in effective therapies for individuals • The cost of job stress in the the brain. Stress reactions may also already suffering from chronic and U.S. is estimated at $200 billion lead to behavioral and biological acute conditions caused or annually. processes that contribute to the onset exacerbated by stress. While a certain amount of stress is of disease. normal, chronic negative stress has Effects of chronic stress include Beth Bay handles public relations and been proven to be harmful to a such symptoms as allergies and food editorial activities for BioAllergenix, a person’s health. When an individual sensitivities, migraine headaches, company committed to providing holistic is faced with stress, the body goes sleep disorders, digestive disorders, medical therapies through devices such into a fight or flight response where muscle tightness, jaw problems, as its BAX-3000 and BioVeda MG, which the heart rate increases, breathing is breathing problems, circulatory are based on the use of neurological accelerated, and muscles tense up. problems, heart palpitations, and stress reduction therapy. She can be Activity in the sympathetic chronic fatigue, just to name a few. reached at 800-519-7640 or through nervous system rises and the adrenal Long-term chronic stress can www.BAX3000Webinar.com.
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nutrition
Unearthing necessary minerals By Richard Drucker, BS, MS, ND, PhD
hile it’s safe to say people have Because of the extensive number of minerals, there is not a complete list available; however, there are a known heard the word minerals limited number of minerals critically necessary to the Wbefore, the exact meaning and body. These trace minerals include zinc, iron, magnesium, purpose may still be a mystery to many. calcium, selenium, and copper. People typically tend to think of minerals as small Essential for function particles of matter in soil or rock and in essence that Minerals are essential for all the chemical processes description would be correct. that occur in our bodies in order for them to function But this image does not really represent its beneficial properly. All nutrients, such as vitamins, proteins, function to the human body. enzymes, amino acids, carbohydrates, fats, sugars, oils, etc., Why are minerals, as opposed to vitamins, so important require minerals for proper cell utility. In fact, minerals for excellent health and well-being? play a more important role in health than vitamins. Webster’s Dictionary defines minerals as “inorganic While vitamins are required for every bodily substances occurring naturally in the earth and having a biochemical process, they are useless without the presence consistent and distinctive set of physical properties and a of minerals. Minerals are also essential for healing. When composition that can be expressed by a chemical formula: it comes to mineral supplements, most are not easily sometimes applied to substances in the earth of organic incorporated into the body. origin, such as coal.” 1 Even the official definition leaves It’s important that mineral supplements be water questions regarding the vital role of minerals in the body. soluble (liquid form is best), not in rock form, and the
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elements be absorbed readily and fully — bringing more oxygen to the blood cells and thereby releasing toxins from the body.
Misconceptions and buildup In addition to limited knowledge regarding the necessity and function of minerals, a few mineral misconceptions exist. One such misconception is the fear of mineral or metal buildup in the body, which has been documented to cause various health problems. With toxicity-related disorders and talk about heavy metal accumulation, there’s an overlying anxiety that metals (minerals) are harmful, which is both true and false. There’s no doubt the absorption and storage of too many heavy metals such as mercury, cadmium, lead, and others have been proven to be unsafe, but other metals or minerals, such as beryllium, copper, florine, nickel, silver, and aluminum, also raise red flags. The result of all this negative hype can be an obsession about avoiding metals in any form. Many do not realize the metal itself is not necessarily the problem; but rather the form. It is important to know that the previously mentioned minerals, along with other trace minerals, are essential for proper health — and you cannot survive without them. The difference lies in the distinction between organic trace minerals and metallic minerals, as well as quantities.
Different distinction Essential trace elements are “essential” only when used in trace amounts. When used in excess, they can become toxic. Understand, however, the consumption of plant- derived mineral fulvic complexes over a period of years has shown to not build up in the body tissues as do metallic minerals. A good example of the difference between organic trace minerals and metallic minerals is metal aluminum. Aluminum makes up 12 percent of the Earth’s crust and is one of the most abundant metallic elements. Even though there are arguments that a large amount of aluminum in the body may be responsible for cognitive disorders such as dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, it’s rare these same arguments mention the form or benefits of aluminum. Aluminum is a major component in all soils and enters the food chain at every level, be it plant or animal, and is profitable for health. If natural compounds of organic aluminum were toxic or hazardous to humans, life as we know it would cease.
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The known biological function, Utilizing those minerals metabolism. and thus benefit, of aluminum is to No discussion of minerals would Because minerals are absorbed activate the enzyme Succinic be complete without including a through the soil into plant material Dehydrogenase. According to vital aspect of mineral utilization: that man and animals consume, Professor Gerharkt Schrauzer, head of fulvic acid. Fulvic acid is one of two fulvic acid is absolutely essential for the department of chemistry at classes of a natural acidic organic the assimilation of minerals into a UCSD, Succinic Dehydrogenase polymer that can be extracted from small enough form to be completely increases survival rates of newborn humus (the healthy result of dissolved and used by the body. infants and is an essential mineral for decaying organic matter), soil, Fulvic acid is so powerful that a human nutrition. sediment, or aquatic environments. single molecule is capable of carrying Even arsenic, in trace levels, is an According to the Britannica 60 or more minerals and trace essential element for optimal health Encyclopedia, fulvic acid is believed elements into the cells. and longevity.2 to originate as a product of microbial Unfortunately, the humus deposits rich with fulvic acid have been missing from diets for decades. They are quite rare in this generation and can only be found in very limited areas of the world. Since fulvic acid allows such an increase in mineral absorption, it has the ability to make a profound impact on a wide variety of health issues and diseases that have arisen in the last several decades due to mineral depletion in foods and humans. In order to ensure you are getting all the minerals, vitamins, and nutrients your body needs, it is crucial you supplement with the right kinds of vitamins and minerals. Only then can you be certain you are getting the life-giving minerals your body and your patients’ bodies need.
Richard Drucker, BS, MS, ND, PhD, is the CEO of Drucker Labs, who manufactures and distributes health, wellness, and nutritional products. He can be contacted at 888-881-2344, [email protected], or through www.druckerlabs.com.
REFERENCES 1 Webster’s Dictionary. Second College Edition. Prentice Hall Press. 1986 p. 904
2 Kehoe, R.A., et al.: Manganese, lead, tin aluminum, copper and silver in normal biological material. J. Nutr. July, 1940. Pages 85-98.
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marketing
The law of attraction What you can do to attract new patients
By Kort Harshman, DC
t has been said that the life blood are a great way to educate the public about not only their health, but also about chiropractic. of any chiropractic practice is new There is an unlimited supply of opportunities in the Ipatients. business community to educate about chiropractic. There is a growing number of chiropractors who seem For example: Health spas, schools, health food stores, to attract large numbers of new patients effortlessly. charity runs, city recreation centers, and virtually any But, is it really effortless? Or is there more work and place that attracts people are great places to do a effort involved than previously thought? The answer is screening or lecture. predictable — obtaining large numbers of new patients Use lectures and health classes in your clinic to educate takes effort and organization applied consistently over a patients about the benefits of pursuing a health mentality long period of time. that has chiropractic as a key component. It is important If your goal is to increase new patients, begin by to your success to be able to express yourself in front of creating a marketing calendar. Identify the major events small or large groups. in your area and then do what it takes to create a positive Through your community. A clinic should have a image and get out into your community. cause or charity that it supports financially. Offering new patients an opportunity to come in to your office for a Marketing your practice charitable donation is a great thing to do. Marketing your practice is essential to increasing new Not only will your image in the community improve, patients. Some ways you can market your practice is: but other leaders in your community will recognize and Through education. A great activity for bringing in remember your efforts. Your reputation as a giving and new patients is participation at health fairs, employee caring professional will translate into new patients. benefit fairs, screenings, lectures, and any number of events Through existing patients. Does that mean you in your community. should be doing health classes in your clinic? Yes. Become Many of you may cringe at the thought of participating an ambassador for the profession and learn how to do in these activities, but most people do not understand programs for your patients and others. chiropractic and what it is that you do and these activities Are you paying attention when someone mentions a
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patient they would like you to see? any problems and make sure to ask and provide an inexpensive snack You should be. If this situation about family members. and gift certificate for a presents itself, do a third-party case Also try printing a patient list and complimentary exam. history. And, if it is appropriate, offer use that list to identify key people in Through colleagues. Professional the referring patient an opportunity your patient base who can help you referrals are powerful and largely to send a friend or family member in grow your practice. Ask for oppor- underutilized. It should be habit as a for a complimentary consultation tunities to do health screens or lunch professional to notify your patient’s and examination. and learns. Get access to businesses by MD’s office that you are seeing their Another good tool is to decorate doing business appreciation weeks for patient in your office. your office with educational them. Your clinic should set a goal to A letter stating you have seen information that triggers questions. do several of these per month. their patient with a brief summary of Ask your patients if they know For example: Recognize a local your relevant findings is incredibly someone who may be suffering from business as a business of the month effective at building appropriate professional relationships. Some doctors may fear interacting with medical colleagues, but it is inappropriate to believe chiropractic can exist without interaction with other health professionals. We must raise the bar in our professional behavior and that means communicating with MDs.
Are you ready? Are you ready for new patients? Does your practice’s appearance project the image that you are ready for new patients? One of the best marketing tools you can have is an up-to-date office — in appearance and equipment. Well kept, modern offices with the modern tools that project the image of competence are vital if you are expecting referrals. There is no secret to attracting new patients — it is work, but there are methods and steps you can take to increase your volume of new patients. If you follow these steps and utilize the correct methods, you will be on your way to success. Make this the year that you go for it!
Kort Harshman, DC, has been in private practice since 1987, frequently speaks to chiropractic groups throughout the United States, and is a consultant with Integrity Management. He can be reached at 800-843-9162.
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Living a Legacy
By Stanford Erickson
istorians, philosophers, and • Author, educator, and international lecturer on psychologists debate whether chiropractic. His Nebraskan great-grandmother, Sylva Ashworth, a Hleaders are born or made. single mother, became a chiropractor after experiencing a The Greek philosopher Plato thought leaders were born life-changing healing attributed to chiropractic. She had to be leaders and then educated to become celebrated diabetes to the point where her right leg was becoming leaders. gangrenous. Her surgeon feared she would not survive an In the chiropractic profession, few if any doctors of operation and sent her home to put her affairs in order, chiropractic are like Dr. Carl S. Cleveland III: He was arrange for the care of her four children, and prepare to die. born and bred to be an outstanding chiropractic leader. A neighbor, however, suggested she see a chiropractor. As a fourth generation chiropractor and member of a This was in the early 1900s and Sylva did not know what pioneering chiropractic family, his accomplishments include: chiropractic was. But after weeks of spinal adjustments, • President of Cleveland Chiropractic College (CCC), some on a daily basis, her legs began to heal and her with major campuses in Kansas City (CCCKC) and Los symptoms of diabetes disappeared. Angeles (CCCLA); “The chiropractor provided my great-grandmother a • The immediate past-president of the Association of series of thrusts to the mid-thoracic spinal segments,” says Chiropractic Colleges (ACC) and a former president of Dr. Cleveland III, “considered to be the area associated the Council on Chiropractic Education (CCE); with the neuromeric innervation affecting the pancreas — • One of the founding members and leaders in the a key organ related to the condition of diabetes.” Chiropractic Summit; and Soon thereafter, his great-grandmother made a far-
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Cleveland Chiropractic College Kansas City Campus
Dr. Carl S. Cleveland III was born and bred to be an outstanding chiropractic leader
reaching decision to become a chiropractor and graduated chiropractic as a separate and distinct healthcare from the Palmer School in 1910. Later Sylva’s daughter profession was not passed in Missouri until 1927. The Ruth, Dr. Carl Cleveland III’s grandmother, also decided to Clevelands and their graduates, therefore, were subject to become a chiropractor. While studying at Palmer College, being arrested for practicing medicine without a license. Ruth met Dr. Cleveland’s grandfather, a fellow student. “My father would tell the story of what it was like to They both became chiropractors and were married in the grow up at a time when a knock at the door meant fear of home of B.J. Palmer, the son of the founder of chiropractic. arrest,” says Dr. Cleveland III. “The rule of the house [Dr. Following graduation in 1917, the Clevelands opened a Cleveland III was age four or five at the time] was to chiropractic practice on Main Street in Webster City, remain motionless, not let out a peep, until my parents Iowa, and then soon moved to Kansas City, Mo., because could peek out through the curtains of the rounded Dr. Carl Cleveland Sr., a triathlete himself, was interested turreted windows at the front of our old Victorian home in the influence of chiropractic care on athletic to determine; was it a patient seeking care, a prospective performance and Kansas City had an active YMCA student, or an agent set to arrest them for the illegal athletic program at the time. practice of medicine.” In 1922, with only three students, Drs. Carl Sr. and Times were tough in the early days of chiropractic, says Ruth Rose Ashworth Cleveland founded the Central Dr. Cleveland III, but “chiropractors of that day were College of Chiropractic in Kansas City, Mo., two years proud to wear the badge, ‘Go to Jail for Chiropractic.’” later changing the name to Cleveland Chiropractic But it probably was that challenge that heightened the College. The challenge was not only the scarcity of passion and dedication of the Cleveland family to succeed students, but the fact the Practice Act legally defining in being proselytizers for chiropractic.
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And succeed they did Dr. Cleveland III’s great-grandmother was a chiropractor; his grandfather and grandmother were chiropractors and chiropractic educators. His father and mother were chiropractors and chiropractic educators. His daughter, Dr. Ashley, is a chiropractor, a graduate of CCC, provost of CCCKC, and a professor. And his son Carl Cleveland IV is now in his 9th trimester of the 12 trimester program at CCC. Dr. Cleveland III’s wife, Elizabeth, serves as the executive director of the Cleveland College Foundation. Although as the young Carl Cleveland III spent his August vacations with his father and mother attending chiropractic lectures in Davenport, Iowa, at Palmer College Lyceum, and listening to the renowned chiropractic educators of the day, his childhood interests were in being a pianist and a herpetologist. As he matured, he soon determined that studying chiropractic was far more appealing than playing piano in smoke-filled rooms or future employment handling reptiles and amphibians. In 1970, after completing an undergraduate degree in biology, Carl S. Cleveland III began attending CCCKC. “You need to understand that, as a child, during those August vacations, my folks dressed me in shorts, suspenders, a starched white shirt, with bow tie, and sat me in the front row of a crowded convention hall to listen to speaker after speaker bellowing from the podium,” says Dr. Cleveland III. “I can still remember scorching hot summer days when I had to sit and listen to Dr. Clarence Gonstead, and to Dr. J. Clay Thompson, the true technique pioneers of that day. And I can still recall the stench of B.J. Palmer’s cigar. In my youth, and in enduring this, I was resentful. “But today, I would not trade those memories for anything,” he says. Not only did Dr. Cleveland III graduate from CCCKC in 1975 to become a chiropractor, an educator, and later president of CCCLA and CCCKC, he is the banner carrier of a 100-year tradition (great-grandmother Dr. Sylva Ashworth enrolled at Palmer in 1909) and an institution that has educated one out of every 10 chiropractors practicing in North America. CCC remains as the only chiropractic institution that continues under the leadership of a pioneering family member. Two campuses In 1911, 11 years before the Clevelands started their own chiropractic college in Kansas City, Dr. Tullius F. Ratledge established the Los Angeles branch of the
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Ratledge System of Chiropractic Schools, and became a champion of chiropractic on the West Coast. In 1951, Dr. Ratledge transferred management of his Los Angeles college to Dr. Cleveland Sr. Four years later, Ratledge College was rechartered as CCCLA. Both CCCLA and CCCKC have about the same capacity for students although CCCKC currently has about 170 more students. “Next to my family, the advancement of this profession and the success of the students at the two Cleveland College Campuses are my main priorities,” says Dr. Cleveland III. To underscore that point, he flies between Los Angeles and Kansas City each week teaching coursework in chiropractic principles. Over the past few years, CCCLA has undergone a multimillion dollar upgrade with major renovations to the on-campus Health Center, student clinic, cafeteria, and media center. CCCLA partners with the largest free health clinic in the nation, the multidisciplinary Simms/Mann Health and Wellness Center at the Venice Family Clinic. In January 2008, CCCKC relocated from south central Kansas City to a 34 acre, 175,000 square-foot educational complex and patient care facility in suburban Overland Park — some 12 miles from the former campus. “The new campus was 25 years in the making. First visualizing it, then methodically planning for it, raising the funds, and most challenging, finding just the right location,” says Dr. Cleveland III. An existing insurance company corporate campus was purchased in 2006, gutted and repurposed, and made operational in less than two years. “It is designed as a state-of-the-science educational facility and positions CCCKC for growth far into the century,” says Dr. Cleveland III. “Dr. Cleveland III is not only hands-on as an educator,” says Dr. John Nab, a 1995 graduate of CCCKC and vice president of professional development and alumni services, “he was the architect of the vision of our new campus. Each week he personally met with planners and contractors reviewing each new development in construction.” Most impressive is the incorporation in each lecture hall and classroom of a Smart Technology platform — a multimedia package that permits whatever faculty writes to appear on screen in the classroom and be accessible to students via the Internet. “Not only is every classroom constructed with high-end instructional technology, but the entire academic program is under one roof, creating an interactive student and faculty experience,” says Dr. Paul Barlett, CCCKC
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Institutional characteristics Cleveland Chiropractic College — Kansas City and Los Angeles KC LA Total Doctor of Chiropractic Students* 440 263 703 (excluding preceptorships) Undergraduate Students* 95 79 174 Degree Seeking Students* 535 342 877 Male Students* 335 203 538 Female Students* 200 139 339 Annual DC Program Graduates 93 64 157 Student/Faculty Ratio 13:1 11:1 12:1 Chiropractic Program Capacity 600 500 1,100
Cleveland Chiropractic College Los Angeles Campus *As of fall, 2008
academic dean. “This is truly an exciting and stimulating joining CCC. Dr. Anderson also is Chairman Emeritus of educational environment.” the Cleveland Board of Trustees. NCMIC gifted Cleveland with a grant applied toward the purchase of digital x-ray machines for both campuses. Why choose to be a chiropractor LSI International System IV Interferential Muscle The board and the administration, and Dr. Cleveland Stimulators are used to train students on electrotherapy III, in particular, believe there has never been a better and therapeutic modalities used in rehab to strengthen opportunity for the chiropractic profession to take muscle and reduce edema. leadership in conservative spine care and health In addition, CCCKC has a separate facility that houses promotion education. the 11,000 square-foot Cleveland YMCA Express Fitness “To put this in context, there are approximately 60,000 Center, as well as a 5,000 square-foot early childhood chiropractors practicing nationwide compared to some learning center. A future construction phase projects a 600,000 medical and osteopathic practitioners,” says Dr. 1,500-seat auditorium. Cleveland III. “If one looks at back pain alone, it is second only to the The business of chiropractic common cold in terms of time lost from work and is The Cleveland Chiropractic Colleges are fully engaged among the most expensive of workers’ compensation with the on-campus student experience, as well as with injuries in America. This is a major opportunity for the the graduates entering practice. A comprehensive profession to fill a need in today’s health delivery system. professional development department is led by Dr. John “Looking beyond the profession’s role in managing back C. Nab and Dr. James C. Anderson. This department pain and neck pain,” he says, “and looking toward the assists students and alumni, but also reaches out to objective of improving spinal function and influencing graduates of other chiropractic institutions. (See page 66 healthful lifestyle choices through health promotion for CCC’s success strategies.) education, the doctor of chiropractic is uniquely positioned “Dr. Cleveland III frequently reminds us that as today’s to improve the patient’s health and quality of life. graduates enter the profession of chiropractic, they also “Today’s culture is refreshingly health conscious and the enter the business of healthcare. It is his objective that social climate has never been more suited to the promotion when the student graduates on Friday, they have a of health and wellness. These are the very same concepts business plan and sense of direction for the following that doctors of chiropractic have steadily promoted for now Monday morning,” says Dr. James Anderson, professional over 114 years,” says Dr. Cleveland III. “It is absolutely time development business coach, who operated his own for this profession to stop whispering about the ‘best kept chiropractic practice for more than 40 years prior to secret’ in healing, wellness, and prevention.”
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CCCLA and CCCKC emphasize a system of comprehensive technique instruction, and incorporate a variety of core specialty techniques to complement the student’s adjustive technique experience. The variety of clinics — including the main central city clinics in Kansas City and Los Angeles, the University of Southern California Student Health Center experience, The Venice Family Clinic, the KC Free Clinic, and the KC Veterans Hospital rotation — all enrich the student’s hands-on patient care experience. The campuses also are well entrenched in evidence-based healthcare research. Over the last year, Cleveland faculty published 21 articles in peer-reviewed journals. The Cleveland Chiropractic Colleges currently award three degrees: Doctor of Chiropractic, Bachelor of Science in Human Biology, and Associate of Arts in Biological Sciences. In 2010, CCC is offering a Master of Science in Health Promotion degree leading to eligibility for examination as a Certified Health Education Specialist. The launch of this new degree program is a first of its kind affiliated with a chiropractic program and provides further evidence that while Dr. Cleveland III may be steeped in history, he balances tradition with innovation. Once again, Dr. Cleveland III, whose name has become synonymous with leadership, continues to lead in this 2nd century of chiropractic. Great-grandmother Sylva Ashworth would be proud.
Stanford Erickson is the editorial director for Chiropractic Economics. He can be reached at 904-567-1555, [email protected], or through www.ChiroEco.com.
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personal development
Connecting with your community A smart investment for you and your practice
By Shelley Simon, BSN, DC, MPH, EdD
n recent years, the definition of and extend your sphere of influence. You also contribute to community has changed. others, learn, have fun, form bonds and friendships, and increase your emotional intelligence and social competence. I Social competence includes being confident, present, Technological advances have resulted in virtual and authentic; using language effectively; demonstrating communities via online discussion forums, instant empathy; reading others accurately; putting mutual goals messages, texts, blogs, and social networking. While above self-interest; and sustaining a service orientation. digital connectivity has its advantages, there is still, however, a genuine need for connectedness through Are you socially competent? community in the traditional way — attending events and How socially competent you are is directly related to engaging with people. your ability to influence others positively, manage Studies show that social connectedness is a positive conflict, move people and projects in a desired direction, variable in health, longevity, happiness, and even brain build trust, and work collaboratively. plasticity. It is also essential for personal and professional Certainly, these interpersonal skills are essential for support and contributes to your own health and well-being. practice success, as well as for extending one’s influence Through relationships with others, you develop yourself within communities.
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personal development
If you are interested in connecting Knowing what your genuine you versus what you expect to with new or existing communities, motivation is will help you decide receive from your investment of time here are a few tips to make that where, with whom, and how intently or other resources. happen. to get involved. If you are already • Do your research. Once you’re • Assess your motivation. involved in one or more aware of your motivation, decide Whether it be socially, politically, or communities, decide to what degree what demographic or special interest intellectually, there are many reasons your involvement is a good fit, if you group you want a connection with. to get involved with others. If your would benefit from becoming more Consider your personal and motivation is primarily related to engaged, or if it’s time to move on. professional interests — what excites growing your practice or building In assessing your motivation, it’s you, motivates you, or piques your your reputation, target specific important to balance what you have curiosity or passion. communities and create a networking to offer with how you stand to Ask friends, colleagues, and local plan to further those goals. benefit; and what is being asked of business owners where they are involved. For other ideas, check the library’s community bulletin board, read the local newspaper, and ask the chamber of commerce for a directory of clubs and volunteer organizations. Find out if there are nonprofit agencies in your area that need new board members. • Dip a toe into the water. After narrowing your list, find out how to attend meetings or otherwise become involved on a guest basis. When you attend a function, meet as many people as possible, and focus on having quality conversations rather than quantity. Ask questions, but listen more than you talk. Find out what current members like about being involved, what their original motivation was for joining, and what they envision for the organization’s future. And perhaps most importantly, relax and be yourself. • Commit with service in mind. Once you find a community you want to be part of, commit to it. Attend meetings and functions regularly and get involved by serving on a committee or leading a project. Doing so will allow you to engage with people at a deeper, more satisfying level. Always keep in mind that when you give more, you receive more. Think more about what you have to offer rather than about what you
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stand to gain as a result of being in your office, patient referrals will an article of interest, or inviting community. begin to come in, and other someone out for coffee or lunch. • Don’t expect instant results. opportunities, such as being invited Establish a level of permission If part of your motivation is to help to speak at events, will happen. regarding staying in touch before build your practice, be careful to not The same can be said if your doing too much, though. People are be “pushy,” and don’t expect motivation for being part of a group busy and some are put off by everyone to ask for your card and call is primarily social; establishing new unsolicited information and for an appointment the next day. friendships takes time. invitations. Test the waters and use These things take time. • Nurture the relationships you your intuition on this one. As you get to know people and establish. As business relationships • Be careful not to overextend become known as someone who has and friendships develop, take steps to yourself. One risk of being in something to offer, community nurture them. This might mean community — especially when you members will begin to show up in staying in touch via e-mail, sending are new to a group — is being overly enthusiastic and signing up for anything and everything. You do need to become involved in a genuine way, but don’t jump into so much so fast that other areas of your life suffer as a result. This is especially easy to do when you are passionate about a cause you are working for. Being actively involved in a community requires effort, but the rewards can be significant. What action steps might you take over the next few weeks to reach out and become involved in your community? Perhaps you’ll think about what you have to offer and what you’d like to get back for your investment of time and commitment. Or maybe you’ll attend a meeting of an organization you’ve been thinking about joining. Whatever you choose, you’ll no doubt discover you have much to offer and much to gain by reaching out to others.
Shelley Simon, BSN, DC, MPH, EdD, is the founder of Beyond Practice Management. Her customized services and innovative programs help chiropractors develop high-functioning teams, improve interpersonal and communication skills, increase patient retention, and enjoy profitable practices. She can be reached at 503-504-5585 or through www.beyondpracticemanagement.com.
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practice management
Short-term plan for long-term employees By Laurie Mosier
taff turnover can be costly to you and your practice in Sa number of ways. Experts estimate that more than one year’s salary is your practice and ultimately help improve things. spent advertising, recruiting, interviewing, hiring, and You can conduct evaluations in two ways: in theory or training new staff members. Add the time spent getting in practice. the new member up to speed and contributing to the 1. In theory. Validate each position’s job description. practice and you’ve got a huge investment of both time If you don’t have a job description, start roughing one out. and money. Be as specific as possible and focus on the competencies You also have to consider the costs associated with — knowledge, skills, abilities, drives, motives, and ethics patient and staff satisfaction. What do your patients think — required to accomplish the job. The job description of the ever-changing employee at your front desk? You should capture your expectations for each position and be may not realize it, but staff consistency and longevity have validated through periodic updates based on actual work far-reaching and positive impacts in the professionalism of behaviors. your practice and your bottom line. 2. In practice. Observe the incumbent in each If you are uncomfortable with the level of turnover in position. Set aside time to observe each position in a your practice, most likely your patients are, too. After all, typical workday environment. In many instances, the it could be costing you new patient referrals, as well as direct supervisor to the position should do the jeopardizing relationships with existing patients. observations and take notes of observations. So, what can you do about it? It is critical that staff members know what is being done and why. Assure them that the goal of this process is Evaluate to improve to make the work environment better. Be sure to involve Evaluate the positions in your practice, talk with them in the creation, development, and implementation existing staff, and collect data from those who leave. of solutions as that is critical to gaining their commitment Doing this can provide a look at what’s really going on in to improvement.
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Things to consider description should make sense. Do discuss your observations with them. For each position, consider the the written descriptions of duties Prepare a list of questions that will following: allow each staff member to function encourage responses from the • Environmental considerations. effectively? employee and help you gain insight Does the employee have the required • Training and professional into their daily tasks. tools readily available to them at development. Are written standard Now that you have a solid their workstation? Does the practice operating procedures (SOPs) understanding of each position, use look like a professional place to work? available for all tasks within the the information to refine job The office layout should allow each practice? Position training plans descriptions, office layout, training person to function as effectively and should be up-to-date with procedures programs, staff meeting schedules, efficiently as possible. Make sure staff and available technology. etc. members can hold a casual • Evaluations. Evaluate staff conversation or meeting in a private members periodically and make sure While it is inevitable… area rather than congregating by the feedback is used to update and Staff members leave for a variety copy machine. improve position descriptions and/or of reasons. Some move out of the • Communications. Are SOPs. area, others retire, and still others employees encouraged to • Aura of team. Staff members make career decisions that take them communicate with each other? It should get along and help each other, in different directions. might be beneficial to incorporate an and there should be a “patient first” There are, however, other reasons intercom system or instant messaging understanding amongst the staff. for leaving, such as pay, hours, or e-mail program in the office. Also, After you’ve evaluated and commute, change, challenge, ensure regular staff meetings are held. observed each position, sit down responsibility, etc. Knowing why a • Task assignment. The job with respective staff members and staff member leaves your practice is
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tasks performed. More tips to avoiding staff turnover Some people are more comfortable responding to such questions in • Be aware of and engage in the work environment of your staff. written form. Have a simple form • Make sound decisions when hiring new staff members — even if it made up and ask each departing means having a staff vacancy for a period of time. employee to respond as fully as they • Provide training and professional development to your staff. feel comfortable. • Know the prevailing wage rate for a variety of positions in your area. Information gathered in the job • Engage your staff in process improvements. position evaluation and exit • Periodically evaluate positions within the staff. interview provides you a look at your • Provide leadership. practice from your employees’ eyes. • Engage and encourage open communication. While completely eliminating staff turnover is a fantasy, using the crucial to minimizing staff turnover. practice and the remaining (and information above is critical to the Conducting an exit interview or future) employees. long-term success of your practice. survey is one way to accomplish this. During exit interviews, replace The words you use in an exit “you” with “we.” Laurie Mosier is responsible for education interview or survey must be carefully For example: Don’t ask, “Why are and marketing for Harkcon, developers of planned so as to avoid putting the you leaving this practice?” Instead, the Chiropractic Competency Toolbox employee on the defensive. ask, “How can we improve this and specialists in chiropractic human Your goal is to create an position for the next employee?” Ask resource solutions. She can be reached at environment where open dialogue is the employee to critique their former 800-380-5337 or 703-507-5625 or invited and the focus is on the job description, competencies, and through www.harkcon.com.
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retail products guide
Retail Products Directory Chiropractic Economics is pleased to present the profession’s most comprehensive Retail Products Directory. The information in the resource guide was obtained from questionnaires completed by the listed companies. Companies highlighted in RED have an advertisement in this issue. For a complete resource guide of services these companies provide, please visit www.ChiroEco.com/directory.
3 Care Therapeutics Biotics Research Chiro950 Microcurrent/TBI Inc. Doctors Weight Loss Solution 888-372-3421 800-231-5777 877-496-8838 800-224-2021 www.omega3care.com www.bioticsresearch.com www.Chiro950.com www.doctorsweightloss solution.com A.C. Grace Co. Blanchard Golf Injury Seminars Chiroflow 800-833-4368 805-772-8298 800-308-3069 Douglas Laboratories www.acgrace.com www.golfinjuryseminars.com www.chiroflow.com 800-245-4440 www.douglaslabs.com Accuthotix Blue Spring International ChiroSlumber 888-325-3668 866-470-4930 888-958-2008 Drucker Labs www.accuthotix.com www.doctorspainformula.com www.chiroslumber.us 888-881-2344 www.druckerlabs.com Activator Methods BML Basic Code Blue International 800-643-4751 320-229-9000 Dynamic Health Labs Inc. 800-598-0224 www.bmlbasic.com www.codeblueusa.com 800-396-2114 www.activator.com www.dynamic-health.com BodyZone.com Concept Therapy ALINE 770-922-0700 210-698-2254 Dynatronics 800-736-9005 www.bodyzone.com www.chiropracticprinciples.com 800-874-6251 www.aline.com www.dynatronics.com BQ Ergonomics LLC Control Bar Allman Products Inc. 303-991-8802 800-699-0527 Enzyme Process Co. 800-223-6889 www.bqergonomics.com www.control-bar.com 800-521-8669 www.AllmanProducts.com www.enzymeprocess.com Bryanne Enterprises Inc. CORE Products International Inc. Anson Aromatic Essentials 877-279-2663 800-365-3047 Foot Levelers Inc. 402-489-5064 www.bryanne.com www.coreproducts.com 800-553-4860 www.therapeutic-grade.com www.footlevelers.com Business Industrial Crescent Products Apex Energetics Inc. Chiropractic Services 800-989-8085 Foot Professional 800-736-4381 BICS2020 www.crescentproducts.com 208-375-7431 www.apexenergetics.com 404-518-4338 www.footprofessional.com www.bics2020.com Cryoderm AquaMed/HydroMassage 800-344-9926 GMP FITNESS 800-699-1008 C’est Si Bon www.cryoderm.com 888-467-3488 www.aquamed.com/ Co./CHLORENERGY www.gmpfitness.com www.hydromassage.com 888-700-0801 Cypress Creek Marketing www.BestChlorella.com 800-549-5773 Harlan Health Products Inc. Ayush Herbs Inc. www.wondawedge.com 800-345-1124 800-925-1371 Carlson Laboratory www.HarlanHealth.com www.ayush.com 847-255-1600 D-MED Inc. www.carlsonlabs.com 800-872-3633 Harmony Cone Ear Candles Back Support Systems www.d-med.com 877-570-4484 800-669-2225 Chattanooga Group www.harmonycone.com www.backsupportsystems.com 800-592-7329 David Singer Enterprises www.chattgroup.com 800-326-1797 Heel Inc. Banner Therapy Products Inc. www.davidsingerenterprises.com 800-621-7644 888-277-1188 CHI Institute www.heelusa.com www.bannertherapy.com 800-743-5608 DaVinci Laboratories www.soundvitality.com 800-325-1776 Himalaya Herbal Healthcare Barrington Equipment www.davincilabs.com 800-869-4640 800-848-2123 China-Gel Inc. www.himalayausa.com www.barringtonequipment.com 847-364-0353 Davlen Associates Ltd. www.chinagel.com 631-924-8686 Hygenic/Performance bio2 Cosmeceuticals www.davlendesign.com Health Products 800-499-1372 Chiro-Manis Inc. 800-246-3733 www.oxymist.com 800-441-5571 Designs for Health www.biofreeze.com www.chiromanis.com 800-847-8302 BioActive Nutritional Inc. www.designsforhealth.com iHealth Products Inc. 800-288-9525 Chiro-Matic 800-930-6493 www.bioactivenutritional.com 800-526-5116 Diamond Herpanacine www.ihealthproducts.com http://chiromatic.com/ Associates BioPharma Scientific 888-467-4200 Innate Response Formulas 877-772-4362 www.diamondformulas.com 800-634-6342 www.nanogreens.com www.innateresponse.com
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retail products guide
King Bio SafeCareRX MyoMed/BioForce Inc. Prince of Peace/Tiger Balm Sweetwater Natural Products 800-543-3245 866-696-6330 510-723-2428 888-666-1188 www.safecarerx.com www.myo-med.com www.popus.com www.sweetwaternatural products.com Kool Fit America Inc. Neck Orthotic Inc. Protocol 800-852-5665 586-727-7557 877-776-8610 Symmetry Orthotics Int’l. www.koolnfit.com www.neckorthotic.com www.protocolforlife.com 877-918-3338 www.symmetryorthotics.com Legacy for Life Nucap Medical Quality Health Products Inc. 800-746-0300 416-490-4000 800-834-7058 Synergy Therapeutic Systems www.legacyforlife.net www.nucapmedical.com www.qhpincb2b.com 800-639-3539 www.synergyrehab.com LifeTec Inc. Nutra Naturals Inc. Real Bodywork 800-822-5911 972-325-4329 888-505-5511 The Orthotic Group www.lifetecinc.com www.NutraNaturals.com www.realbodywork.com 800-551-3008 www.theorthoticgroup.com Lotus Brands NutraLife Relaxo-Bak Inc. 262-889-8561 877-688-7254 800-527-5496 The Pressure Positive Co. www.lotusbrands.com www.nutralife.com www.relaxobakpro.com 610-754-6204 www.pressurepositive.com MagnetiCo OPTP Science Based Nutrition 800-265-1119 800-367-7393 937-433-3140 Therapeutica Inc. www.magneticosleep.com www.optp.com www.sciencebasednutrition.com 800-348-5729 www.therapeutica.com Maitake Products Inc. Panasonic Scrip Chiropractic Supply 800-747-7418 570-823-0854 800-747-3488 The Vitality Depot www.maitake.com www.panasonic.com/chiro www.scrip-inc.com 866-941-8867 www.thevitalitydepot.com Mannatech Performance Health Sedona Labs 877-877-8170 800-246-3733 888-816-8804 TheWriterWorks.com LLC www.mannapages.com www.biofreeze.com www.sedonalabspro.com 302-933-0116 www.TheWriterWorks.com Martike Products Perspectis Inc. Serola Biomechanics Inc. 800-995-8865 866-586-2278 800-624-0008 TriElements www.stopneckpain.com www.backvitalizer.com www.serola.net 888-876-3240 www.trielements.com Master Supplements PHASES Rehab SIDMAR 800-926-2961 800-231-0518 800-330-7260 TriMedica International www.therabiotics.com www.phasesrehab.com www.sidmar.com 800-800-8849 www.tmprofessionalcare.com Matlin Manufacturing Inc. Physicians Health & Wellness Sleepmatterzzz 334-448-1210 877-575-9355 618-277-9173 Ultimate Practice www.matlinmfg.com www.physicianshealthand www.shapefitting.com 866-797-8366 wellness.com www.ultimatepractice.com MD Global Medical Products Sombra Professional 914-500-3894 Pivotal Health–Lyflo Therapy Products V-Juv LLC www.mdgmp.com 877-834-2377 800-225-3963 800-729-8922 www.lyflo.com www.sombrausa.com www.myvjuv.com Medi-Stim Inc. 800-363-7846 Point of Light Records Soothing Touch Vital Nutrients www.medi-stim.com 949-436-2718 505-820-1054 888-328-9992 www.peterkater.com www.soothingtouch.com www.vitalnutrients.net Medistik–Natureteq Inc. 877-469-4006 Polar Products Inc. Spenco Warren Labs www.medistik.com 330-253-9973 800-877-3626 800-232-2563 www.polarsoftice.com www.spenco.com www.warrenlabsaloe.com Membrell LLC 800-749-1291 Posture Pro Corporation Standard Enzyme Company Warwick Enterprises www.membrell.com 800-632-5776 770-537-4445 800-355-3575 www.posturepump.com www.standardenzyme.com www.heellift.com Mettler Electronics Corp. 800-854-9305 Powerstep Standard Process Inc. Waterwise www.mettlerelectronics.com 888-237-3668 800-558-8740 800-874-9028 www.powersteps.com www.standardprocess.com www.waterwise.com Meyer Distributing Company 800-472-4221 PrescriptionBeds.com/Strobel Step Forward Company Yamuna Body Rolling www.meyerdist.com Technologies 253-631-0683 800-877-8429 800-457-6442 www.stepforward.com www.yamunabodyrolling.com Moszkito Inc. www.PrescriptionBeds.com 480-502-0017 Straight Arrow Products www.moszkito.com Preventive Therapeutics 800-827-9815 800-556-5530 www.straightarrowinc.com Mother Earth Pillows www.thymic.com 800-344-2072 www.motherearthpillows.com
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Financial Preparation Getting your personal finances Practice Startup Marketing, getting a loan, preparing and credit in order your business plan Job Search Types of employment and how to evaluate Resources Links to helpful Web sites employment situations Career Development About the chiropractic profession, Checklists Downloadable forms and lists educational financing, and practice readiness Don’t Miss A Single Issue! Sign up for your FREE e-newsletter subscription at www.studentDC.com What do you want from your ultimate student resource? Chiropractic Economics Online Editors would love to hear from you. Reach them at [email protected]
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finances
PROTECTING YOU AND YOUR FAMILY To be forewarned is to be forearmed By Jason Newfield, Esq., and Justin C. Frankel, Esq.
avigating the minefields of long other insurance product, disability insurance policies are written to minimize the company’s exposure. term disability (LTD) insurance Knowing how to chart a course through this minefield policy claims has stymied more can make a significant difference in your life and your N families. of your chiropractic colleagues than you would think. Sending a message Even sophisticated, intelligent people are first surprised, Two court decisions, including one from the U.S. then panicked, when they learn how deliberately complex Supreme Court, have begun holding LTD insurance and spring-loaded the disability insurance claims process companies accountable for their policies of delay and can be. denial. They send a message that these tactics, which Do you need a disability insurance policy? Absolutely. include medical reviews that are anything but A disability insurance policy protects you and your family independent, are no longer going unchallenged. if illness or injury prevents you from working or working Until the Supreme Court case Met Life v. Glenn, in your present capacity. insurance companies held all the cards and the deck was But the insurance company’s first priority is protecting stacked against the policyholder. its shareholders and reserve funds, and more than any The disability insurance company reviewed the medical
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finances
records, hired the doctor who The question at issue: Can the same followed by a federal court decision reviewed the claim, decided what company that pays a claim be truly in Burgio v. Prudential. This decision medical tests to use to evaluate the fair and impartial when it is also the expanded on the Glenn case: Not claim, selected what results to same fiscal entity that decides only is there a clear conflict of consider, served as judge in an whether or not payments should be interest when one company is administrative process, and made? “calling all the shots,” but the conducted a very restrictive and For the first time, the court said independent medical exam, or IME, limited appeals process that was this structure creates an inherent truly isn’t independent. controlled by the insurance company. conflict of interest which must be How can a doctor hired and In Met Life v. Glenn, the Supreme considered when reviewing the compensated by an insurance Court issued a decision concerning legitimacy of the claim company prepare an impartial review disability insurance policies that are determination. of the record when the report is a part of an employee benefits package. Met Life v. Glenn was quickly significant deciding factor in determining whether or not the claim is paid? As long as the doctor reviewing the medical file is hired and compensated by the insurance company that makes the claim payment, there can be nothing independent about the evaluation.
No need to fight These two cases mark a turning point in two key issues of LTD insurance cases. But until all claims are reviewed fairly, the best strategy is to be so well prepared for the claims process that your claim never needs to be fought, in court or at the negotiating table. Here are some tips: • Talk with your treating doctor. Tell your treating doctor you are about to file a claim or have just filed a claim. Your record must contain specific evidence of the restrictions and limitations you are unable to perform. It is not the diagnosis that qualifies you as disabled, but your inability to perform the tasks necessary for your occupation. Explain this to your treating physician so he or she does not inadvertently doom your claim. Your treating physician is your front-line advocate for your disability claim. • Locate your policy and read it carefully. Every policy is different, and policies dating back 10 or 20
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years are vastly different than those may be videotaped, unannounced objective is to protect yourself and sold today. Don’t rely on your home visits may be made, and your family’s well-being. If you need insurance broker, office manager, or neighbors may be contacted and to file a claim, be prepared to fight the insurance company itself to asked about your activities. for your policy and your future. provide you with your policy. Find Be mindful of your activities and your original policy. behave as if your every move outside Jason Newfield, Esq., founder, and his Do you have an “own occupation” your home is being videotaped. partner Justin C. Frankel, Esq., run policy that insures your ability to be Doing simple work around the Frankel & Newfield PC, a national law a chiropractor, or an “any house or going to the gym — even if firm focusing on disability claims and occupation” policy that insures your your doctor prescribes a therapeutic litigation based in Garden City, N.Y. They ability to perform tasks associated exercise program — may be used to can be reached at 516-222-1600, at with any job? build a case against you. [email protected], or through If you can’t use your arms to adjust The bottom line is this: Your www.longtermdisabilityclaim.com. a patient, you cannot function as a chiropractor (own occupation), but if you can review a medical chart, there may be other tasks at your office that you can perform (any occupation). • What tests are you required to take? Carefully read the sections concerning IMEs. In light of the Burgio v. Prudential decision, courts must now consider that the IME is not at all independent, but that does not preclude you from having to attend an IME. If your policy requires an IME, bring a witness, ask to videotape the exam, and be mindful that your answers can be used against you. Beware of the functional capacity examination (FCE), which may not even appear as a requirement in your contract. The FCE is used to test maximum effort, which can pose a real danger to an injured person. FCE results are questionable and controversy surrounds the test. However, if you have to take the test under penalty of being found in breach of contract, be careful. If you know you are unable to perform the required tasks, say so and let the test reflect your inability. • Are they really watching you? Field investigations are not at all unusual in high-benefit situations. Insurance companies may retain an investigator in which case claimants
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finances | FINANCE AND TAXES Changing accounting methods midstream By Mark E. Battersby
othing is forever. And nowhere Of course, it is equally likely you may learn you’ve been using an impermissible accounting method. Voluntarily is this more evident than in the changing the method can offer protection in the event of way you account for income an audit and shield your practice from potential penalties N and interest. and expenditures. The funny thing about federal tax laws is they require Getting permission transactions to be handled in a certain way. Accounting Generally, you can’t change your practice’s method of methods affect when something is deductible, not whether accounting without obtaining advance permission from it is deductible. the IRS. In fact, under our tax laws, the IRS can dictate You can decide how best to account for your practice’s the method of accounting it feels most clearly reflects the income and expenditures. However, the accounting income your current accounting method fails to do. method chosen when the operation began might not be If the chiropractor fails to request IRS approval for a the best accounting method today. change of accounting methods, the absence of IRS consent Changing accounting methods may mean a lower tax to the change will not be taken into account if, and when bill. If, however, the IRS requested the change it can mean the IRS imposes penalties (or additions to tax) for errors. a higher tax bill. Either way, an adjustment is necessary to When obtaining consent, there are two processes. ensure there is no distortion of income or expenses. 1. Automatic consent 2. Nonautomatic consent The decision to change The most common automatic changes involve a switch You may want to change your accounting method for a from the cash method of accounting to an accrual method couple reasons. or vice versa, a change in the method or basis used to 1. To reduce federal and state income taxes by deferring value inventory, and a change in the method of figuring income or accelerating certain deductions. depreciation. 2. To correct a previous error and, consequently, claim allowable deductions or report income items it may have A small loophole missed in the past. Under our tax rules, those practices required to use When tax rules mention a “change in accounting inventories had to use the accrual method of accounting. method,” they are not only referring to the basic method Several years ago, however, the IRS exempted some of accounting for income, profits, and losses, but also the taxpayers from having to use this method and from having way specific transactions are accounted for. to account for inventories. For example:If your incorporated practice routinely Generally, qualifying small business taxpayers (those treats all payments made to its principal as dividends, the with average gross receipts of $1 million or less), were IRS may require some of those payments be labeled as exempted from the tax law’s requirement to use the “compensation.” accrual method of accounting and permitted to use Dividends, while not deductible by the practice, benefit optional inventory methods. from a temporary 15 percent tax rate to the recipient. This group can instead use the cash method of Compensation on the other hand, while a deductible accounting and treat inventorial items as materials and expense for the practice, is income taxed at the recipient’s supplies. If they choose to use the accrual accounting personal tax rate. method, they can legitimately treat inventorial items as
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Choosing the accounting method that most favorably reflects on both profits and tax bills is a legitimate strategy as well as a no-brainer.
materials and supplies that are not incidental. if the adjustments for the changeover year increase the They can also use an accrual method and treat chiropractic practice’s taxable income by more than inventorial items as inventory. However, in the case of a $3,000. cash method taxpayer, the cost for those inventorial items In order for the first method to be used, the old method cannot be deducted until the year in which they are sold of accounting must have been used in the two preceding or paid for, whichever is later. years. If so, the tax increase in the changeover year is limited to the tax increase that would result if the Changing methods adjustments were spread ratably over that year and the A change in accounting methods includes a change in two preceding years. the overall plan of accounting, as well as a change in the Under the second method, you must be able to treatment of any material item. This involves the timing reconstruct your practice’s income under the new method of its inclusions in income or of accounting for one or deduction — not the more consecutive years traditional accounting How to achieve immediately preceding the meaning dealing with the automatic consent changeover year. The relationship of assets. 1. Fill out Form 3115 and attach it to the timely- increase in the changeover Automatic approval from filed original income tax return for the requested year’s tax because of the the IRS is granted for the year of change; and adjustments may not be tax year for which the 2. Send a copy of the completed form to the IRS’ more than the net tax taxpayer requests the change National Office. increase that would result if if the taxpayer complies with Generally, any practice not under audit that the adjustments were the automatic change follows the IRS procedure gets both audit and allocated back to those procedures. ruling protection. That is, the IRS will not require preceding years under the you to change your method for the same item for a new method. tax year before the change year. Adjusting for change Any amount that cannot It also won’t require you to change or modify the Changes in accounting be allocated back must be new method except in certain limited methods generally result in included in the changeover circumstances. If the IRS does make you change or adjustments to taxable year’s income for purposes of modify the new method, the required change or income. computing the limitation. modification generally won’t apply retroactively. For example: You want to If both limitations apply, change from the cash basis the one resulting in the to the accrual basis of accounting and you have accounts lowest tax bill is the one used. receivable of $20,000. The change in accounting method Why change accounting methods if you do not have would require a negative adjustment of $5,000. to? Both the bottom-line profits and the tax bill of your Those who voluntarily change their method of practice reflect how expenditures and income are accounting with the IRS’ permission, or those compelled accounted for, and when. by the IRS to make a change because the method used Choosing the accounting method that most favorably does not clearly reflect income, must make certain reflects on both profits and tax bills is a legitimate strategy adjustments to income in the year of the change. The as well as a no-brainer. adjustments are those necessary to prevent duplication or omission of income and/or deductions. Mark E. Battersby is a tax and financial advisor, Since the adjustments for the year of change often freelance writer, lecturer, and author with offices result in the bunching of income, two statutory methods in suburban Philadelphia. He can be reached at of limiting the tax in the changeover year may be applied 610-789-2480.
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advertisers index
Advertisers Index Advertisers/Description Pg# Advertisers/Description Pg# Advertisers/Description Pg# Activator Methods Inc...... 27 Erchonia ...... 45 NCMIC ...... 13 American Chiropractic Association . . . .40-41 Foot Levelers Inc...... 11 Neuromechanical Innovations ...... 44 Artizen Creative LLC ...... 30 Foot Levelers Inc...... 35 NZ Manufacturing ...... 38 Ask Dr. Johnson ...... 17 Foot Levelers Inc...... 76 OPTP ...... 51 Axiom Worldwide ...... 47 Foot Levelers Inc...... 70 OPTP ...... 70 Ayush Herbs Inc...... 71 FootMaxx ...... 31 Original Medicine ...... 21 BioPharma Schientific ...... 70 Future Health Inc...... 24 Parker College/Parker Seminars ...... 48 Body Back Company ...... 70 GW Heel Lift Inc...... 50 Performance Health/The Hygenic Group . . . .9 Chiroflow ...... 19 Harkcon ...... 64 Performance Health/The Hygenic Group . . .70 ChiroPractice Marketing Solutions ...... 28 Hill Laboratories Co...... 74-75 Pettibon Institute ...... 18 Claken Software ...... 34 Impac Inc...... 58 Principled Chiropractic Training ...... 71 Concord Consulting Group ...... 71 iSleep ...... 59 Schiek’s Sports ...... 72 Core Products ...... 22 Kathy Mills-Chang ...... 71 Scrip ...... 14 Cutting Edge Lasers ...... 26 Laser Allergy Relief ...... 70 SOMBRA ...... 53 Douglas Laboratories ...... 7 LSI International ...... 46 Standard Process ...... 2-3 Douglas Laboratories ...... 25 Medical Arts Press ...... 65 Standard Process ...... 70 Douglas Laboratories ...... 42 Medi-Stim ...... 70 The Masters Circle ...... 37 Eon Systems ...... 20 MPN Software Systems ...... 39 Titan Labs ...... 38 Erchonia ...... 5 Multi Radiance Medical ...... 55 Ulan Nutritional Systems Inc...... 16
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datebook
Activator Methods International Chiropractic Economics Sept. 26–27, Pittsburgh Northwestern Health Sciences 800-598-0224 904-285-6020 Oct. 1, Louisville, Ky. University Sept. 19–20, St. Louis Oct. 6, Webinar Oct. 3, Dallas 952-885-5446 Sept. 26–27, Minneapolis Sept. 19–20, Bloomington, Minn. Sept. 26–27, Newark, N.J. Cleveland Chiropractic College Genius Solutions Inc. Sept. 25–27, Bloomington, Minn. Oct. 3–4, Chicago 800-969-2701 586-751-9080 Sept. 26–27, Bloomington, Minn. Oct. 3–4, Raleigh/Durham, N.C. Sept. 26, Overland Park, Kan. Sept. 17–18, Grand Rapids, Mich. Oct. 3–4, Bloomington, Minn. Sept. 26–27, Overland Park, Kan. Sept. 24–25, Gaylord, Mich. BioFlex Laser Therapy Oct. 7–8, Wichita, Kan. OUM Chiropractor Program 888-557-4004 Graston Technique 800-423-1504 Sept. 26–27, Calgary DC Mentors 888-926-2727 Sept. 18–20, Tenn. 800-570-5272 Sept. 19–20, Las Vegas Sept. 19–20, Bowling Green, Ky. California Chiropractic Assoc. Sept. 17–19, Lake Tahoe, Calif. Sept. 24–26, Arlington, Texas 916-648-2727 Kathy Mills Chang Sept. 19–20, Santa Ana, Calif. Erchonia 888-820-7778 Parker College of Chiropractic Oct. 3–4, Fresno, Calif. 888-242-0571 Sept. 18–19, Phoenix Oct. 3–4, Dallas Oct. 6, Teleconference Sept. 18, Indianapolis Sept. 19, Portland, Ore. Learning Curves PM&A CERT Health Sciences LLC Sept. 19, Philadelphia 800-613-2528 414-332-4511 888-990-4444 Sept. 26, Scottsdale, Ariz. Oct. 1–3, Mexico Sept. 24, Boston Sept. 19–20, San Mateo, Calif. Sept. 26, Arlington, Va. Sept. 29, Teleclass Oct. 3, Boston Meditech International Inc. Chiro Advance Services Inc. Oct. 3, Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. 888-557-4004 Target Coding 715-635-5211 Sept. 18–20, Canada 800-270-7044 Sept. 18–19, Bloomington, Minn. F/D Enterprise LLC Sept. 26–27, Canada Sept. 22, Webinar 800-441-5571 Oct. 2–4, Canada Sept. 24, Webinar For a searchable list of more Sept. 19–20, Los Angeles Oct. 3, Webinar seminar and show dates, visit Neuromechanical Innovations Oct. 3, Orlando, Fla. www.ChiroEco.com/datebook. Foot Levelers 888-294-4750 800-553-4860 Sept. 19–20, Minneapolis Ulan Nutritional Systems Inc. Submit your event dates at Sept. 19, Atlanta Sept. 26–27, Kansas City, Kan. 866-418-4801 www.ChiroEco.com/datebook/ Sept. 19–20, Wilmington, Del. Oct. 3–4, Newark, N.J. Sept. 19–20, California submitevent.html. Sept. 26–27, Cleveland Sept. 26–27, Seattle
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studentDC.com Click it! www.studentDC com Home Colleges Career Development Financial Preparation Job Search Practice Startup Checklists Resources The online resource for future doctors of chiropractic.
CLEVELAND CHIROPRACTIC COLLEGE’S (CCC) SUCCESS STRATEGIES 7 Strategies to help you create SUCCESS after graduation
n conjunction with our profile of 4. Get serious about life after graduation. Preparation must be done on a regular basis. Make a Cleveland Chiropractic College decision to go all the way to the top. Up to now you’ve (CCC) and its president, Dr. Carl only thought about it. Control your inner dialogue. Get I moving in the right direction. S. Cleveland III, we are also including 5. Do what needs to be done. Do it now. Insist on CCC’s tried and true success strategies completing what you start. Control the clutter in your developed to help you reach your life. Only 2 percent of the people in our society have a tendency for action. Persist and overcome. potential out of school. 6. Raise your standard. Do your best every time. 1. Financial management. Review and understand Make a decision to be the best student chiropractor in the your credit reports. Develop and work your personal college clinics and the best chiropractor in your future budget. Define your immediate financial needs after community. Become disciplined in working toward graduation. Begin now to develop the discipline of achieving your dreams. maintaining and staying within a realistic budget. 7. Know that your behavior never lies. Actions Discipline strengthens the desire to succeed. speak louder than words and others are always watching. 2. Grow a portfolio of experiences. Get going. If a potential patient is watching or hearing you now, Move fast. Develop a sense of urgency. Visit as many DC would they choose you as their family chiropractor? offices and shadow as many DCs as possible. What is the Remember: The better you plan and prepare for life patient experience these offices are creating? after graduation, the more opportunities will present 3. Cultivate relationships. Get around the right people. themselves. Get around winners. Get around positive people. Surround yourself with goal-getters, people who have high aspirations, These success strategies were developed by Cleveland and are going somewhere in their lives. Build relationships Chiropractic College, which has campuses in Overland Park, with attorneys, bankers, accountants, potential patients, and Kan., and Los Angeles, Calif. Contact the Small Business Development Center (SBDC). [email protected] for more info.
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72 CHIROPRACTIC E CONOMICS WWW.CHIROE CO. COM V OL 55: ISSUE 14 • SEPTEMBER 10, 2009 CLASSIFIEDMARKETPLACE<< NUTRITION PRACTICE MANAGEMENT PRODUCTS ADD 2 PROFIT CENTERS FOR $1500 Ion Cleanse footbath, single diode, 5 mw cold laser plus Dr. Winchester instructional DVD on integrating muscle testing, detoxification and nutrition into your practice. CALL Dr. Shelly Dowling – 877-315-8638. PRACTICES FOR SALE MULTIPLE COASTAL FLORIDA PRODUCTS OFFICES FOR SALE. Established clinics + newer satellite clinics available. Collections from $10K-$65K per month. Fully staffed and equipped clinics. Pain Management Physician also available for co-coordinating patient care when needed. e-mail: [email protected] DON’T MISS A SINGLE ISSUE! Our free, bimonthly newsletter provides students with information on starting their own business, managing their finances, preparing for their career, attracting patients, and more. To sign up FREE, log on to www.studentDC.com SUPPLIES TO PLACE AN AD CALL 800-533-4263 PRACTICE MANAGEMENT V OL 55: ISSUE 14 • SEPTEMBER 10, 2009 WWW.CHIROE CO. COM C HIROPRACTIC E CONOMICS 73 CHEC_74.ps 8/20/09 12:23 PM Page 74 CHEC_75.ps 8/20/09 12:25 PM Page 75 CHEC_76.ps 8/20/09 12:26 PM Page 76