My Life And Times With B.J. Palmer – An Interview with Dr. Perrault

Posted on March 21, 2011 by Edward Petty

In a special teleclass sponsored by Petty, Michel and Associates, Dr. Thomas Perrault will be interviewed by Dr. Tom Potisk, both graduates of the Palmer Chiropractic College. Dr. Perrault personally knew Dr. B.J. Palmer, considered the Developer of Chiropractic, and spent time with him in the early part of Dr. Perrault’s career. (More about Dr. Palmer.)

Dr. Perrault will discuss some of his experiences with Dr. Palmer and what he learned from him.

It is safe to say that no other individual has been more responsible for the growth and continued success of the chiropractic profession than B.J. Palmer. He was a man of extra-ordinary energy and dedication to helping others with chiropractic. (More about B.J. Palmer.)

Dr. Tom Perrault, Sr., Founder of Perrault Chiropractic Offices, received a Bachelor’s degree from Northeastern University and a Doctor of Chiropractic Degree from Palmer College of Chiropractic in 1962.

He returned to his hometown of Methuen, MA to begin practice and was instrumental in the licensure of chiropractic by the Massachusetts legislature in 1966. He served twelve years on the Methuen School Committee, and continues to be active in community and civic affairs. His dedication to his profession and the community have earned him numerous awards and recognitions. He is a Fellow of the International Chiropractic Association and the Palmer Academy of Chiropractic.

Thomas Perrault Sr., D.C.

A long-time leader of the Massachusetts Chiropractic Society, Dr. Perrault currently serves as its Executive Vice President and has been named Massachusetts Chiropractor of the Year an unprecedented four times. His activities with his professional society have kept him on the leading edge of chiropractic research and innovations in chiropractic. His primary interest remains the location and correction of the vertebral subluxation complex, which is the fundamental principal on which chiropractic practice is based. In 2004 Dr. Perrault was presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award by his profession.

It is definitely worth a listen. The class last about 50 minutes.

March 29nd- Tuesday, 12:30 CT – Teleclass (50 Minutes)

If you are an active client, you can find the phone number and access number for this live interview on your PMAmembers.com site.

If you are not an active client and want to register, please go here.

Parker Seminar in Jan with Ms. Phyllis Frase

Posted on December 7, 2010 by Linda

We wanted to let you know that Ms. Phyllis Frase will be speaking at Parker Seminars 60th Anniversary event in Las Vegas, NV.

January 13-15, 2011

Parker Seminars is the largest and most long lasting seminar program for the chiropractic profession. The early registration discount is a month away and Phyllis wanted to be sure we reminded everyone. It is a great program and we encourage everyone to attend if you can make it. Great for the staff too.

(From Parker)

Join thousands of members from the chiropractic community for an unforgettable three days of education, networking, and an exposition featuring the best in chiropractic technology.

Spread the word that Parker Seminars’ 60th anniversary series lets you:

Learn critical practice-building techniques.
Strengthen your chiropractic foundation.
Create a more effective, efficient office.
Earn valuable continuing education credits.
Learn from world-renowned speakers and leading experts.
Maximize your potential and start living your best life!
Be one of the first to preview and order The Well Adjusted Soul,one of this year’s most exciting practice expansion tools. (Featuring an article, “Can You Hear Me Now?” by our very own, Dr. Tom Potisk.)

Come share the excitement and let us welcome you to our neighborhood!

Advanced registration available through December 13!

“Parker Seminars, “One voice for Chiropractic”

Last Seminar/Next Seminar

Posted on May 3, 2010 by Linda

We just finished our 10 classes in 1 day seminar in Minneapolis – our “10 in 1.” From what I heard and saw, everyone had a great time. I know we did. And for my money, I think we had some of the best professionals in the country giving presentations – as well as attending!

: Dave Michel at 3Goals Seminar in Minneapolis

In addition to great presentations by Phyllis Frase on chiropractic philosophy and procedures for staff, Dave Michel on insurance, and myself on marketing and practice building, we had two guest doctors.

: Dr Tom Potisk at 3-goals Seminar in Minneapolis

One was Dr. Tom Potisk who went over how he maintained a joyful practice for 25 years in a multi-doctor setting with 2 associate doctors.

: Dr. Shane Walker at 3-goals Seminar in Minneapolis

Then, as a special guest, we were pleased to have Dr. Shane Walker who is the president of the Federation of Straight Chiropractors. He lit the room up with passion, statistics, and purpose and reminded everyone about the power of chiropractic, as well as it’s importance in society today.

So, just a reminder:

Our Milwaukee seminar is coming up soon.

Dave, Phyllis, and myself all have new material covering C.A. training, insurance and reimbursement procedures, and marketing and practice building. Our presentations are all based upon the work we do each week in offices across the country – and what we see working, and not working.

For our Milwaukee seminar, we are especially pleased to have two exceptional doctors giving presentations on Thursday, May 20th. Both are highly qualified and successful doctors that set great examples for excellence in their practice, business, and life.

We will be sending info out on them soon, but you can find out more here.

Hope to see you all in Milwaukee.

Chiropractor to Chiropractor: Reclaim the Joy of Practice

Posted on March 24, 2010 by Edward Petty

Being a chiropractor can be a lonely job.

Who knows what it is like to adjust patients late in the afternoon while one patient is going on and on and the next one is dirty from work and smells? And yet another just called in who has been under care for two weeks and is in pain and wants to be seen right away – who knows what that is like?

Someone who has been there and done that – another doctor.

You aren’t looking for advice, that can wait. You don’t need a lecture. It would just be good to talk with someone who has been there before and survived, or better, thrived.

Let me introduce Dr. Tom Potisk. He is not the overbearing charming salesman type of a doctor that you often see in consulting programs. Actually, not too many doctors are really like that. In fact, most doctors are very similar to Dr. Tom.

Dr. Tom and Dave, Phyllis and myself have been discussing an additional ingredient to practice success that that we feel doctors need. Simply, another doctor to talk to. They have us, of course. But we are managers and marketers and practice builders. That is our specialty. And we too have been there and done that, since the 1980’s. But as managers – not as doctors.

We feel doctors need both for practice success: a professional manager to help build a profitable and self sustaining business AND the support and perspective of a professional, experienced chiropractor.

So we are very happy to partner with Dr. Tom Potisk in providing services to our wonderful wonderful clients.

We are pleased to announce that Dr. Tom will be giving a number of presentations at our upcoming seminars this year. One of the classes will be on Doctor to Doctor: Reclaiming the Joy of Practice. This is his basic theme: how, as a doctor, you can truly enjoy each day doing what you do as a doctor. His approach is simply – doctor to doctor. Not as a coach, but as a fellow doctor who has been through what you are going through and made it to the other side – very successfully.

Listen to this his first teleclass you – you will find it very motivating and reassuring.

Hope to “see” you there,

Here is what others have said who have listed to his full presentation:

“Dr. Tom’s program was fantastic! I laughed, I cried, and I went back to my practice with a new, deeper sense of dedication and confidence. All DCs need to hear his message!” – Dr. Donna Stackpool, Lake Geneva WI

“Reclaim the Joy of Practice was an amazing presentation! Dr. Potisk made the evening fun and enlightening with great tips on how to stay happy and truly enjoy Chiropractic. I loved the history references with BJ. It was a great reminder of how generations past fought for Chiropractic and how we need to honor them and the profession AND continue the passion. Thanks Dr. Potisk for lighting the fire again!” – Tara Gill DC, Delevan WI

“After nearly 40 years of practice, I thought I heard the last of the great, authentic, and sincere chiropractic programs years ago; then along comes Dr. Tom Potisk with his Reclaim the Joy of Practice presentation. He brought me right back to what I remembered as the good-ole-days with an adjustment between my ears. High pi Dr. Tom !” – Jerry Zelm DC, Oconomowoc WI

And you can read more about Dr. Tom Potisk here.

Motorcycles, Natural Hot Springs, Sushi, and Chiropractic Philosophy – Wowee! What a Weekend!!

Posted on March 15, 2010 by Dr. Tom

In the natural hot springs.

I just returned from a few days in Costa Mesa CA. I attended CalJam, a chiropractic philosophy/music convention, with Ed Petty from PM&A. It was refreshingly different because of the focus on chiropractic’s unique philosophy combined with music.

The man behind it all is Dr. Billy DeMoss and his fun-loving personality really shows in the event. Check out my video of BJ Palmer resurrected. [Longer Version]

Of course, I had to give Ed a lesson about why I’m called the “down-to-earth” doctor (www.thedowntoearthdoctor.com), a big part of it is going on adventures, so I took him on a high desert search for a natural hot spring called Deep Creek Spring. Yes, those are my feet in the picture. Ed reciprocated by guiding me on a motorcycle tour one of the days – I drove my first Harley and now I’m hooked! Thanks Ed.

My Harley in Laguna Beach, CA

As I listened to many of the greats like Dr Dan Murphy, Dr. Fabrizio Mancini, etc. I became even more grateful for the 25 years of tremendous success I’ve had in chiropractic. “Best profession in the world!” is what I told a 2nd semester student I bumped into there. He was wondering if he made the right decision, given all the negative news circulating about the business of practicing lately.

The speakers were talented and the content inspiring, but it also became apparent to me, that the seminars of PM&A are better in the sense that they lack sales. What I mean is that all or most of the speakers at CalJam, as inspiring and fun as they are to listen to, have a hidden agenda – they want to sell me something. That’s one of several reasons why I stayed with PM&A as my practice management guide, and why I’m excited to now be a part of their team.

I teach a class around the country called Reclaim the Joy of Practice, based on my book of the same name (www.reclaimthejoy.com) for content, I’m always on the lookout for exceptional DCs. I bumped in to Dr. Gerald Clum, president of Life West Chiropractic College.

Listen to his brief message in response to my question “What can chiropractors do to be more successful?” LINK.

Doctor, how can you apply that message today?

Asking Permission, Gaining Respect

Posted on March 4, 2010 by Dr. Tom

By Dr. Tom Potisk

Doctors of chiropractic appreciate respect as do patients. When a doctor acknowledges and recognizes that the patient may have limited time and money, a mutual respect develops and the situation becomes win-win. For example, when making a recommendation to a patient, ask “May I explain the tests that need to be performed today?”, and then “These will take approximately ____ minutes. Do you have time today?”

After explaining the results, a good follow up is: “Are you ready to start treatment today?” Then explain the treatment.

Far too often doctors get into a routine and they begin to assume that the patient wants what you’re about to perform. Asking their permission to proceed not only relaxes the patient but lowers your liability because you’ve gotten their consent.

Never assume that permission has already been obtained by staff. Ask “Has the receptionist explained our procedures and policies?”

For gaining referrals, avoid the harsh “Bring in your spouse and child for a spinal exam.” Instead ask, “Many of my patients bring their family here for preventive check-ups. Would you be interested in how that works?” The best time to ask this is when the patient has praised your treatment. As Doctor Sid Williams says, “Breed them while they’re in heat!”

For building a wellness care practice, a great question is “If there were a way of preventing this problem from reoccurring and avoiding new problems would you be interested?”

At the end of your practice day, reflect upon it and take notice of how many times you asked questions versus issued advice and orders. The ratio should be about 50:50. Don’t be afraid to ask your staff for their perspective of your performance. They are your best source of input and will feel honored by your inquiry.

In this era of managed health care and busy lifestyles, asking for the patient’s permission goes a long way in gaining their respect and building a joy filled successful practice.

Dr. Tom Potisk has been a client of PM&A for nearly all of his 25 year multi-doctor practice. He now works with PM&A and is soon publishing a book titled Reclaim The Joy Of Practice.

Observations

observations from our travels in the world of chiropractic

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