http://www.patientmedia.com/blog/ en Copyright 2012 Wed, 16 May 2012 18:31:59 -0700 http://www.sixapart.com/movabletype/ http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss “So, what do you know for sure,” I asked Gene who had arrived to clean our windows. “What I know for sure is that I only have nine teeth,” he replied with toothless grin. “Wow, that’s not very many teeth,” I observed stating the obvious. “What happened?” “I’ve had two really bad dentists.” “What a string of bad luck,” I commiserated. I suppose there is the possibility that this 56-year old had had two “bad” dentists in a row who were inclined to pull his teeth, but the more I thought about it, it occurred to me that his answer was simply a cover up; a rationalization and justification.]]> http://www.patientmedia.com/blog/2012/05/so_what_do_you_know.html http://www.patientmedia.com/blog/2012/05/so_what_do_you_know.html Musings Wed, 16 May 2012 18:31:59 -0700 Monday Morning Motivation.]]> http://www.patientmedia.com/blog/2012/05/monday_morning_motivation_283.html http://www.patientmedia.com/blog/2012/05/monday_morning_motivation_283.html Monday-Morning-Motivation Mon, 14 May 2012 06:00:23 -0700 After you’ve been in as many hotel rooms as I have, you pretty much know what to expect. Electronic card opens the door. Closet. Bathroom. Bed. Television. Chest of drawers. Worktable. Sitting chair. Lamp. There seems to be about 4-5 floor plan permutations, but that’s pretty much it. And how much you pay for the room in which you spend most of your time with your eyes closed doesn’t seem to change that. So I was surprised, even amused, when I checked into my hotel room Friday night in Sioux Falls to conduct a special Debrief for The Conversation and found something that broke the pattern. Next to the telephone (both of them) was an alcohol prep pad. Something one might use to sterilize an area of the body prior to giving an injection. Since I’m a student of people’s health beliefs and attitudes, I couldn’t help myself when checking out yesterday, asking the twenty-something front desk clerk to explain.]]> http://www.patientmedia.com/blog/2012/05/germs_germs_germs.html http://www.patientmedia.com/blog/2012/05/germs_germs_germs.html Patient Priorities Mon, 07 May 2012 08:50:36 -0700 Monday Morning Motivation.]]> http://www.patientmedia.com/blog/2012/05/monday_morning_motivation_282.html http://www.patientmedia.com/blog/2012/05/monday_morning_motivation_282.html Monday-Morning-Motivation Mon, 07 May 2012 06:00:41 -0700 When chiropractors reveal to me that their numbers are down, they reluctantly cite the economy as the culprit, almost as if they know it isn’t true. “People just don’t have the money these days,” they observe. Really? While it’s true that their $5,000 deductible insurance policy pretty much makes them a cash patient, their financial reserves are exhausted and their unexpected bout of back pain wasn’t exactly a line item in their monthly budget. (Read Financial Fragility which sums this up nicely.) However, I’ve noticed that they’re still restocking the organic produce department at the grocery store. And I’m still seeing people putting the smaller, less attractive, more expensive produce in their cart—without expecting to be reimbursed by a third party. (The stock for Whole Foods Grocery hovered around USD $10 a share in November of 2008. Today it’s cresting over $80. Hello McFly.) Apparently there are still plenty of people in your community who value their health enough to pay a premium for organic produce, grass fed beef, cage- and antibiotic-free eggs and rBGH-free milk. All this, while you’re holed up in your office yakking about the biomechanics of back pain and misleading patients into thinking that chiropractic is about bones rather than the nervous system and symptom relief rather than reviving their ability to self heal.]]> http://www.patientmedia.com/blog/2012/05/its_not_the_economy.html http://www.patientmedia.com/blog/2012/05/its_not_the_economy.html Patient Priorities Wed, 02 May 2012 18:12:29 -0700 Subscribe to our weekly email.]]> http://www.patientmedia.com/blog/2012/04/monday_morning_motivation_281.html http://www.patientmedia.com/blog/2012/04/monday_morning_motivation_281.html Monday-Morning-Motivation Mon, 30 Apr 2012 06:00:59 -0700 I trusted a hunch during my talk yesterday in Minneapolis and made the assertion that “...during the last four months, some of you in this room have actually contemplated what you could do other than practice chiropractic.” After my talk was over, one of the chiropractors came up to me and asked, “How did you know?” “Know what?” I asked having covered dozens of subjects during my talk. “How did you know that some of us have considered alternatives to practicing chiropractic?” “Just my intuition based on the vibe in the room. There seemed to be quite a few chiropractors who weren’t having fun. And if you’re not especially passionate about chiropractic, when circumstances get difficult it often prompts a look around for an easier way to make a living.” “Well, that’s where I am,” he confessed. “Only trouble is, I’m stuck. There isn’t anything else I can do that would generate the income I used to make in chiropractic. And the problem is, even chiropractic isn’t producing the income I need to make, so I’m having to dip into savings.” There. He had just said out loud what I suspected many chiropractors have been privately thinking. I wasn’t sure how he was going to take my next observation, but I made it anyway.]]> http://www.patientmedia.com/blog/2012/04/reinventing_your_practice_1.html http://www.patientmedia.com/blog/2012/04/reinventing_your_practice_1.html Musings Sun, 29 Apr 2012 10:07:14 -0700 Monday Morning Motivation.]]> http://www.patientmedia.com/blog/2012/04/monday_morning_motivation_280.html http://www.patientmedia.com/blog/2012/04/monday_morning_motivation_280.html Monday-Morning-Motivation Mon, 23 Apr 2012 06:00:04 -0700 Hard to imagine that 13 years ago this Friday, April 20th I walked away from a thriving business to start over by creating Patient Media. It’s been an incredible journey and we all thank you for your support over the years. This year promises to be a big one. We’re bringing back our How Long? brochure with a brand new look. The next generation of patient education videos are slated for release in September. Plus, our newest eBook is in production and some other cool stuff we’ll be announcing in the fall. As a small token of our appreciation, when U.S. customers place their order for chiropractic patient education products and supplies this Friday, we’ll deduct 13% from the purchase price. To place your order call (800) 486-2337 or if ordering online, at checkout enter the discount code: PM13 Thanks for your loyalty and support!]]> http://www.patientmedia.com/blog/2012/04/its_our_13th_anniversary_you_g.html http://www.patientmedia.com/blog/2012/04/its_our_13th_anniversary_you_g.html Product Profiles Tue, 17 Apr 2012 09:09:36 -0700 Subscribe to Monday Morning Motivation and have these messages delivered to your inbox each week.]]> http://www.patientmedia.com/blog/2012/04/monday_morning_motivation_279.html http://www.patientmedia.com/blog/2012/04/monday_morning_motivation_279.html Monday-Morning-Motivation Mon, 16 Apr 2012 06:00:02 -0700 Subscribe to this weekly 150-word missive with practice tips and insights.]]> http://www.patientmedia.com/blog/2012/04/monday_morning_motivation_278.html http://www.patientmedia.com/blog/2012/04/monday_morning_motivation_278.html Monday-Morning-Motivation Mon, 09 Apr 2012 06:00:17 -0700 Monday Morning Motivation.]]> http://www.patientmedia.com/blog/2012/04/monday_morning_motivation_277.html http://www.patientmedia.com/blog/2012/04/monday_morning_motivation_277.html Monday-Morning-Motivation Mon, 02 Apr 2012 06:00:19 -0700 I’m encountering more and more chiropractors in my one-hour consultations who are, or are on the verge of, burnout. Income is down. Savings are dwindling. Documentation is too much of a bother. Patients are problems rather than opportunities. The joy is gone. With these and related circumstances, some chiropractors are questioning their career choice. Disguising their disdain for patients and their unhappiness in practice has become an increasingly difficult acting job. Many think they’re able to successfully hide their frustration and feelings of being trapped or stuck in a practice that produces less and less joy and satisfaction. (Take this burnout quiz.) When I work with these chiropractors, many of them are surprised to learn what underlying emotion is producing their lethargic, take-me-out-of-my-misery pity party.]]> http://www.patientmedia.com/blog/2012/03/is_practice_worth_it.html http://www.patientmedia.com/blog/2012/03/is_practice_worth_it.html Musings Mon, 26 Mar 2012 15:23:31 -0700 Monday Morning Motivation.]]> http://www.patientmedia.com/blog/2012/03/monday_morning_motivation_276.html http://www.patientmedia.com/blog/2012/03/monday_morning_motivation_276.html Monday-Morning-Motivation Mon, 26 Mar 2012 06:00:58 -0700 Monday Morning Motivation.]]> http://www.patientmedia.com/blog/2012/03/monday_morning_motivation_275.html http://www.patientmedia.com/blog/2012/03/monday_morning_motivation_275.html Monday-Morning-Motivation Mon, 19 Mar 2012 06:00:54 -0700