Tag Archives: Health

Music Is Therapeutic for Chiropractic and Other Health Offices

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guitar players playing good vibes goal driven to create musicGood Morning Doctors and Health Professionals!

Sending this out early in the morning…

No nuts and bolts this morning, just some music.

Some good vibes.

Music is therapeutic – for the body, the mind, and the soul. It improves patient outcomes as well as employee performance. And, customers like it and can be more agreeable to what you advise.

I did the research! (Some of it is below.)

But never mind the research, just listen to music that you like, and that your team and a patients enjoy.

Here is a video (just listen, no need to watch, but great to watch all the same) with musicians from around the world -performing Ripple, lyrics by Robert Hunter and music by Jerry Garcia.

And have a good vibe groovin’ week!

Ed

Music Video Ripple, Playing for Change.

“Music can heal the wounds that medicine cannot touch.”

–Debasish Mrihda

==========

For follow-up research:

Music to Encourage Buying Products & More: Best is ambient, classical, not popular as this can be distracting. Also, faster tempo music customers lingered less and moved faster.

https://cloudcovermusic.com/music-psychology/encourage-buying/

https://www.psychologistworld.com/behavior/ambient-music-retail-psychological-arousal-customers

Music has been found to have a positive impact on employee performance in certain situations. However, it’s important to note that the effects of music can vary depending on individual preferences and the specific work environment.

Here are some studies that explore the relationship between music and employee performance:

  • A study published in the Journal of Applied Ergonomics in 2015 found that background music had a positive impact on the quality of work and efficiency of employees in a data entry task. The researchers concluded that music could help improve performance by enhancing mood and reducing stress.

  • In 2012, a study published in the Journal of Consumer Research examined the effects of background music on creative problem-solving. The results showed that moderate levels of ambient noise, such as music, can enhance creative performance compared to both low and high levels of noise.

  • Another study published in the Journal of Music Therapy in 2014 investigated the effects of music listening on productivity and mood in a workplace setting. The findings revealed that employees who listened to music while working reported higher productivity and positive mood compared to those who did not listen to music.

  • A study published in the Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology in 2019 examined the effects of different types of music on cognitive performance and mood in a complex task. The results showed that participants performed better and reported higher positive affect when listening to music they personally enjoyed.

Does music help us work better? It depends

“Listening to music has a positive impact on our health, by helping us recover faster when we experience stress and through the reduction of stress hormone cortisol, to help us achieve a calm state or homeostasis.” – Alex Doman

Music can improve health.

Research from the Royal Society noted that “group singing can improve physical and mental health, as well as promote social bonding.” An older paper by researchers from the University of California suggests that participating in choral singing “is associated with strong increases of Immunoglobulin A,” also referred to as immunoenhancement. They tested cortisol and immunoglobulin levels in saliva before and after singing in a choir, and found that performance singing “leads adaptively to levels of positive feelings and satisfaction.” The Healing Power of Singing – The New York Times (nytimes.com)

The Healing Power of Music

Music therapy is increasingly used to help patients cope with stress and promote healing. Richard Schiffman

April 8, 2021
 New York Times

Networking for Chiropractors and Health Providers

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 (This is part 2 following the last blog on the best known marketing secret.)

Networking is a marketing method that generates referrals from your direct efforts, from your patients, and from outside referral sources you have established. This is not only the most cost-effective form of marketing for new patients but helps to retain the ones you have.

YOUR PRACTICE IS A NETWORK

If you think about it, your practice itself is a network. A practice is a network of relationships created and sustained through communication and service. This is my definition, though yours could be similar.

Networking is simply creating a connection with another person in which you both share an interest in common and enjoy talking with each other.

Networking is getting to know people — who know people.

But I would also add – getting to know people you are interested in. Effective networking can’t be faked.

THE 4 COMPONENTS OF NETWORKING

I have seen 4 major components of effective networking:

  1. Genuine interest in people. The best health networkers are interested in their active patients, inactive patients, and people in their community.

  2. Genuine interest in the services they provide. The best networkers are excited about their services and what they can do for people.

  3. Give in abundance. Effective networkers are givers. They provide excellent clinical service as well as free assistance, such as health tips, special events, referrals to other providers or services, a book, or a smile. And they educate others about the health subjects their services address.

  4. Organization. A structured program needs to be in place to ensure net-working continues.

Venues for Networking

Table Talk. This is your private time with your patient. Be curious about them and how they are doing. Then, tell them about what is interesting to you about their health, about health subjects, and your services. Often, patients may see you for back pain but may not know that you also treat headaches and other issues.

Continue the Table Talk. Follow-up with your custom newsletters. I stress this routinely. You have hundreds, if not thousands, of people you have seen whose trust you have earned. You have started a relationship with them — why neglect it? This is why, for those offices on our new Mastery program (more about this soon!), we insist on sending out personal, customized emails for you monthly.

Social media is fine, but it is different. Posting a success story or an upcoming event is fast and easy. This helps with social proof and brand awareness. I have also seen it useful in short spurts for advertising, driving readers to a lead page, or making a phone call. But organically, few people will see your unboosted post. “If you have 2,000 Facebook fans usually only 2-5 people will see each post you publish” says Stuart Marler from Retriever Digital. (Mail Munch)*

Internal Events. In-house events from workshops on health to organic farming, barbecues, appreciation days, and yoga classes — the ideas are endless. And even if only 3 people show up, well promoted, you create the image that your office is an alive and vibrant health center.

External Events. There are the usual events: the Lions Club pancake breakfast, the local parade, the 5K Walk-Run, the art fair, the County Fair, and all the summer events that local communities host. These are great opportunities to meet new people.

Some doctors network with their church, or their local school affiliation as a high school coach, or with women’s groups like La Leche. Some doctors become involved with an ethnic group, and network with them. Se Habla Espanol? Often the connections are made via the patient.

You can also start creating your group. Visit the autobody shops and create a PI referral network. Or become the go-to source for local ballet, dance, and drama participants. Or, become THE motel chiropractor in town.

ORGANIZING YOUR NETWORKING

Organization. The biggest barrier to networking is a lack of internal structured organization supporting your marketing. I covered this years ago in the Marketing Manager System. Similar to the systems for your front desk and billing departments, you should have routine procedures, stats, and someone in charge of your marketing projects. And they need guaranteed time each week to work on the marketing.

Team. Each member of your team should be a trained and motivated networker – both in and out of the office.

The goal of networking. The goal of networking is the same as the mission of your practice: to help as many people as possible become healthier.

Stay interested and curious — give abundantly and educate.

Let’s do it!

Ed

Need some tips on how to improve your networking? Let’s talk.

* https://www.mailmunch.com/blog/email-marketing-vs-social-media

—————————————————-

If your practice building efforts aren’t taking you to your goals, there are reasons — many of which are hidden from you.

Find out what they are and how to sail to your next level by getting and implementing my new book, The Goal Driven Business.

The Goal Driven Business By Edward Petty

 
 
 

Your Patient’s New Year’s Goals

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Your patients’ goals are why we are here.

They are why your staff came to work today and why you went to your last licensing seminar.

Your patients’ goals are why you have a practice and are in business.

So, what are your patient’s goals? What do they want?

On the surface, it is usually to relieve discomfort or pain.

So, like you do, after your initial consult, exam, and imaging, you tell them the cause of their pain and present your treatment program. They nod in agreement, and you begin care.

But when the patient sees the staff member to work out their finances and scheduling, they may have a glazed look and not be too sure what you just told them. Something-something about submarines, or joints, or spondy low dices.

The next week you wonder where they are. Your front desk does recalls. You spend money on more marketing to get more new patients.

You may have experienced a version of this in the past.

And at home, the patient may even feel that they got what they wanted or thought that they wanted. Maybe they feel better. But did they really get what they wanted?

There is a quote questionably attributed to Henry Ford: “If I’d asked customers what they wanted, they would have told me, ‘A faster horse!'”

I get the point. But what people wanted, though they did know about a Model-T, was to travel faster with less horse poop.

You know that four adjustments, in most cases, won’t provide the health solution that the patient needs. But your patients don’t know what you know!

Was that why they didn’t come back for another visit, because you didn’t educate them enough? No.

Was it that you did not motivate them enough? No.

An excellent book on sales that I recommend is by Harry Browne, The Secret of Selling Anything. Brown points out that people are already motivated. 

You don’t have to motivate your prospective patient when you initially see them. You just need to discover what is already motivating them.

This takes place in your initial consultation and history, which I feel is the most crucial part of the new patient onboarding process.

Brown offers these three steps.

  1. Discover. Discover through intense listening what they want. For example:
  • What do you consider most important for you about your health?
  • What do you think is the biggest problem regarding your health?

These questions, and others, open the door to understanding what the other person wants. And if they know you understand them and are authentically interested, they will be more inclined to listen to you and trust you.

  1. Summarize. The second step is to summarize what the patient said about what they want. This brings out what they said on the table so that you both can agree. For example:
  • So, as I understand it, you are looking to get rid of the pain, not for just a week, but altogether so that you can get back to playing polo with your grandkids, correct?

Now you both can agree on what they want.

  1. Solve the problem. The third step is educating them on what you have found after your exam and imaging. But you direct the education to exactly what they especially want. Now they are interested because you are addressing the motivation that they already had.

This is a simple procedure that is genuine and caring. Not always easy to find these days, so you will stand out from others by using this method.

I would even spend time now and then rehearsing this. Even the pro’s practice.

Brown is not the only person who has offered this procedure as it is so fundamental. But we can never be reminded of the basics enough. He also said:

…the secret of success is:

 Find out what people want and help them to get it.

Help your patients achieve their goals in 2023, and they will help you achieve yours.

Seize 2023!

Ed

Health Never Takes a Holiday

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fitness santas

Let the parties begin!

It’s beginning to look a lot like that special time of year. That very busy time of year with parties, food, traveling, shopping, cooking, and extra tasks.

A wonderful time of year. BUT…, please remind your patients that

Health Never Takes a Holiday!

They shouldn’t stop brushing their teeth, taking showers, or taking a pause from their yoga classes! These are all health activities that are just as important as their health program with you.

Yes, it’s OK to have an extra slice of pumpkin pie, stay up a bit later wrapping presents, or have a few drinks with an old acquittance, but encourage your patients to stick with THEIR health program.

Stopping and then starting again is tough. You lose your gains and momentum… so it is easier to just keep the ball rolling.

You can make a poster to help you remind your patients to keep working on their health. It also reminds you and your staff to keep your patients on track. Add something to your newsletter or a whiteboard with your Table Talk.

And in the spirit of the Season, you can click below to download free customizable sample posters for your patients. (We have many posters and patient scripts for our clients.)

Keep your patients Goal Driven to improve their health for a happier future!

Then, keep calm and party on!

Ed

Link to Posters- Health Never Takes a Holiday

Health Screenings in 2022

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This past weekend, outside our local grocery store, the Village (what they call a suburban town out here) closed off the main street and had an art fair. So I took a few minutes to look around before I headed home with my organic veggies!

There were maybe 30-40 10×10 tents with various artists displaying their works. The day was hot, and I was in a hurry. Suddenly, I stopped when I saw an old familiar sight, one that I hadn’t seen for a few years. There it was-a chiropractic health screening booth.

That’s right… s c r e e n I n g s!

The signs said, “Spinal Health Screening” with the name of the corporate chiropractic company which now has offices in a few states in the Midwest and in WA, according to their website.

Now, for the most part, I like screenings and, if done right, recommend them. I would not be overstating the fact that we have personally participated in hundreds of screenings in hundreds of venues over the years. (I still have a couple of PVC Posture Analyzers in my garage.) We have personally trained well over 50 “Screening Technicians” and hundreds more in seminars and via our marketing manuals. We used screenings when we opened up our 24 offices here in Wisconsin.

Now that people are less in fear of being murdered by one another for carrying the COVID, outdoor events are resurfacing.

Here is a short list of benefits of screenings:

  1. Generate new patients.
  2. Reactivate former patients.
  3. Create new external referrals sources
  4. Create goodwill and good publicity. (We won an award for our booth at a county fair once which was pictured in the local paper.)
  5. Meet people in your community.

Here are 5 essential ingredients to help you achieve these benefits:

  1. Friendly. Whoever is in the booth should be friendly, casual, and having fun. Therefore,
  2. Short shifts. It should not be an endurance contest—a few hours at most. Get in, greet people, talk with them, screen the interested few, and get out.
  3. Training and positive experience. If you have a non-doctor in the booth, for Pete’s sake, train them. Ideally, they could be a staff member who already knows the excellent outcomes you produce and can easily recommend you.
  4. Be interested in people. Are they in pain? Have they seen a chiropractor, acupuncturist, P.T., M.D. for their issue? Where do they work? What do they think of the Milwaukee Brewers Baseball club’s chances this season?
  5. Unserious. As B.J. Palmer said in Rule #9, “Don’t take yourself too damn seriously.” (to get a copy of Rule #9)

Get out there with your people… they need you!

Ed

PS BY the way, just curious… please reply if you would like a short webinar on what we have seen works best for screenings.

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Here in the United States, July 4th is a date we celebrate each year, commemorating the independence as colonies from Great Britain.

And I can’t help but see a parallel between those hardy souls in the American colonies that wanted their freedom and, well, you! Chiropractors and their teams.

To colonize means to “take control of a people or area, especially as an extension of state power… to take or make use of (something) without authority or right.” (Merriam-Webster)

It could be said that the profession of medicine has been colonized by a few corporate interests. Same has been happening with other professions and industries. A few large corporations own and control more and more businesses that were once independent.

But for the most part, chiropractic as a profession has remained independent.

It hasn’t been easy, what with the AMA and Pharma coming after you, as was disclosed in the Wilk’s trail. (That was just a speed bump for them!) But Team Chiropractic has won its independence and freedom due to the courage of those who have come before you.

And it also comes from your continuing courage today.

So, this Fourth is also about your independence and your continued efforts to do the BEST for your patients and your communities.

Celebrate this!

Yes, it is just another day at the office. But this weekend, have an extra cool drink and recognize your leadership and courage in standing up for the true health of your patients and your community.

Stay free, and help others do the same.

Ed

The Cobbler’s Wife Has No Shoes

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bare feet in the snow

The Cobbler’s Wife Has No Shoes

And Your Team Members Have No Personal Health Programs

You have heard the old expression, “The cobbler’s wife has no shoes.” Sometimes it is also said: “The cobbler’s children have no shoes.” Either way, the message is that the shoemaker, or cobbler, is often too busy with his work to spend any time making shoes for his wife and children.

The same can apply to your support team when it does not receive the health services you provide your patients.

Too frequently, I have seen employees not given a personal health program that is supervised by the doctors for whom they work and support. While this is an oversight, I feel it is also negligent. And it can be expensive.

Staff who are ill need to take time off to get well. I have heard about this more in the last year with the COVID protocols of quarantining. Employee absences can impair the quality and quantity of daily services to patients and clients. It can also create backlogs and add extra stress to the employees who try to cover for those who are ill.

There are no 100% solutions to prevent employee illness, of course. But perhaps there is more you could be doing. To start, ensure that each team member regularly receives the same services you also provide to your patients.

Then, I have seen many reports that say keeping Vitamin D levels up minimizes the risk of viral infections. Why not get your staff’s vitamin D levels checked if you haven’t already? It is easy to do and inexpensive. I list a source for testing vitamin D that I have used at the end of this article. (1)

Beyond Vitamin D, there are other supplements that can be taken to bolster defenses in winter against viral infections. The FLCCC (Front Line COVID-19 Critical Care Alliance) has a list of supplements they recommend. You can find a link to them at the end of the article.

And speaking of the FLCCC, if you have not been following them, I recommend you do. (Link at the end of the article.)(3) They are a group of medical doctors and other medical professionals that have spoken out on and advocated for other remedies for COVID other than vaccinations. Pierre Kory, who is the President of the FLCCC, once taught at the University of Wisconsin Medical School and worked at St. Luke’s Hospital here in Milwaukee. (4) (He recently spoke at a rally in D.C. this past Sunday. Link to see a clip of his speech at the end of this article.)

But back to your staff and their health.

We all get busy. I get it. Front and center are the urgent and important matters of our practice which we must deal with directly. But some matters are very important that do not seem urgent. For example, taking care of the health of our staff and ourselves is important, but because it does not seem urgent, it often gets put on the back burner.

Working ON the business is important even though it may not be urgent. And working on the business includes working to improve the health and education of your team members that support you and the patients.

So, keep this in mind: for fewer sick days, fewer quarantines (!?!), and fewer service interruptions, see that each team member is seen regularly by you or by one of the doctors at your practice, and ensure that they are on a health program. And help them follow it. This is no guarantee of less sick days, but it can certainly help.

Having a mission to help people become healthier and relieved of pain is a noble goal. But remember that it applies not only to your patients but to your support team, your family, and yourself as well.

In all ways, try to stay true to your goals!

Goal Driven — Faster to a Better Future!

Carpe Posterum (Seize the future.)

Ed

Get the book The Goal Driven Business and apply it. It will help you achieve your goals including better service, more profit, and…more freedom. Be a Health Rebel and grow your practice. Fight Back! The Goal Driven Business

(1) Vitamin D testing
(2) List of supplements recommended by the FLCCC
(3) FLCCC
(4) Pierre Kory, MD, speaking at a rally at Washington DC, Sunday, Jan 23. (Here he is talking last Sunday at a rally in Washington D.C. (Another link to the same clip.)

Health Never Takes a Holiday

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fitness santas
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. (Benjamin Franklin)

You know this. So do your patients and staff.

But maintaining, and even improving your health must be a priority.

Health IS wealth.

So, encourage your patients to stick to their treatment and health programs through the next couple of months.

Enjoy the season and family and friends. This too is part of health. But the New Year is coming, and an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

You can use posters, such as those attached, to remind yourself and your patients that… Health Never Takes a Holiday.

Be merry and keep smiling!

Ed

Sample PDF posters:
Poster for Nov/Dec
Poster for any holiday

Customizable posters on Word for active PM&A clients can be found on your PMAmembers site. (You will need your login to enter this site. Please contact Linda@pmaworks.com if you need assistance.)

https://pmamembers.com/december-special-promotions/

Has the Coronavirus Affected Your Practice?

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How has the Coronavirus plague been affecting you and your practice…so far?

Most offices I talk to across the country seem to be doing just fine, thank you!

I ran across  an interesting thread on a social media site for chiropractors and as a limited sample survey of how other offices are being affected, most report that they are also doing well.

I want to add a few thoughts from a marketing vantage point that might help. I am sure you are following the clinical aspects of this virus, but I have links below to articles from Bruce Lipton, Ben Lerner, and Joe Mercola that are very informative.

More importantly, a great link from our old buddy, George Carlin just to put things into perspective. So, you might want to save this email just for the links. (Gotta watch Carlin!… WARNING… as usual cursing included!)

So, marketing…

The idea of the Coronavirus is that it could kill you, or at least make you very sick.  Consider these three promotional actions:

Safe Space. Promote your office as a Safe Zone. In your clinic, use plenty of disinfectant around the office. Let the patients see you wipe down tables, doorknobs, pens, clipboards, and have plenty of Purell (or something similar) around for hand wipes. This is to demonstrate that your office is taking all precautions to be a safe, sterile healing facility.

Get Healthier and Stronger. Secondly, promote the healing aspect of your services – how they can improve and bolster the immune system. The virus will have the most impact on the physically weak. Encourage patients to come in and get stronger in your safe space.  (Ben Lerner has a good article about this – link below.)

Communicate and Educate. Use your “table talk” time, and through newsletters and other media, to communicate with your patients. Give them health tips regarding the virus. But also relay positive activities that are going on in your office – an upcoming talk, a community clean-up drive, a patient success or a new team member. This goes for your team as well – educate your staff. People tend to hunker down during a crisis, somewhat out of fear. Standup, standout and maintain your positive presence and leadership – keep communicating.

The viruses may be real and get transmitted from person to person. But ideas can do the same. So spread the word — communicate your office as a worry-free environment where people can become stronger and healthier – safely.

-Ed

From a social media thread:
Chiropractors!! Is the whole coronavirus situation impacting your practice?! Or is it just me?
[March 9, 2020]

I’ve noticed that a lot less people are coming in for care, I’ve especially seen a decrease in overall NPs, is the trend global? related to coronavirus outbreak?? (people being in “survival mode” , or being more careful about their finances)? I’d love to know what you guys have noticed surrounding this issue? Cheers, Kir 2 days ago

ostninja
I’ve noticed a drop this week. I think it’s critical to wipe all surfaces with something that works and have hand sanitizer available. For reality and to create a safe space where they dont have to think about getting it from the table or face rest.
Everybody is concerned. I think it is people limiting their activities, worried about money, worried about the face rest. Let them see you wiping down face rest every time you finish. I’m wondering about sending communication detailing how we are protecting them and ourselves but I’m also wondering how useful overall that would be.

Kiirjava
Interesting… Thanks for sharing 🙂 that communication idea is actually brilliant!
It’s been a slow week so I’ll use this as an excuse lol · 2 days ago

lloydchiro
I’m just as busy as ever, and I’m in San Francisco. I imagine our town will get hit soon.

AshlamAllstar 2 days ago
CCCA here. Only a few one-off scenarios so far. One patient called to pause her treatment plan due to fear of being exposed and one came in with latex gloves, her own lysol wipes and a face mask. Otherwise, practice as usual, if not, a few more questions asking of the doctors’ opinion of the matter.
—-
DrGodzilla22
My practice had grown during since the news cycles started. Well educated patient are referring their friends and families.
—-
DrJayWill · 1 day ago
I’ve had the busiest week I’ve had in a while

Have You Helped A Child Today?

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It’s a beautiful fall day here in Southeastern Wisconsin. Clear blue skies, the leaves are changing, and the temps are comfortably cool.

I wanted to take a few minutes of your time to introduce myself and let you know about an upcoming opportunity for you to make a difference in a child’s life both locally and globally.

My name is Linda Skiles, some of you already know me and some may not. I have been involved in chiropractic for the past 34 years in some way or another and a patient for most of my life. I began as a chiropractic assistant, graduating to an office manager, and now serve as the client services coordinator for Petty, Michel, and Associates, working with offices across the nation to promote PMA’s 3 Goals(sm)of methodology:

  • Greater Profit
  • Better Service
  • Higher Purpose

I am passionate about chiropractic and passionate about making our world a better place. Each and every day, I strive to find a way to live with a Higher Purpose. With that said, I’d like to invite you to help support my most recent mission.

Ed Petty and Dave Michel along with the Chiropractic Society of Wisconsin(CSW) have graciously given me the opportunity to collaborate with Wisconsin United for Freedom and Chiro Kid’s Day to host a “Kid’s Korner” at the CSW’s Fall Summit, October 18th-20th at the Wilderness Canyon Lodge Convention Center in the Wisconsin Dells.

The whole idea was born when I made the commitment to sell 600+ ornaments for the Khutsala Artisans of Project Canaan. A large task but achievable with your help.

Project Canaan is Heart for Africa’s 2,500-acre large-scale land development project being used to bring HOPE to the tiny Kingdom of Eswatini (formerly Swaziland) by focusing on four key areas: Hunger, Orphans, Poverty, and Education. It will provide training and employment, while supporting orphans and vulnerable children on the property and across the nation.

In 2013 my twenty-nine year old son, searching for a higher purpose in life, found Project Canaan and served as a volunteer missionary for one year as the bulldozer operator. I had the opportunity to visit while he was there and joined the Swazis in making jewelry. I continue to support their efforts through selling their beautiful beaded ornaments. 60% of the sales support the Khutsala Artisans’ daily living needs and 40% is donated to a local charity of my choice. Proceeds from the sales at the CSW Fall Summit will go to Oklahaven Children’s Chiropractic Center in Oklahoma City, OK.

In addition, I recently published my third book entitled, Nettie’s Fountain Pen – Another’s Days Writings. $5.00 from the sale of each of these books will go to Chiro Kid’s Day and Wisconsin United for Freedom.

Promoting the wellness of our children locally and globally is the theme of our booth. We will have informational material and resources available that focuses on the health of our children here in the US. I hope you will stop by, see what we all have to offer, and support our efforts.

Our children are our future! Can you help a child today?

If you are unable to attend the CSW Fall Summit but would like to purchase ornaments or books, please email me at linda@pmaworks.com

Sincerely,

Linda Skiles
262-749-0221

Links:
Follow my Journey at Project Canaan  – Oct 17th 2013 – Nov 1st, 2013
Oklahaven Children’s Chiropractic Center
Heart for Africa – Project Canaan
Wisconsin United for Freedom
Chiro Kid’s Day
Children’s Health Defense

Children’s Health Resources

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Happy Health ChildThe following are some sources of information regarding the health crisis affecting our children.

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The Children’s Health Defense is a powerful organization that is on the front lines in fighting corporate propaganda promoting harmful drugs for kids. They have many lawyers, including Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., working on exposing false information and corruption regarding children’s health.eBook Sign-Up—The Sickest Generation
Free eBook: The Sickest Generation: The Facts Behind the Children’s Health Crisis and Why It Needs to End Children are the key to a successful future and a prosperous nation, yet American children have never been sicker with a vast array of chronic illnesses. (Also available in Spanish.)

The Pharmaceutical Industry’s Front Men
By the Children’s Health Defense Team

The Medical Journals’ Sell-Out—Getting Paid to Play
By the Children’s Health Defense Team

Science Library
This database contains hundreds of peer-reviewed, published articles on environmental contaminants that are implicated in the rise of the childhood epidemics we are currently experiencing in the U.S. and other industrialized nations.

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Pathways is a long-standing publication with health articles that is free to members of the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association. Its website has links to many articles, a few of which are below:

Pathways to Family Wellness

Are We Making Our Children Sick?
http://pathwaystofamilywellness.org/Nutrition/are-we-making-our-children-sick.html

Natural Immunity
http://pathwaystofamilywellness.org/Informed-Choice/natural-immunity.html

Ear Infections in Kids: Natural Remedies to Ease Ear Pain and Enhance Function
http://pathwaystofamilywellness.org/Holistic-Healthcare/ear-infections-in-kids-natural-remedies-to-ease-ear-pain-and-enhance-function.html

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There are many books on children’s health, and it is fascinating to search to find them. Commit to buying at least one per month, reading it, reporting on it to a team meeting, and placing it in your Lending Library. Have your team members do the same! Here are three:

Books

A Compromised Generation: The Epidemic of Chronic Illness in America’s Children Paperback – September 16, 2010 by Beth Lambert

The Vaccine-Friendly Plan: Dr. Paul’s Safe and Effective Approach to Immunity and Health-from Pregnancy Through Your Child’s Teen Years Paperback – August 23, 2016 Paul Thomas M.D.

How to Raise a Healthy Child in Spite of Your Doctor: One of America’s Leading Pediatricians Puts Parents Back in Control of Their Children’s Health Mass Market Paperback – May 12, 1987
by Robert S. Mendelsohn MD

Chiropractic Patient Reactivation Program and Sample Postcard

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We recommend offering a special promotion to patients who have not been active for 6 months or more.

The links below will take you to a couple of articles describing procedures that can be used to encourage less active patients to come in to see you.

The Reactivation Program has a number of sample letters and a sample postcard and the Reactivation Card is a sample post card that can also be customized for your email newsletter.

Sample Reactivation Postcard – Sample postcard layout and instructions on how to customize your postcard.  Information can also be used for email notification.

Reactivation Program An article on the importance of regular reactivation program.

Best Wishes for your New Year!

Chiropractic Health Never Takes a Holiday

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AUTHOR NOTE:  The links below are now working…. if you have a problem accessing, please contact Linda at 262-749-0221.

This is a busy season, isn’t it?

But, usually a productive one. Although there are the usual complaints, in the big picture I think we all do very well. For the most part, we accomplish many good deeds during this time.

First, there is the Spirit of Christmas – which is always a good thing. Regardless of how devout you are to Christ’s birth, different religions and different cultures recognize this time in their own way. We are all maybe just a bit nicer to each other, or at least called upon to think about having more compassion for each other.  Tragedies also remind us of this.   In my opinion, the Spirit of Christmas transcends all religions.

Then, there are the reunions. Family and friends get together. Hectic? Usually. Messy? Often. Sometimes agitating? Yes.  But still, it is a time for meeting together and talking and eating and sharing. And loving.

Did I say eating? Yes. That is usually yummy good, as long as we do not over indulge in too much or too bad food.

 NOW TO A PRACTICAL PRACTICE MANAGEMENT SUGGESTION: Don’t’ forget to politely remind your patients – “This is NOT a time to fall off the Wagon of Health!”

Health Doesn’t Take a Holiday

Embrace this time. Have fellowship, share kindnesses – and have yourselves a Merry Little Christmas. But maintain your health and insist your patients do as well.

Keep them to their appointments and schedule them through January.

The links below direct you to pdf posters for examples.   They say: “Health Never Takes a Holiday.” You can place these on your front desk and in your adjusting rooms to remind patients to keep to their schedules and to get scheduled if needed.

Clients may go to their members’ site and pull down the same files as customizable Word posters. There is a link for that below.

If you are not a client and want a Word file, just let us know.  We will get you one.

Use them if you want, or make your own.

Also, just for fun there is a link to a poem adapted from “The Night Before Christmas”: “Twas the Day Before Christmas.” Not sure who wrote and would like to know for attribution.

Now, if you think about it, what is the most important element to real health care?

… (thinking)….

Getting adjusted? Eating right? Exercising right? Yes, all these and more.

But even more fundamental is doing them. And to do them, you need to schedule them. This is why I place such an importance on the dynamic nature of the Front Desk. If patients are not scheduled, they don’t come in, and nothing else can happen.  Too obvious, but often overlooked or under stressed.

In the real world, the best guarantee for chiropractic health is the SCHEDULE.

From all of us at PM&A

Have yourself a merry little Christmas, and
May your hearts be light …

–Ed

Health Never Takes a Holiday (PDF)

Health Never Takes a Holiday-2(PDF)

Links to the members site for the fully customizable version of Health Never Takes a Holiday. (You will need to enter your user name and password.)

Health Never Takes a Holiday (DOC)

Health Never Takes a Holiday-2 (DOC)

Chiropractic Christmas Poem – “Twas The Day Before Christmas”

 

 

 

Health Never Takes A Holiday!

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Holidays

Holidays are a time when chiropractic patients can find many reasons not to keep to their schedules. To help you and them stick to their health program, you can pre-schedule them for the entire month of December.

We have made a couple of posters centered around:

Health Never Takes a Holiday

You can find links to these below.

When talking to your patients about their schedules, be understanding and empathetic. Hear their story. Then, be bold about your interest and concern that they maintain their care schedule through the holidays – and get them scheduled until next year.

And it is OK to use bribes.. Spicy warm apple cider gives off a very cozy smell and tastes great.. and is healthy, and free screenings/exams for patient’s holiday guests.

Links to posters:

Poster for Nov/Dec
Poster for any holiday

Chiropractic and Earth Day

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It was 40 years ago when Senator Nelson, from Wisconsin, helped start Earth Day.  (It started in March, 1970 with teach-ins at the University of Calif. Davis and San Francisco. I was there!)   Since then, there has been a battle between natural health, and chemicals and toxins.

Chemicals in Our Environment

  • 1972:  DDT, an organochlorine pesticide, was banned
  • 1976:  The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) establishes the Toxic Substance Control Act (TSCA)

62,000 chemicals were grandfathered in as being safe.  Two chemicals have been banned since 1976.

  1. 1978 Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCB)
  2. 1989 Asbestos

There has been no attempt to ban a toxic chemical since 1989.
The amount of chemicals produced or imported by the United States in one day would fill up 623,000 tanker trucks with a capacity of 8,000 gallons each. (Taken from Dr. Dan Murphy who quotes: The Body Toxic How the Hazardous Chemistry of Everyday Things Threatens Our Health and Well-being. By Nena Baker 2008)

Not counting the chemicals Americans take in from hormones, pesticides, herbicides, and other poisons in our fast food, super-sized nation, we pound prescription drugs in to our bodies.

American Prescription Drug Use

  • The average number of prescriptions [drugs] per person, annually, in 1993 was seven.
  • The average number of prescriptions [drugs] per person, annually, in 2000 was eleven.
  • [The average number of prescriptions drugs per person], annually, in 2004 was twelve.

The total number of annual prescriptions [drugs] in the United States now stands at about 3 billion. The cost per year is about $180 billion, headed to and estimated $414 billion by 2011.  (taken from Dr. Dan Murphy who quotes:How Prescription Drugs Are Altering American Lives, Minds, and Bodies Greg Critser 2005)

This is actually old data and the average number by 2010 is probably much higher. I have seen patients walk in with pages of 20 “’scripts”, and heard of even as many as 50. I am sure you have too.

In Our Drinking Water
A vast array of pharmaceutical including antibiotics, anti-convulsants, mood stabilizers and sex hormones have been found in the drinking water supplies of at least 41 million Americans, an Associated Press investigation shows.  in the course of a five-month inquiry, the AP discovered that drugs have been detected in the drinking water supplies of 24 major metropolitan areas _ from Southern California to Northern New Jersey, from Detroit to Louisville, Ky.   (USAToday)

Our Babies Swim Now In A Soup Of Chemicals.
287 human-made chemicals – most of them hazardous – in the blood of infants

According to a study released by the Environmental Working Group, a policy research and activist organization, tests measuring the so-called “body burden” of industrial chemicals, conducted on ten random samples of umbilical cord blood, detected 287 chemicals.

The samples, supplied by the American Red Cross, registered 180 chemicals known to cause cancer in adults, 217 that are linked to brain and nervous system damage, and 208 that have been shown to affect fetal or child development in animal tests. For 209 of the contaminants, this was the first time researchers had identified the chemicals in newborn blood.                                (Environmental Working Group)

What Should Be Done?
What do the so called health care leaders say about the poisons we feed to our planet, our people, and eventually our unborned children?  Where are the medical doctors or health insurers or pharmaceutical CEO’s speaking out against this. Or, our elected officials?

No one is talking, or if so, their voices are not heard.

And you know why?  Simple: because for the most part, they are not HEALTH Leaders.

And who are the health leaders?

You are! The chiropractor and the chiropractic professional. A healthy populace needs more than just “providers.” Your community needs leadership. The members of your town are bombarded with ads for drugs, for fast food, for industrial corporate food, for the easy “no effort way” to what they want. Add in natural human laziness, and you will find that your patients are getting sicker.

Health is a word which has been hijacked by the drug and insurance companies. But the chiropractor is the true health leader.

Earth Day gives you an easy avenue to extend your reach as a health leader into your community as well.  Well educated patients and community will seek to have a healthy town and a healthy body without the use of chemicals.

Ed

Sample posters. Link

Come celebrate with us on Earth Day by attending our seminar in Minneapolis.

Printable version of this article to give to patients. Chiropractic and Earth Day-for patients

Health Related Observances – Spring 2009

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Some upcoming dates in April, May, and June that can be utilized for promoting your services. You can use these, or even make up your own.

Earth Day – April 22
http://www.earthday.net/
Also, here.

Teacher’s Appreciation Day – May 5th
http://www.teacher-appreciation.info/

Mother’s Day – May 10

Correct Posture Month – May
Link

National Osteoporosis Awareness and Prevention Month – May
www.nof.org/awareness2/annual.htm

North American Occupational Safety and Health Week – May 3 – 9
U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration
www.asse.org/newsroom/naosh09

National Women’s Health Week – May 10 – 16
Office on Women’s Health
www.womenshealth.gov/whw

National Employee Health and Fitness Day – May 20
National Association for Health and Fitness
physicalfitness.org/nehf.html

National Scoliosis Awareness Month – May
National Scoliosis Foundation
www.scoliosis.org

National Headache Awareness Week — June 7 – 13
National Headache Foundation
www.headaches.org

National Men’s Health Week –  June 15 – 21
Men’s Health Network
www.menshealthweek.org

Spinal Health Awareness Week

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The American Chiropractic Association recognizes October as National Chiropractic Health Month. You can use this as a springboard and tie-in to sponsor a “Low Back Awareness Week” or “Spinal Health Awareness Month.”  It can be “in conjunction with National Spinal Health Month.”

Throw up some posters around the office, get some press releases off to local newspapers, and put a notice in your statements.  Offer a free spinal screening, a trigger point workshop, or whatever you want. The more attractive the offer, the better.  Have a staff meeting and cook up something fun.  This is designed to generate referrals, but to do so, it should also generate some enthusiasm with your staff.

You can find a down-loadable poster here in pdf format. For those of you who have the Marketing Manager System CD or Binders, you may email us and we will send you two sample posters in Word format for easy customization.