Issue #17 - July 2010
Somebody Is Talking; Is Anyone Listening?
When my father talked to me, he would sometimes ask me, what part of this conversation don’t you understand? I fully understood all that he had said, but I either did not want to face the truth or I was just to lazy to do what he asked over and above suffering the consequences of not listening. Recently, we have had several challenges that have faced our profession and fortunately we have come through these challenges unscathed.
Chiropractic should be a way of life not just a way to make a living and have the extras in life. When chiropractic has been jeopardized either in the community, state or nationally, participation by our colleagues in our profession has been limited. The leaders of the profession are giving out the information to build a strong and viable profession that has a higher sense of purpose, credibility and integrity. What is needed is not the same group to do all work necessary to build but for all of us to work on projects at local levels to guarantee our success.
Let’s start with what is easiest, and that is to start educating and explaining chiropractic to the public. Not in such a way that we are promoting discounted care just to get people in the door to educate them. In essence, we are educating potential patients to believe that all chiropractic care is at a discount. That has been the marketing method used for years to teach people about what we do. The state and national associations should be responsible for information that goes out to the public with the same message to help heighten their awareness.
It is the responsibility of every chiropractor to do their part and do tasteful marketing and advertising to promote chiropractic as the standard for natural health care and to stand up against drugs and surgery. Our offices should be full of patients that come in from multiple referral sources, newspapers, websites, television media, and other media venues that show chiropractic in a favorable light. Chiropractors that hold their heads up high and have a philosophical belief system that is not mottled, but modeled by our forefathers that believed in a different set of health care values and had strength to stand together and fight for what they believed. Is anybody listening? Why are we waiting for the next disaster to hit our profession before we do something as group? Doctors that are ready to stand together and contest our foes in the health care arena? It is as though the young have forgotten our history and where we came from as a profession. It is important not to forget where we have come from and that what has brought us to this point is the passion, truth and our belief system.
The higher your strength for what you do, the conviction of your principles in philosophy and ability to love your patients and those around you is, the larger your capability to serve more and give more back to your family, patients, and your profession. If you want to continue to complain be complacent and not participate in the bigger scheme of things then continue to do what you have been doing. As doctor Phil says, “How is that working for you”? That in it’s self should help you to reflect on your position in your life and where you may want to go from here.
